Links to cure your finals weeks blues

-A less-than-flattering recording between Chris Rock and a private investigator regarding a rape allegation has surfaced in an FBI investigation of said P.I. It's likely that this was not an actual rape, but it's still not good for Rock's reputation. In the immortal words of Alec Baldwin: "Patriot Act! Patriot Act! PATRIOT ACT!!!" (Huffington Post)

-The San Diego Union-Tribune turned an apology for a comment about Natalie Portman's cleavage in a syndicated review of The Other Boleyn Girl into a call for more female film critics. Gary Sussman at the EW Popwatch Blog has the proper response: more film critics, period. If the Union-Tribune had it own film cricket instead of publishing a syndicated review, it was less likely to offend it's more liberal audience. It would also lead to more female film critics. Maybe the Union-Tribune should put it's money where it's mouth is and hire a female critic of their own. (San Diego Union Tribune/Entertainment Weekly PopWatch blog)

-So apparently while it's not cool for Doc Martens to make graven images of Kurt Cobain in vain, it's okay for Converse to do so. A new line of shoes will feature lyrics from Nirvana songs on sneakers, all with approval from Kurt Cobain's one-woman estate, Courtney Love. This poses an interesting dilemma: while Converse has been deemed cool again by hipsters, is Kurt Cobain still cool by hipster standards? If so, they probably have to argue that Bleach is Nirvana's best album to cover their bases. (Gawker)

-Finally, Tyler Hinman, four-time defending crossword puzzle champion and a man who I can proudly say I've shared a pitcher of beer with at the Falcon, has a video up where he solves a crossword puzzle in record time. Billy Mitchell is not impressed. Ironically, despite being the national crossword puzzle champion and living in Chicago, Tyler did not go to the U of C. (TylerHinman.com)