Free Republic

Blue Oyster Cult's Buck Dharma reflected again on the immortal Saturday Night Live "More Cowbell" sketch that lampooned their hit song "(Don't Fear) The Reaper," saying the results were ultimately positive — even if it forced the band to take preventative measures in concert. The sketch, which aired on April 8, 2000, starred Will Ferrell as fictional band member Gene Frenkle and Christopher Walken as producer Bruce Dickinson. Ferrell, dressed in a ridiculously tight and low-cut shirt, plays the cowbell so aggressively while recording "Reaper" that he distracts and infuriates his bandmates. Walken, however, is obsessed with capturing more of...

The price of potatoes - a staple of the Russian diet - have increased by 64 percent this year, according to the latest figures. -snip- Sergei Chemezov, who is the CEO of the state-owned defence giant Rostec, warned that sky-high interest rates are eroding business profitability and could lead to widespread bankruptcies. TsMAKP echoed these concerns. He cautioned that “the current high interest rate and the prospect of further increases create a risk of economic downturn and a collapse in investments.” -snip- Recent data showed a 3.1% contraction year-on-year in the latest quarter, with more slowdowns expected as war-related disruptions...