The New York Times Magazine‘s second annual Year in Ideas issue is excellent.
Author: Newley
Hi. I'm Newley Purnell. I cover technology and business for The Wall Street Journal, based in Hong Kong. I use this site to share my stories and often blog about the books I'm reading, tech trends, sports, travel, and our dog Ginger. For updates, get my weekly email newsletter.
Podhoretz on Trent Lott story
John Podhoretz says Weblogs kept the Trent Lott story alive: “If Lott is forced to resign as Senate majority leader, which is devoutly to be wished, credit must go to the blogosphere.” (Via Nick Denton.)
Facial hair styles
Here’s a funny site devoted to facial hair styles. Scroll down for illustrations.
Harry Potter
I’m not afraid to admit it: I’m almost finished with the first “Harry Potter,” and I love it. Great book. Harry’s a compelling character; he and his friends get into cool adventures; and most important, it’s just a good story. So since my mind’s been drifting toward the Potter-inspired magical realm of late, I was interested to see the following. Web usability expert Jacob Nielsen says technological advances will one day make our world more like Harry’s. Or as Nielsen says, “In the Future, We’ll All Be Harry Potter.”
Sometimes-boyfriends
Sometimes-boyfriends. As if the phenomenon’s unique to New York.
Trent Lott
Wow. Trent Lott said almost the same exact thing about Strom Thurmond in 1980. (Also, I didn’t know that as an undergrad, Lott was a male cheerleader at Ole Miss.)
Trent Lott and Thurmond
Maybe Trent Lott misspoke, but man is he in trouble–and rightly so. Say what you will about Thurmond, but at least he appeared to have changed his racial views. Lott, however, sounds like a segregationist.
Mean girls
Leora Tanenbaum, post-feminist, uses Ani DiFranco’s lyrics to illustrate women’s intra-gender competitiveness: “Everyone harbors a secret hatred/for the prettiest girl in the room.” Related: “Girls Just Want to Be Mean.”
Construction project?
Dick Cheney lives in a mansion less than a mile from my apartment. And although I haven’t heard the deep rumbling emanating from his compound, other neighbors have. Some speculate that construction crews are undertaking a secret project.
Birthday party at the dump
Related environmental item: Michael Wong-Sasso’s birthday party was held at quite possibly the coolest place imaginable for a six-year-old boy: the dump.