We have lives outside media/tech/first-amendment/privacy coverage. We hope these staff picks provide some proof of that.

Jamie York

Dog Day Afternoon. Sure, it’s a classic but I hadn’t seen it in a long time and when I read that the exteriors had been shot down the street from where I live I decided it was time to revisit it. I remember it as a fairly straightforward heist film gone wrong, with a kind of early 70’s anxiety pervading everything (and the kind of sweating I haven't seen since Do The Right Thing). And both of these are definitely true, but it’s also a deeply weird love story and a great example of how to make a totally compelling movie in which every character is morally ambiguous. That’s what makes it feel fresh and relevant – everybody’s wrong, everybody’s sympathetic.

Brooke Gladstone

Here goes – I’m squeaking this one in before summer comes to a raging conclusion this weekend – my newly discovered favorite cocktail mixer: Domaine de Canton. It’s a French ginger liqueur with a long history (starting in Vietnam) that you can substitute for simple syrup in practically anything. It lacks that ginger bite (my only complaint) but I had it in a drink in Charleston last week (the “Milan Muleberry” at Husk Restaurant: Basil and cracked pepper vodka, berries, Domaine de Canton) and have to admit I kinda went down the rabbit hole.

Alex Goldman

So last week, our good pals at Soundcheck asked listeners to share their feelings about the Yo La Tengo classic I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One. As someone who had a deep affection for that album when it was released, I sent them a note telling them about my love for the album. They are going to be doing an interview with author Jesse Jarnow, author of the Yo La Tengo biography Big Day Coming, on an upcoming episode, and I was honored to join them for that conversation (for about 30 seconds). In anticipation of this forthcoming Soundcheck episode, I’m picking the song “Deeper Into Movies” (not my favorite song on the album, but still a banger) as my staff pick this week.

PJ Vogt

There's a new-ish public radio show called Wits, this variety show with comedians and musicians and etc.. They had a segment awhile ago with comedian Paul F Tompkins and singer Aimee Mann, where Paul F Tompkins had to come up with the plot summaries for made up movies, and Aimee Mann had to invent the movies theme songs. Because movies always have theme songs? Anyway, it was great, and I wanted to share it with you, staff pick people. There is a part of it involving emus that makes me cry with laughter every time I hear it.

Chris Neary

All the election pegged talk of taxes and tax rates and tax loopholes has made me think back to this piece/video from The Onion. In it, an INCREDIBLY game Grover Norquist stars in a mock press conference in which he admits to a long term affair with taxes.

Excerpt from the press conference:

I was leading a selfishly double life, buying presents for and taking exotic trips with capital gains taxes and transfer taxes. In 2004, I engaged in a week-long, drug-fueled orgy with corporate income taxes, a decision I now wholeheartedly regret. And in 2010, at the height of my misconduct, while in Paris, I strongly flirted with a European style value-added tax. At this time I'd like to ask the media to respect my family's privacy as we work through this ordeal, and, also, to respect the privacy of taxes...which I realize... can actually be fair, decent, and even loving. - Grover Norquist

Norquist nails the I'm-admitting-this-but-also-showing-a-contriteness-that-I'm-proud-of-myself-for tone that politicians put on at these sorts of press conferences.