Oct 9th, 2008 · Writer Alix Kates Shulman remembers the 1960s as an age where men dominated the literary scene — that is, until Grace Paley's quirky urban voice and modernist short stories began to challenge the notion of what constituted great reading.
Oct 6th, 2008 · The lg Nobel Prizes were announced last week. They are a parody of the Nobel prizes and recognize quirky, funny and sometimes legitimate scientific achievement. The winners? In nutrition: scientists showed people will eat stale chips if they're crunchy. In biology: a French team proved dog fleas jump higher than cat fleas. In cognitive science: researchers showed slime molds can solve puzzles. And the lg Nobel for archaeology goes to the team that showed one armadillo can change the course of history.
Sep 30th, 2008 · John Moen, best known as drummer for Portland, Oregon's The Decemberists, steps into the spotlight with his side project, Perhapst. On Perhapst's self-titled debut, Moen sings and performs most of the quirky, 1960s-influenced pop music himself, with the notable exception of a guest spot by Stephen Malkmus on guitar.
Sep 22nd, 2008 · Until recently, Portland, Oregon-based musician Jared Mees had no band to call his own. But for his sophomore album, Caffeine, Alcohol, Sunshine Money, Mees gathered over a dozen musicians, known as The Grown Children, to formally back him in his quirky pop endeavor.
Aug 16th, 2008 · Knowledge-hound A.J. Jacobs has been sifting through the history of the Olympic Games and talks about some of the behind-the-scenes stories and quirky moments at Oympics past.
Aug 11th, 2008 · The fast-paced, playful pop songs from the Arizona-based band What Laura Says are utterly infectious, full of quirky vocals and banged out piano chords. Lyrically, the record walks a line between comedic sarcasm and poignancy. But What Laura Says takes the pop formula one step further, injecting thick, full band instrumentation and a slew of retro sounds, from psychedelia to folk and bluegrass. The result is a very catchy record that keeps things light without losing any sort of musical integrity.
Aug 11th, 2008 · Tightwad Bank in Missouri has re-opened. The latest incarnation of this bank includes low-fee banking and debit cards emblazoned with the word "Tightwad." While many banks are struggling, this bank hopes to capture attention and investors with its quirky name and the slogan, "The bank with a sense of humor." Missy Shelton reports from member station KSMU.
Jul 21st, 2008 · The Movie, the debut album from New York-based band Clare & the Reasons, is quirky, to say the least. The record is an 11-track foray into theatrical, space-themed chamber pop that falls somewhere between the score of a Broadway musical and a collection of sweet and playful nursery rhymes.