The Onion News Network covers the hotly-anticipated new 'cross-over' bestseller, Green Man, Blue Cat.

Mind-blowing Rube Goldberg machine video from Ok Go.

Update aaaand then there's also this equally-mind-blowing version:

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass from OK Go on Vimeo.

Ok Go - This Too Shall Pass

Yeah so I'm pretty excited for the May Day Joy Formidable show at the Mercury lounge. Tickets are still available as of now (so get some).

Also if you don't have the album yet, you can buy it here.

The Joy Formidable - The Last Drop

Here are two YouTube videos that I was amazed by this week:

1. Julia Dales beatboxing (pictured, via BoingBoing)
2. Usain Bolt ran 150 meters in 14.35 seconds (via Kottke)

Ok Go guitarist Andy Ross has a solo act called Secret Dakota Ring. Very cute video! Don't worry, it has a happy ending.

Friend and commenter Scats has made a brilliant video with exclusive footage of Sarah Palin's acceptance speech.

UPDATE 9/29: Matt Taibbi's take on the same speech: It was like watching Gidget address the Reichstag.

Thank you, Captain Obvious, for posting an excellent August Mix, which I am reposting here as a single 83M ZIP.

Here's a track from that mix that I like. Cool name, right? I don't know anything about them, except that they're from Australia and their site is impossible.

The Curse of Company - All the Mines

It's been a while since I stopped reading the news (that's been going great, btw!) so I don't know if I would have seen this on NY1 or whatever, but apparently this road-rage incident was a big story in Portland this summer. Reason I bring it up? Via BoingBoing I see that the accidental photographer, Rick Adams, did a helpful but all-too-short writeup about his experience dealing with the media. He notes that there should probably be some type of FAQ for when you're in this increasingly-common type of situation, and gives some helpful advice:

First off, and remember this: make the arrangements with everybody yourself. I didn't understand how this works and it cost me some money. You don't need to speak to agencies that represent the networks; you can speak to them directly yourself, and if you're in the middle of something like this where they are running your footage right now they will actually call you back. You won't know who to call but start with your local TV station, tell them they are running your copyrighted footage and you'd like to get paid for it. Then, while you're doing that ask for a contact number for the parent network itself so you can do the same thing there. It really is that simple.

This reminds me of the tourist this summer catching the NYPD officer attacking a bicyclist. I wonder if he knew to negotiate a deal with the media? I think this FAQ sounds like a good idea!

I know from my limited experience dealing with the media over a thing in college that they can be unbelievably persuasive in getting you to give them things for free. I'm doubting that tourist got anything for filling the space between their commericals. I hope I'm wrong!

Stephen Colbert issues an apology to Canton, Georgia.

#1 blog reader Georgia has alerted me to an amazing new single from The Grates, which, although is linked below, you should still support the artist AND get the higher quality version from the store above.

Sailor hats above both cute and appropriate; photo is from their recent surprise show on a boat in Australia.  (They're from Australia.)  Also, they all went to art school and make their own cute posters.

The song is really stunning.  They are so good at the under-2:30 pop song!  Lyrics here.  Video here.  Very conducive to listening to over and over and over.  Several of my top songs of all time are Grates songs, including #2!

The Grates - Burn Bridges
The Grates - 19-20-20

Update 8/16: Having multiple songs linked in the same post is interfering with the podcast—iTunes subscribers are seeing 19-20-20 instead of Burn Bridges. Unless I find a good solution, it's going to be one song per post going forward!