Thom Yorke

• American Girl announced yesterday that it would discontinue all products related to Samantha Parkington?! — Popwatch
• Were those a bunch of clues about the future on How I Met Your Mother last night? — The TV Addict
• Check out a list of the seven funniest horror movies, and the lowdown on this year's most popular movie-inspired Halloween costumes (Joker, Iron Man, etc.). — Cinematical
• Check out Bjork's new single, with backup help from Thom Yorke. — Stereogum
• Scrooge McDuck pops up on a list of TV characters you could trust with your money in these tough economic times. — TV Squad
• Guillermo del Toro discusses his new take on Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five. — MTV Movies Blog
• Practice your Office lingo with this "Addictionary." — Pop Candy
• Click here to chat about Rocco DiSpirito's hot pink ruffly number from this week's Dancing With the Stars, and make your official winner predictions. — Watch With Kristin
• Celebrating the news of a new Saturday Night Live clip site. — geeksugar

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The last thing you may be looking for from your pop culture intake is a big old message about global trafficking — or as MTV's EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) project puts it, modern-day slavery. However, I think it is precisely this blending together of real-world message with pop culture that Radiohead is attempting to do in a new video for their song "All I Need." They succeed beautifully by showing us two young boys in different parts of the world going about their everyday lives and how different their respective experiences are.

Of working with MTV and the importance of this issue, frontman Thom Yorke told the Hollywood Reporter:

All power to MTV for taking this on because its obviously going to be difficult for them in terms of the advertisers. With the ("All I Need") video, their lawyers had to beg to make sure there wasn't a single white trainer with a logo on it because the implication would be a little too close. But the implication is still there.

For those who don't know, a "trainer" is an athletic shoe, like one made by, say, Nike.

Nothing like a poignant video tackling a somewhat taboo topic in the West to suck all the snark right out of the blogosophere. Stereogum called the video "deeply inspiring" and said that the final shot is "one of the more emotionally charged moments in a music video that we can remember." I couldn't agree more and think everyone should pause today and take a look.

You can watch the video for yourself and check out Radiohead's recent brilliant performance on the Conan O'Brien show if you read more

And I love him for it. This spectacularly talented and weird front man for Radiohead appeared on a game show in England and asked the panel a question about the band's most recent release, In Rainbows. He wanted to know what was special about it? You, Thom, you!

Give me a talented (and brooding) man with non-Brad Pitt looks and I'm a-swoonin'. Thom, if you're reading this, please be my Valentine. I don't think you're a creep. I'll dump Hasselhoff for you — fast. Just say the word.

First, the news that will have Radiohead fans everywhere squealing with joy: The band's first full-length album since 2003 will be released Oct. 10. The news came straight from the mouth — or rather the typing fingers — of guitarist Jonny Greenwood on the band's blog.

Next, the part that will have record industry executives everywhere sobbing with frustration: Radiohead has chosen to forego record labels and release the album themselves, through their Web site, for whatever price you choose to pay.

As of now, you can pre-order the digital download of the album from the Web site. When you add it to your cart, it pops up with a blank field to enter your price (in British pounds); if you click the question mark, the words "It's up to you" pop up. Click the question mark again, and the site insists: "No, really. It's up to you."

The band is also releasing a deluxe version of In Rainbows, which includes the album on vinyl, a CD version with more songs than the download, and booklets with artwork and lyrics. That version costs 40 pounds, or about $82. A regular ol' CD is also in the works, to be released in 2008.

So, what do you make of this crazy move? Which version do you want? And, most of all, how excited are you for more Radiohead?

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