I haven’t seen “Blowing Smoke,” but I probably will someday. Meanwhile, I follow the Blowing Smoke Blog for entertainment news from the unique perspective of Jim Treacher. Just for instance:

Jim Carrey is turning into the Axl Rose of movies
Two movies he was going to star in were put on hold, he just ditched his longtime agent, and now he’s pulled the plug on his latest flick himself. I think we all know what this means. Coming in 2007: Ace Ventura 3: Remember? With the Hair?

Heh.

Pajamas Media is still taking votes for labeling the “X21s,” that segment of the electorate who cannot be labeled conservative or liberal. Voting will close Oct 13. I still prefer the word “hybrids,” and I still think the 12 other choices are not as good as “hybrids.” Please take this opportunity to go vote for “hybrids.” Thank you.

King Philip’s in his closet with the Fleece about his neck
(Don John of Austria is armed upon the deck.)
The walls are hung with velvet that is black and soft as sin,
And little dwarfs creep out of it and little dwarfs creep in.
He holds a crystal phial that has colours like the moon,
He touches, and it tingles, and he trembles very soon,
And his face is as a fungus of a leprous white and grey
Like plants in the high houses that are shuttered from the day,
And death is in the phial, and the end of noble work,
But Don John of Austria has fired upon the Turk.
Don John’s hunting, and his hounds have bayed -
Booms away past Italy the rumour of his raid.
Gun upon gun, ha! ha!
Gun upon gun, hurrah!
Don John of Austria
Has loosed the cannonade.

[Tomorrow, Oct. 7, is the 435th anniversay of the Battle of Lepanto. The excerpt above is the seventh stanza of Lepanto, by G.K. Chesterton.]

Julie Neidlinger has fired a salvo in the battle to ban Comic Sans. I share her disgust at this font’s all-too-frequent inappropriate use. But I agree with the designer of the typeface, that it is very good at its original purpose, namely comic book lettering.

Comic Sans is what I used for this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this, just for instance.

[Cap tip to Dustbury.]

Matt Cassens is an acquaintance of mine. He was my brother’s roommate in college, and I met him a few times, years ago, in Chicago and in Champaign, Illinois. And now, Matt Cassens is a blogger. The traits I remember — his sharp mind, his quick wit, and his gentlemanly demeanor — are on display at StBlogustine.com. Welcome to our blogroll. Matt, and do stay around. If you’re ever in Oklahoma City, please join me in a pint.

You thought Janet Jackson was a mess? This poorly conceived magic show, starring Harry Blackstone and about a thousand girls, was arguably the worst. Even the girl coming out of the magic cabinet was ticked off.