Department of Link

"...if you grew up in the church, and if you were a little baby in your mama's arms in the church, that was the first music you heard. You're tuned, I think, like a violin, and church music is always gonna have an effect on you." -- Susan Werner talks about her new album The Gospel Truth, an exploration of spirituality and skepticism

South Dakota Dark concludes its look at what we might see from the networks this fall, with educated guesses about the schedules of Fox and NBC.

Every year, an artist is chosen from each state to decorate an egg for display as part of the White House Easter celebration. Here's this year's collection. Most of them are trying too hard (like Rhode Island, for instance), but I do like the ones from Colorado, Kentucky (though it would be much better without the metal horse on top), Utah, and Vermont. I don't much care for the ones that hollow out the egg, like Connecticut. And Iowa is a godawful mess. (via A Sweet, Familiar Dissonance)

Nifty organizing theme for a new anthology: Each contributor to Logorrhea was asked for a story inspired by a championship spelling bee word. Titles include "The Chiaroscurist," "Appoggiatura," "Eczema," and "Vignette." A fine collection of SF/fantasy authors, too. (via The Bodhisattva)

Gene Weingarten of the Washington Post asks: What happens when one of the world's best musicians -- classical violinist Joshua Bell -- plays for quarters at a DC subway stop? (via The Rest Is Noise)

And some big news: The Los Angeles Philharmonic says goodbye, Esa-Pekka; hello, Gustavo.