Cred Sheet

poignant video imagery

R. Kelly and Usher playing pickup basketball in the “Same Girl” video.

Neither of them is worth a damn in the low post.

• patriotic gestures

Watching some dude absolutely shred to Van Halen’s “Jump” on the electronic drum simulator in a video arcade on the boardwalk along the Jersey Shore on the Fourth of July.

America: Fuck, yeah.

pro wrestling / environmental policy

The e-mail subject line “WWF Experts Available at Live Earth.”

Momentarily really confusing.

pleasant retrospective surprises

The unexpectedly excellent Frank Black best-of.

No “Kicked in the Taco,” though.

this song will change your life

The somewhat expectedly excellent new Okkervil River single, “Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe.”

Whiney, warbling white dudes are rarely so appealing anymore.

internet dalliances

The Police’s Ghost in the Machine–era demos posted at Goldenfiddle.com.

If you’ve ever wondered what Sting would sound like warbling “Spirits in the Invisible World” in a suburban Mexican restaurant with a crappy Casio keyboard as accompaniment . . . well, you asked for it, dawg.

tv party

The blatant superiority of John from Cincinnati‘s opening credits (featuring “Johnny Appleseed” by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros) to the actual dramatic content of John from Cincinnati.

Seriously, someone get Kai the hell outta there.