speaking of the shins ... did you know james mercer wrote music for a gap ad?? the commercial had no less than that ashton kid. you can find it here. also, on sep 23rd a new shins EP is coming out, followed by an LP in late october, plus a likely tour around then (inc. another concert at the bowery) ... whoo! in other news, my latest pop culture adventure has been all about mary kate and ashley olsen (or MKA to fans). i forget what this was originally sparked by, oh i think it was seeing a pic of them at the MTV VMA awards. anyway, this article has a great quote:

Our new Gameboy color game, "The New Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley" will be coming out this May; and our first Playstation game, "Magical Mystery Mall" will be out next fall. We're really excited about that!

some gossip, courtesy of the new york post

During a limo ride last week, one of them reportedly blurted, "Alcohol tastes just like water!"

and some analysis, courtesy of the onion: Mary-Kate Olsen Is Dragging Ashley Down

Mary-Kate lacks charisma. That elusive quality is vital to a performer, yet Mary-Kate is almost completely devoid of it. With her vanilla features and expressionless, fish-eyed gaze, one must wonder why this singularly untalented waif was ever placed before a camera. Case in point: In 1995's "The Case Of The Sea World Adventure," from the direct-to-video children's mystery series The Adventures Of Mary-Kate And Ashley, Mary-Kate delivers such lively and toothsome lines as, "The pearl necklace must be in that bucket of bait... yecch!" with about as much élan as a TV agribusiness reporter delivering the day's livestock quotes. If she required guidance or inspiration, she need only have turned to Ashley, whose unmasking of the jewel thief was as suspenseful as the climax to any classic 1940s film noir. "Trenchcoat Twins," indeed.

... okay, i'll stop now.