Blowing the Whistle: The Book the NBA Doesn't Want You to Read
tr.im/blowing_the_whistle; tr.im/blowing_the_whistle2 - NBA commissioner David Stern was in full damage control mode after word got out that disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy had written a book called Blowing the Whistle: The Culture of Fraud in the NBA, Random House was publishing it and excerpts were already circulating on the web. The publishing giant has recently pulled the controversial insider's look at the league from its print schedule but another publishing house will likely pick it up. Despite the league's efforts, the damage is already done and will probably get worse once the book hits the shelves. Among the claims that Donaghy, a convicted felon who served time for providing info to professional gamblers, is making: the league used certain refs to extend key playoff series; refs gambled with each other on various prop bets (who would call the first foul, which ref would call the first technical foul against a particular player); certain marquee stars got preferential treatment; refs would use "make up calls" to even things out when they made mistakes; "star stoppers," or solid defensive players, were frowned upon by the league; and most refs had teams they would go easy on and teams that they would call extra tight, usually because of some personal grudge against a coach or player. While the league was able to manage the fallout from Donaghy's conviction in 2007, it's going to be hard pressed to keep his allegations in the book from raising some important questions about what happens in the NBA.

Spike Jonze was a BMXer
tr.im/spike_jonze - Before he shot influential skateboard videos and cutting-edge music videos (most notably for Weezer), helped create Jackass, got involved with Vice's VBS.tv or directed the adaptation of the children's classic, Where The Wild Things Are, Spike Jonze got his start as a self-taught BMX photographer. Not only did Jonze shoot some of the best riders of the era, he was also no slouch himself on a bike or skateboard.

Quick Hits

Video of the Week: Technology Stole My Vinyl
tr.im/tsmv_doc - If you missed Steve St. Louis and Adalena Franford's short documentary, Technology Stole My Vinyl, when it played at Cinemateque in September, the video is now available on-demand through Vimeo. The doc takes a look at how digital DJ systems such as Serato and Traktor Scratch are changing DJs' relationship with music and pushing vinyl to the fringes of the genre. Although many DJs are abandoning traditional records, there are still some diehard vinyl junkies keeping the dream alive.

MP3 of the Week: Bob Mould, Live
tr.im/bob_mould1 - Former Hüsker Dü/Sugar frontman Bob Mould performs a live session for Daytrotter.com featuring cuts from his latest album, Life and Times.

Anthony Augustine is a freelance music, technology and pop culture writer. He can be heard every Tuesday morning at 8:55 a.m. on Hot 103 chatting about the web. Got a site you think he should see? E-mail him at anthony.alloneword@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter.com/anthonya.