Pot calling the kettle awesome

Dan Brown’s new book, The Lost Symbol (yawn), faces its toughest critic yet: Michael Baigent, the historian who accused Brown of lifting his material in The Da Vinci Code (and lost in court). Baigent’s verdict: It’s bloody awful. [thedailybeast]

Malema pleads ignorance – ANC Youth League leader Julia Malema has pleaded ignorance in his rape hate speech case, saying he is a “layman” merely quoting from a High Court judgment. [news24]

George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis are apparently getting closer to marriage, as the rumour-mill becomes more insistent with each passing day. We have some details about an upcoming wedding. On a boat, perhaps? [luxuo]

Rap is still causing murder – A 20-year-old California man calling himself Syko Sam rapped in his horrorcore lyrics on “the best feeling” derived from killing people slowly, watching their last breaths. Mellow.[breitbart]

Jedi religion founder accuses Tesco of discrimination over rules on hoods – Daniel Jones says he was humiliated and victimised for his beliefs after he was asked to remove his hood or leave a branch of the supermarket in north Wales. Special! [guardian]

Facebook Gaydar Emerges From Breakthrough MIT Project – Are you quietly stalking someone and too dense to figure out their sexual orientation from Google searches, Flickr party photos and real-life gossip? Well, a couple of MIT geniuses invented just the tool for you. [gawker]

Weed has never been more popular. As traditional media sales are plummeting and publications are closing left, right and centre, High Times, the weed-lovers magazine, is having a STUNNING year! The cannabis bible is celebrating its 35th anniversary; a special issue in November will feature an interview with director Oliver Stone, and the magazine has prepared an anniversary “ potcast.” It’s too awesome. [wallstreetjournal]

[thanks james]