That's what this post will be, according to this article about online news.

One of the movies fresh out on DVD that made Bob Grimm's "Now Showing at Home" column last week was The Matador, starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear. Mrs. B. and I watched it last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Much has been written about Brosnan's performance in a role that's the polar opposite of the James Bond character he inhabited for several films, and it's true that Julian Noble is nothing like 007. But Brosnan has done other work in his career, so perhaps it's only Hollywood's myopia that dismisses the more than 50-plus remaining titles in his filmography.

Bob gave the movie a B+. The user rating at IMdB is 7.1 out of 10, and the Critics' Tomatometer pegs it at 76%, both of which, though not sterling, are respectable grades for a quirky, dark little independent film.

Also, extras on the disc that Bob didn't mention are two radio programs (yes, radio on DVD!) from NPR-affiliated KCRW in Santa Monica. In one, film critic Elvis Mitchell chats with director Richard Shepard around the time of the movie's release. In the other, a correspondent follows Shepard at the 2005 Sundance Festival, where The Matador was screened and eventually picked up by Miramax. Both are worth a listen. (And both can be found in the archives on KCRW's excellent Web site.)

It's a new week! Yay! Or boo! Or something! Here's what's going on:

-- A building exploded in New York this morning—a gas problem is suspected—injuring at least five people.

-- Japan is sick of Kim Jong Il's snit.

-- In what HAS to be a first, a company (in this case, the Boston Globe) is FORCING gay and lesbian employees to get married in order to keep their domestic-partner benefits. Of course, they're in a state where they CAN get married, whereas in Arizona, the whackadoos don't want gays or straights or ANYBODY to even have domestic partner benefits. Sigh.

-- Meanwhile, Arizonans—baffled by this recent phenomenon called "rain"—keep drowning.

And that's all that's going on in the world, at least for now.

-- Heavy rains have battered the central portion of town, whereas the southside has received jack squat. And there's a flash-flood warning out, so don't be 'illin in washes, yo.

-- A bird somehow got in the door and is flitting around the Weekly World Central offices.

-- Michael Jackson is reportedly shocked by gay porn. (You can make your own joke here.)

-- The next time you're at a baseball game, be aware of a fondling frog.

Add to this morning's round-up of news the death yesterday of a 16-year-old in a vehicle rollover on River Road. It seems my local news RSS feed is just filled lately with reports of people being thrown from their cars and dying because they weren't using seat belts. I thought this kind of foolhardy behavior was a long way behind us, replaced by the hands-free driving required by talking on the cell phone and smoking/drinking/eating/putting on make-up at the same time. I'm so compulsive about using the seat belt, I snap mine in place just to back the car up a few feet in the driveway. And please, don't bother dropping in to offer up that tired old excuse about being trapped by a locked up seat belt in the event of fire or flood or locusts or whatever. The odds of that happening are probably better than winning the lottery, but not by much. Meanwhile, evidence of the consequences of not buckling up continues, sadly, to mount.

-- Tucson Electric Park is still soggy, though it's supposed to be dry enough to play tonight. However, this is no consolation to the dollar-beer fans who were deprived last night. DAMN YOU, MONSOON!

-- The state is putting the smack down on Wal-Mart for not complying with pricing laws. Let's all pray that damn smiley face gets fired for this.

-- Sit down for this one ... could it be that the White House, thanks to Tony Snow, is actually starting to open up a bit?

-- Nomar is an All Star!

For the first time in Weekly Blog history, we have had a request for coverage! In honor of this milestone, I shall blog the request, pretty much in its entirety.

Hi, Jimmy,

My name is Jennifer Warren and I live in the NW part of Tucson. I need your help in getting some exposure and a very important request out to the Tucson Community. I am the local international coordinator representing Aspect Foundation a Foreign Youth Exchange Non Profit organization 501(c)3 (www.aspectfoundation.org) and I have several kids who are coming to study in local Tucson area High Schools. They need families to volunteer to open their Hearts, homes, and tables ASAP. Will you please publish this request to the Tucson Weekly Blog website as soon as is convenient…I did send a request for this to be printed in the Bulletin Board section…But, honestly, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE for these really neat teens and they deserve immediate help and attention….THANK YOU for anything you can do to help these kids achieve their American Dreams!

Make an American Dream Come True! Become a Volunteer Host Family and earn a $50 donation for your favorite charity! Whether you’re married or single, with or without children, just starting out or just retired-you can make a difference in the life of a young person when you volunteer to host an international exchange student. Students come from nearly 30 countries around the globe, but share a common dream—to live and learn the American way of life with a family like yours! TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE FOR THESE KIDS. Students are 15-18 and come with their own insurance and spending money. Change the world one friendship at a time. Learn how your family can have this unforgettable experience; please contact Jennifer Warren at 219-8119 or [email protected].

So, what's going on in the world today?

-- There's a leak in the roof at Weekly World Central, right over the crime/county/UA desk.

-- There's a new issue of the Weekly out, which you can see right over there on the, um, right.

-- Gabby Giffords' boyfriend took his vehicle and docked with the space shuttle. I expect a press release from her campaign trumpeting this fact any minute.

-- Kim Jong Il keeps hinting to the world that he has a really miniscule penis.

-- Emmy nominations are out, and if Arrested Development doesn't win for best comedy series, I shall have a major snit, unless The Office wins, in which case I'll have a minor snit.

-- And finally, autoerotic asphyxiation in Arizona seems to have caught the attention of The Associated Press.

That's all the news in the world. Thanks for reading.

Last night, I watched the A Mountain fireworks show from the top level of the Tyndall Avenue Garage at the University of Arizona. The last time I attempted to view the fireworks was a couple of years ago from the midtown roof of my friend's mother's house. We drank beers and made fun of each other, but there wasn't much in the way of fireworks to see from that distance. As a youngster, I never got up close to any of the A Mountain shows, either, so I guess I had a preconception that yesterday's show would be humdrum.

I was pleasantly surprised, however, by how cool it was. Sure, it didn't compare to the Boston show I saw on TV at a dive bar I went to after our local show had finished—but it was definitely better than expected. And the Tyndall Avenue Garage was the perfect spot for viewing; the fireworks showered downtown with color as lightning flickered in the distance. I highly recommend this venue for viewing the show next year.

In addition, my fireworks experience was enhanced by a pair of lovely women who were handing out eegee's frozen fruit drinks to perfect strangers. I never asked why they were giving away the refreshments, because I was too busy sparring about politics with one of my friends. Were they good-natured Christians? Were they part of a secret society that hands out frosty treats at patriotic gatherings? I hesitated a bit before I accepted their offer; I guess years of "stranger-danger" conditioning as a young'un made me ask myself if this eegee's might contain a sedative, causing me to wake up in a ditch somewhere, with both of my kidneys missing.

But everything turned out fine; I'm still here, and so are my internal organs. I want to thank these women again for their random act of generosity. You made my Fourth of July.

We have received word that tonight's Tucson Sidewinders game for tonight has been postponed, apparently because all that rain we got last night made Tucson Electric Park too damn soggy. It'll be made up as a doubleheader tomorrow, Thursday.

So, now you've been informed.