Chaka Khan
Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah, so I want to extend a warm holiday greeting to all of our Jewish pals on behalf of all of us here at BGB.
Author Neal Pollock has a nice article about the changing nature of Chanukah over at Jewcy. Whenever I think of the Festival of Lights though, I naturally turn to South Park:
The NYT recommends books that the recipients will not only like, but open again and again.
NPR’s All Songs Considered has released its annual holiday music special as an MP3 podcast. It gets better after the oddly lisping Al Gore’s global warming song at the beginning.
Playing the role of Grinch this holiday season is BGB’s favorite merkin, Michael Crichton. Crichton allegedly decided to get back at a critic by including him in his new book as a self-absorbed pedophile – with a small penis. The character reportedly has no impact on the plot whatsoever. (Thanks for the link, Dr J). The NYT’s article on the controversy explains the “small penis” rule of libel:
Mr. Crowley contends that Mr. Crichton has tried to escape public censure for his literary attack by hiding behind what has become known as “the small penis rule. The rule, Mr. Crowley writes, is described in a 1998 article in The New York Times in which the libel lawyer Leon Friedman said it is a trick used by authors who have defamed someone to discourage lawsuits. “No male is going to come forward and say, ‘That character with a very small penis — that’s me!’ ” Mr. Friedman explained.
All those references to “Mr. Crowley” have me thinking of Ozzy. A good sign that it’s time to go.
December 15, 2006 4:40 pm 
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By Herman Glimscher, December 19, 2006 @ 3:11 pm
Since committing a libel means lying, I would think that the libeled man would just zip and flip in order to prove he’d been defamed. It would really make for one hell of a trial.
I guess part of the strategy would be to avoid defaming exhibitionists.
By DJ Cayenne, December 19, 2006 @ 10:09 pm
I am amazed at how many people have come to the site in the past few days by Googling “small penis rule.” It’s a little scary.
By Herman Glimscher, December 20, 2006 @ 7:50 am
“If the ‘Glove of Love’ don’t fit, you must acquit.”