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HistoryShots has some pretty beautiful infographics that they’re selling as posters. E.g., check out the DNA-like History of the Political Parties II.
(0) #10/21/2005
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Global Voices reports that Wikipedia is now being banned in many parts of China. The state of human and civil rights in that country is not in a good place. This is bad for the Chinese population, and bad for the rest of the world.
(0) #10/20/2005
that that that that that
David Foster Wallace says in The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus:
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US News is reporting that the male/female ratio in college is 43/57, the opposite of what it was in the 1960’s. But tech/science schools are still male-dominated. Perhaps the affect of the military is more palpable now that most middle-class kids go to college? Any theories?
(0) #10/20/2005
Ethics and Journalism
“[T]he cult of the anonymous source…” At this point in the Judith Miller affair, I am officially uncertain about where the lines should be drawn concerning journalists and anonymous sources. When should journalists be immune to legal action when protecting their sources? I have no idea. But this essay by Michael Kinsley of Slate has begun to convince me that journalists may be taking this source protection thing too far. (But I’m not sure I agree with his money = speech assessment).
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A map of the United States partitioned not by state but by the geographical areas of influence of cities. They still don’t have enough data, so the map is subject to change. (via kottke)
(0) #10/20/2005
We don’t like that kind of thing around here
The RJ is reporting that the city of Las Vegas has removed two pieces of art from a gallery that connects the City Hall to the garage, after receiving an anonymous complaint. I’ve posted one of the pieces here, which is by Kristin Pinkerton.
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Soldiers fighting a new enemy that is often spotted around Vegas: Gamblor. (In case you don’t get the reference…) Next thing you know they’ll put pawn shops in military bases.
(0) #10/19/2005
The Colbert Report
Months after Comedy Central’s announcement, The Colbert Report (neither “t” pronounced) finally aired last night in the block after The Daily Show (TDS). The show is in essence a satirization of Bill O’Reilly’s allegedly spin-zone-free hour on the Fox News Channel, The O ‘Reilly Factor. The demagoguery, the egotism, the bold pronouncements, etc. – they were all ridiculed soundly. While I found myself laughing at Stephen Colbert, often at O’Reilly’s expense, I still had to wonder how long the schtick, if it is indeed the show’s schtick, will last.
So I guess that answers the question
The above image is from a survey Harriet Miers filled out when running for Dallas city council. The survey was given by Texans United for Life, a pro-life organization. The rest of the questionnairre has other clear indicators that Miers was very much pro-life in 1989, even to the point of wishing for a Human Life Amendment in the constitution to proscribe abortion. Anyone who thinks that it’s still up in the air whether or not Miers would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade is kidding themselves. And from the right’s point of view, that seems to be her one qualification. (via the gleaner)
Sarah Silverman
The New Yorker has a profile on uberoffensive comedian Sarah Silverman. “‘Everybody blames the Jews for killing Christ,’ Silverman says. ‘And then the Jews try to pass it off on the Romans. I’m one of the few people that believe it was the blacks.’” (via kottke)
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Demagogue Bill O’Reilly has so many detractors that he’s hired bodyguards and is afraid to go out in public with his family. As long is violence is not employed, I can’t say that I feel too bad for him.
(0) #10/18/2005
Cheney Resigning?
US News is reporting that rumors have been flying all over Washington that Cheney might resign as a result of the Plame investigations, and that Bush would elevate Condaleeza Rice in his stead. I don’t really believe it, but I have this conspiracy fantasy that that’s been their plan all along – get Rice to be Veep, then have Bush resign. President Rice wouldn’t have any problems winning the 2008 election, right? (via political wire)
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Next month, PBS is airing a two-part documentary on the “unconventional history” of Las Vegas as part of its American Experience series. I’m looking forward to learning more about my newly adopted hometown, the largest city in the US founded in the 20th century. (thx jesse)
(0) #10/17/2005
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Time lists the 100 top books since the magazine’s inception in 1923. It’s got your typical Nabokov, Pynchon, and Woolf, but it’s also got Infinite Jest , White Teeth , the graphic novel Watchmen , and even a Neal Stephenson. I’ve read about 27 of these.
(0) #10/17/2005
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More lists! Images of ASME’s Top 40 Magazine Covers of the Last 40 Years. #3, with Muhammad Ali, is one intense cover.
Update: Jerks took down the images. Check out the comments for the bittorrent file.
(0) #10/17/2005
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JOHN WAYNE’S LEGACY ALIVE IN CARSON CITY. I’m only posting this because when I first quickly read it, I thought there was a serial killer on the loose in the capital.
(0) #10/17/2005
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Fatboy Slim and David Byrne are writing a musical about Imelda Marcos and her passion for disco and nightlife. I bet there’s a scene where Christopher Walken, wearing a ridiculously oversized suit, dances while floating in the air.
(0) #10/16/2005
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Francis Ford Coppola has started shooting his first film in 8 years. It’s called Youth Without Youth and Coppola describes it as an “intellectual Twilight Zone “ (oh snap). In other news, he’s still contemplating filming his next potential masterpiece, Megalopolis.
(1) #10/16/2005
