You know how benefits are stuffy and boring, and there's stupid table seating, and terrible food, and people you don't like, and then there's speeches about how awesome someone is that you don't care about? Not at this benefit! It's the Spring 2011 benefit for Cabinet magazine, which is both a non-profit and everyone's favorite mag. The thorougly unstuffy event is next weekend, in Brooklyn, and features local hottie/crazy and HBO auteur Jonathan Ames and "pickpocketing and close-up magic," and also alcohol. Tickets are cheap, as these things go, and they're also tax-deductible, and as it's two days after tax day, I know you are thinking about tax deductions.

Here is a much more effective and fun way to donate to the Japan earthquake relief cause than sending a bunch of text messages: a series of upcoming benefits organized by John Zorn. The first has sold out, it looks like (on Sunday March 27 at Columbia's Miller Theater), where Sonic Youth, Yoko Ono, Cibo Matto, Marc Ribot and a bunch more are performing. At that benefit and at least three more to follow, 100% of the money will be going to the Japan Society's Earthquake Relief Fund. For-real charity + free radical music = good deal all around, right? Last night, The Awl emailed back and forth with the very busy sounding organizer and host of the events, John Zorn, who started off by telling us: READ MORE

Goldman Sachs released a report today Wednesday for its clients about unemployment, and finds that extension of unemployment benefits in a recession does not actually make workers lazy and unwilling to work. READ MORE

We all just wanted to thank you for all your support of our benefit calendar. So far, 111 have been sold, which wildly exceeds our expectations. (We were aiming for 60.) One thing: I'm working on a "print-it-at-home explanation sheet thing" for buyers, in case you are giving them as stocking stuffers, so people know what the heck it's about. And here's a little more context for you. READ MORE

We met Zack P. back in August, when he was the sole protester at the Grand Forks, North Dakota Tea Parties. So, what has Zack been up to? I recently received an email answering just that question. "Abe: Am working on a protest of Focus on the Family and their hate-filled B.S. and I can tell by some of the comments on The Awl that people tend to think of North Dakota as a bunch of rednecks... just don't want my hometown to seem like Laramie. Interested?" I was. But when I arrived at the church, Zack was nowhere to be found. Just two police cruisers. READ MORE

The food was good, actually really good. Or some of it was. Some was bad. That's how it is with food. Last night's Taste of the Nation NYC benefit, held at Roseland Ballroom, gave New York's foodies a chance to put on their fancy clothes and get fairly-to-very drunk on the many, many varieties of alcohol being served, all for a very good cause. It was foodie prom. READ MORE

REMINDER: You can still get a 30% discount on tickets to tonight's Share Our Strength Taste of the Nation NYC charity event. What are you waiting for?