1. "What "Street Niggas" Really Listen To...": Clipse, Pusha, Carney and Cassavetes, by Brandon Soderberg of No Trivia. Elsewhere: Todd VanDerWerff reviews the latest episode of Lost and Ross Ruediger writes up the DVD release of Tell Me You Love Me.

["Maybe some drug dealers have decent music taste, but the assumption that because one is from the street, one is apt to embrace street music, is incorrect. I see the logic, but most people are just more into ideas of escape and it's why blue-collar whites listen to mainstream country music and not sad-sack songs about why their life sucks. The illusion that the drug-dealer is some near-Nietzschean businessman beyond good and evil that embraces his/her fate is a myth sold by dealers and the popular rappers that leech off of that myth. It's a fucked-up circle of bullshit and the reality is, dealers are stupid too. They want to feel good about themselves like everybody else so, 50 Cent's image of thuggery is way more appealing than say, 'Chinese New Year'. In last night's episode of 'The Wire', there's a scene of Snoop and Chris driving down the street with Hurricane Chris playing out their speakers; that's what I'm getting at!"] Continue Reading »

1. "William F. Buckley Jr., 82, Dies; Sesquipedalian Spark of Right": From The New York Times. Related: Buckley on The Sopranos' finale.

["William F. Buckley Jr., who marshaled polysyllabic exuberance, arched eyebrows and a refined, perspicacious mind to elevate conservatism to the center of American political discourse, died on Wednesday at his home in Stamford, Conn. He was 82."] Continue Reading »

1. "What makes Diablo Cody unique now gets pans": From MSNBC. And here's the blog entry in question.

["The first-time scriptwriter from Lemont, Ill., demonstrated her no-nonsense, rebellious personality last week when she took to her MySpace blog to vent about the $1 million diamond-laced shoes designed for her by Stuart Weitzman to wear on Oscar's red carpet. "They're using me to publicize their stupid shoes and NOBODY ASKED ME," wrote Cody, who ultimately wore gold flats. "I would never consent to a lame publicity stunt at a time when I already want to hide." Cody, who has been unapologetic and candid about her colorful life, drew praise in the blogosphere for her remarks at the time. But in the days that followed, Weitzman told the celebrity Web site TMZ that Cody actually selected the shoes herself, and bloggers (and subsequent commenters) had their fun calling her out for what they saw as diva behavior."] Continue Reading »

1. The new issue of Cineaste debuts. Web exclusive to this issue are the following: David Archibald's interview with Stefan Ruzowitsky; Martha P. Nochimson's review of the Samuel Fuller Eclipse DVD's and of the reprint of Fuller's novel The Dark Page; David Sterritt's take on Cinema 16's European Short Films DVD; Phillip Lopate's review of the Eclipse Series dedicated to Raymond Bernard; and James L. Neibaur on "Lost and Found: The Harry Langdon Collection".

["Feeling homosocial? Sam Fuller is the director for you. Sam's the man who said, "If a story doesn't give you a hard-on in the first couple of scenes, throw it in the goddamn garbage." Sorry Sam, I'll have to find another way of judging narrative value—and your films."] Continue Reading »

1. "Stuff White People Like": Kevin Lee directs us to this blog of note. #74: Very true! And on that note, be sure to check out our illustrious Editor-in-Chief's participation in the Television Without Pity Oscar LiveBlog.

["One of the best places to gain a white person's trust is at an Oscar party. An invitation to one these parties is basically your "foot in the door"."] Continue Reading »