Link roundup

1. Jim Shooter explains what makes Rocky such a good movie.

2. The NY Observer:

On March 6, dozens of zebra finches were found dead outside the National Arts Club, at 15 Gramercy Park South. They belonged to the club president, O. Aldon James. The ASPCA is investigating the situation, though it's been suggested that Mr. James was likely responsible for their demise.

...

Bizarre stories about the club seem lately to emerge on a monthly basis.

3. Nicki Minaj invited Stave Nash on stage at her concert and gave him a lap dance.

The Stoner Arms Dealers: How Two American Kids Became Big-Time Weapons Traders

This month's Rolling Stone includes an absolutely unbelievable story by Guy Lawson about two arms dealers in their 20's who won the contract to supply hundreds of millions of dollars worth of weapons to the Afghanistan army. Or as the headline reads: The Stoner Arms Dealers: How Two American Kids Became Big-Time Weapons Traders And how the Pentagon later turned on them.