The founder of CBGB, the punk mecca, has died in New York of lung cancer. He was 75. Sad news indeed, coming after the death of post-punk impresario Tony Wilson earlier this month.

From the BBC:

Saudi newsstands did not offer al-Hayat on Monday or Tuesday

Saudi Arabia has reportedly banned an influential pan-Arab newspaper after it criticised government ministries.

Sources at the al-Hayat daily said it was banned after refusing to abide by information ministry orders, including scrapping a column by a Saudi writer.

The paper, owned by a top Saudi prince, was not distributed this week in the conservative kingdom, officials said.

Recent columns by Abdul Aziz Suwaid had tackled health care problems and a wave of mysterious deaths among camels.

The government has blamed about 2,000 camel deaths on poor feed, denying the presence of an infectious disease.

Other reports say the ban followed al-Hayat's disclosure that a Saudi extremist had played a key role in al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Sean Holman of Public Eye Online keeps working the Victoria News story about a writer and editor who, er, left the paper after an article was published on buying a car for less in the United States.

Overheard on the Bathurst St. streetcar the other night. A 20-something woman tells her male companion:

"I'm going to start disciplining myself to stop buying things I already have."