Nov 20th, 2008 · The teen vampire movie "Twilight" opens in theaters on Friday. The movie follows the best-selling series of romance-thriller novels, set in the small and rainy hamlet of Forks on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. Despite its remoteness, the town has become a pilgrimage destination for readers from around the world.
Oct 1st, 2008 · Australia's The Curse of Company is the union of several musicians known primarily for their roles in other projects, including David Wiley Rennick of Dappled Cities. The band's first release, Leo Magnets Joins a Gang is a hazy, ethereal soundtrack for a rainy day.
May 12th, 2008 · Monitor Mix blogger Carrie Brownstein chooses a new mixtape, made up of songs originally compiled on a rainy day several weeks ago. They might sound best under gray skies, as part of a mix that could easily be called "The Underdogs."
May 7th, 2008 · Lucy Bland's debut, full-length release, Down to Sea Level, is a soul-warming balm for the endlessly rainy days of their hometown Seattle, Wash. Delicate, electronic beeps and pops mingle with melodic strings and singer Cat Biell's cozy vocals. It's the sonic equivalent of lazing in a gently swaying hammock, under a cloudless day at the beach.
Mar 3rd, 2007 · In the rainy season, southeastern Nigeria is dotted with ponds and lakes. Until recently, many of them harbored the debilitating guinea worm parasite. Now, a relentless effort to eradicate it in Nigeria is close to success.
Nov 19th, 2006 · Weather patterns in Kenya are far different than they were a generation ago. There's less snow on the mountaintops, lakes are much lower, and the rainy season has been arriving late. And when the rain finally comes, it falls too hard and fast and sweeps away the precious topsoil that farmers need to plant their harvests.
Oct 24th, 2006 · Melissa Block talks with New York Times reporter Lydia Polgreen. Polgreen, who is based in Dakar, has reported extensively on the conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The rainy season has just ended in northern Sudan, reinvigorating the fighting there. Polgreen recently traveled to the border with Chad, where fighting has been most active of late. The prospects of a political resolution are dim, Polgreen says.
Oct 6th, 2006 · Zero 7's newest album, The Garden, might just be the band's best yet. Filled with lightweight-yet-powerful pop hooks and vocal harmonies, the collaborations with singers Jose Gonzalez and Sia that dot the record help render it organic and beautiful.