Chris Becherer, a friend of mine at Berkeley, spent last summer in Afghanistan with another Berkeley student producing a record of traditional Afhgan music. If that doesn’t sound fascinating to you, spend just a few minutes on their blog.

They spent 10 days on the ground in Kabul, gathering famed Afghan musicians – long silenced by the oppressive Taliban regime – recording an entire professional album at Radio Killid Studio – hardly more than a shack – and blogging from internet cafes that were frequent targets of suicide bombers.

The album they recorded is available on iTunes and Rhapsody and the proceeds all go towards funding music programs in Afghanistan in an effort to revitalize what was a dying part of their culture.

They got BoingBoinged last year, but those ass-hats won’t post a follow-up. Feel free to email them urging that they post something, because they obviously don’t like me. And then buy the songs on iTunes.

[The Afghan Music Project]
[AMP Blog]

In case you live in a cave, there’s a bit of unrest throughout the Muslim world in response to editorial cartoons published in Danish newspapers last year. Other countries then decided to widely publish those same cartoons and say “Hey, lookie here! These are the cartoons that are driving the Muslims crazy!” Well, let’s just say that made things slightly worse. This cartoon skewers the whole sordid mess and likely puts its creator one notch above the Danes on the jihad hit list.

What does the little purple dinosaur thing have to say? “Oh my! That IS outrageous. I’m so upset I could kill a Jooooo. Or at least kidnap and rape a white person. The Muslims are so upset, they could shit a jeeehad.”

And for the record, not every U.S. newspaper has avoided publishing the controversial cartoons. My hometown Philadelphia Inquirer showed some quijones and published them in their entirety.

[ShoBizNewsyNews]
[Philadelphia Inquirer]

Looks like we’ve got a winner. Ron Burgundy stars as Ricky Bobby, Nascar legend. “Ricky Bobby is not a thinker. Ricky Bobby is a driver.” “If you ain’t first, you’re last”

[Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby]

And just because it’s Valentine’s Day, here’s a little SportsCenter love from Papa Burgundy… [Ron Burgundy's SportsCenter Audition]

“Seriously, this thing is going to be a financial and cultural disaster. SportsCenter. Think about that. That’s just dumb.”

A new genetic survey brings to light something I had long suspected: royal blood flows through these veins. My lineage on my mother’s side can easily be traced back to Niall of the Nine Hostages, an Irish king of the 5th century. So basically, I’m a prince of Ireland. It’s science.

[If Irish Claim Nobility, Science May Approve - New York Times]

[Doherty Coat of Arms]

Ahnult needs no introduction. I only wish I understood what was going on here. Although, it’s not really necessary. Enjoy.

Credit to BDK for finding this gem

Easily the best “Brokeback” spoof out there.

credit due… [chocolate cake city]
previously… [Comboys are My Weakness]

[Owens meets with Broncos - NFL - Yahoo! Sports]

If T.O. finds his way to Denver, might I suggest a new Mile High Salute?

Jay Mohr – you might better know him as Bob Sugar, Jerry Maguire’s nemesis and one-time protege – goes on a diatribe about the winter olympics. While I don’t think he’s particularly funny and usually find his SI.com articles to be pretty worthless, this one, which could have been much better if he had spent more than an hour writing it, is worth reading if only for the conclusion…

“…if you are a man, and you are wearing sequins, I just cannot take you seriously. Unless of course you are Neil Diamond. If you put Neil Diamond in skates and team him up with a cute girl and he sings Coming To America as he competes, you just won yourself a viewer.”

Check that. You won yourself two.

[SI.com - Jay Mohr: I couldn't care less about the Olympics]