Stomachache? Have a ‘Tsunami’ and a Cigar…

Health experts have long given credit to Communist leaders for insisting on universal health care and and the use of traditional, holistic and organic medication.

But, according to Hugo Chavez, Fidel — though “fighting a great battle for life” — has his own special concoction for his tummy travails:

“Fidel has a formula for stomach problems and gases and heartburn — the tsunami,” Chavez said. “Fifty percent oatmeal, 25 percent whole rye flour, and the other 25 percent whole wheat flour. You mix all that and it’s a marvel because it’s pure fiber and it cleans the stomach, all the digestive paths.”

Source: Reuters

‘The Onion’ Debuts in Los Angeles

Did a double take last night while walking down Vermont and caught an Onion display box in the corner of my p.o.v. Oddly, was in convo with a Chicago friend and was hardly phased by the sight of the tab of ridic hilarity until I was reminded by Metroblogging.LA this morning, that YES, The Onion has finally arrived in Los Angeles.

t. herman zweibel, onion publisher emeritusThought I was hallucinating for a second as I had just walked by a bizarre gathering of folks outside of Skylight Books where Les Claypool — superstar of satirical music himself — was demonstrating that rock stars can read aloud. Then I remembered reading a column about the Onion debut in the LA Times last week.

Now if only Skylight can get the likes of T. Herman Zweibel to read…

Lollapalooza 2006 — Being There… Virtually

Got some links to video shot this weekend at Lollapalooza. Wish I coulda been there but at least there’s the flickr photostream, Blueroom video and youtube:

VIDEO – click to watch:
Sonic Youth plays “Schizophrenia”
Flaming Lips – “Yoshimi”
Wacky Interview with the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne
Sleater-Kinney
Gnarls Barkley are the ‘Champions’

more video here.

Check for more archival video in the AT&T Blueroom HERE.

Lolla ’06 photostream via Flickr (tagged lollapalooza2006):

Best shots I’ve seen are from 5500 (Matt Peck — amazing Sleater-Kinney shots!) and chromewaves (Frank Yang).

So how was Lolla weekend?

R.I.P. Arthur Lee

[Lolla post has moved here] arthur lee by brian vander brug / LA TimesThe great Arthur Lee passed away Thursday night after a struggle with leukemia with his wife at his bedside. Lee, the man behind the band Love and the all-time classic 1967 album Forever Changes inspired many performers and songwriters through the years and had been on tour as recently as late 2005.

R.I.P. Arthur Lee. (There is an excellent obituary in the Saturday L.A. Times here).