The Accidental Rebranding of Komen for the Cure
A pretty fascinating look at the rapid fallout.—TG
Feb 3, 2012
Feb 1, 2012
Best of Baron von Funny: December 2010-January 2011
From Derek Jeter's contract to Santa's naughty list to New Year's resolutions (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Jan 27, 2012
Surprising Moments From President Obama's State of the Union Address
You can't spell "State of the Union" without "uneaten fish toot."
President John Tyler's Grandchildren Still Alive
John Tyler, our 10th president, was born in 1790. Two of his biological grandsons live among us today. And amazingly, this story contains no references to zombification.—JM
Jan 20, 2012
I hope SOPA passes.
An interesting take on the controversy of the week, in Maddox's typical opinionated but well-reasoned style.—JS
Jan 6, 2012
Signs That Rick Santorum's Strong Showing in Iowa Is Going to His Head
Looks like someone's drunk on power... and significant amounts of homemade corn liquor.
Jan 4, 2012
Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter considering "nuclear option" to protest SOPA
There might be a blackout; better Google everything ahead of time just in case you want to look it up later.—JS
Dec 30, 2011
Memorable Moments from 2011 That May Not Have Actually Happened
Remembering the year that wasn't.
Dec 16, 2011
Trial of the Will
Christopher Hitchens died yesterday. He didn't make it to 2012, but his writing will (this piece is included in the January issue of Vanity Fair).—JM
Dec 14, 2011
Best of Baron von Funny: October-November 2010
From celebrity products to George W. Bush's memoir to the trapped Chilean miners (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Dec 8, 2011
$56 Billion Later, Airport Security Is Junk
A fairly reasonable critique of the TSA's waste and misdirected focus. Which makes it all the more frustrating that it will fall on deaf ears.—JS
Nov 28, 2011
When Did the GOP Lose Touch With Reality?
The headline and photos are a bit melodramatic, but this is a very thoughtful piece that makes me root for not-crazy Republicans.—TG
Nov 17, 2011
To Increase Jobs, Increase Economic Freedom
Every time I read an op-ed from the Whole Foods CEO I'm like, "Yes! Can this guy be president?" And every time I buy a steak at one of his stores I'm like, "Mmmmm! This is delicious!"—JM
Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Americans
I could sit and read profiles of the "South Park" guys all day.—JM
Nov 4, 2011
Herman Cain Pickup Lines or Things People Might Say in a Restaurant
Once you go black, you'll need to sign a binding non-disclosure agreement.
Nov 3, 2011
The Birth Control Solution
Seriously, dudes. We have to stop making so many people.—TG
Oct 11, 2011
The Geniuses We'll Never Know
Only a tiny, tiny percentage of people in human history who had the talent and will to innovate like Steve Jobs also had the freedom and the opportunity to do so.—JM
Oct 7, 2011
Things Republicans Are Willing to Do If It Will Help Them Avoid Having Mitt Romney as Their 2012 Nominee
Looks like somebody poo-pooed the idea of Thaddeus McCotter a little too hastily.
Oct 5, 2011
Best of Baron von Funny: August-September 2010
From Glenn Beck University to the fall TV season to the Ground Zero mosque debate (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Sep 26, 2011
Going Postal
As the Post Office heads toward bankruptcy, I'm reminded of this clever rant – and, most importantly the "Swiss model", which might save the day if special interests had not ossified our political process against any kind of sweeping change.—JS
Sep 15, 2011
The GOP War on Voting
Most people have photo IDs. Maybe states that want to require photo ID for voting could provide, free of charge, special voter IDs to the tiny percentage of citizens who want, but who don't already have, a driver's license, passport, or some other form of photo ID. See? Problem solved, controversy over.—JM
Sep 2, 2011
"Don't Ask Don't Tell": Exclusive Interviews with Gay Servicemen
Whether or not you feel that equal treatment of gay servicemen is a good thing, these insights give fascinating insights into the far-reaching effects of the policy.—JS
Aug 25, 2011
The Billionaire King of Techtopia
Remember those billionaire libertarians who wanted to build their own tiny nations on floating platforms out in international waters? PayPal founder Peter Thiel is one of them, and he makes the idea sounds more "intriguing" than "wacky."—JM
Aug 19, 2011
Special Features of Ground Force One
Go Ground Force and leave the driving to POTUS!
Why Did Japan Surrender?
Historian Tsuyoshi Hasegawa makes a very persuasive case that the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki weren't the be all and the end all.—JM
Aug 16, 2011
Take a Stroll with Rob Delaney: A Voter's Guide
If everyone acted precisely like this, we'd have a better universe.—TG
Aug 15, 2011
No Plans for 2013, but an Actor Seems Focused on the Mayor’s Office
I'm not a NYC resident, and my judgment is completely clouded by my fandom of Alec Baldwin's work on 30 Rock, so my opinion means very little, and yet... I want this to happen.—BK
Aug 12, 2011
New Mottos for the U.S. in Light of the Credit Downgrade
A downgrade is just an upgrade turned upside down!
Aug 5, 2011
A Method to Republican "Madness"
Reading about this a year ago, I thought it was a unique and interesting theory. Today it's getting harder and harder to make the case for any alternative explanation.—JS
I'm rich; tax me more
You'd expect a limousine liberal from commie California to say all this stuff, but that doesn't make it any less true.—JS
Jul 29, 2011
The Professor and the Pornographer
Funny how our plans don't always work out the way we expected. Interesting times make for interesting bedfellows.—JS
Jul 28, 2011
The Left-Leaning Tower
Why is academia so liberal? There are a host of theories, none of which – refreshingly enough – are particularly insidious.—JM
Jul 27, 2011
Best of Baron von Funny: June-July 2010
From Mel Gibson to the Russian Spies to the vuvuzela (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Jul 26, 2011
The Mother of All No-Brainers
I feel sorry for my Republican friends lately. The "NO TAXES EVER EVER EVER!" foot-stamping approach is genuinely embarrassing and does not seem to represent any majority, even within the party.—TG
Jul 22, 2011
Things That Might Happen if the U.S. Fails to Solve Its Debt Ceiling Crisis
"Professor, without knowing precisely what the danger is, would you say it's time for our viewers to crack each other's heads open and feast on the goo inside?" "Mmm, yes I would, Kent."
An Investment Manager's View of the Top 1%
I talked to a guy this weekend who argued – and seemed honestly to believe – that the wealthy are the most underprivileged and vulnerable people in America. And I love this guy a lot, but... Jeebus.—JS
Employer-Employee Relationship Outdated
Wow, this was veering heavily into "I would like to subscribe to your newsletter" territory, right up to the suggestion that we provide for "amateur taxi driver" as a job title.—JS
Jul 15, 2011
Michele Bachmann's Holy War
There are plenty of 2012 voters who want to vote for "Anybody But Obama" – if Bachmann gets the nomination, she'll test their resolve.—JS
Jul 12, 2011
We're No. 1: Lady Gaga's Born This Way
Manufactured stardom is gross, but this is a pretty interesting comparison between pop stars and politicians.—TG
Jul 7, 2011
"But who versus? Who are we doing it versus?"
I found this rumination on political philosophy by Googling, on an absolute whim, a particularly silly line from a years-old episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" that I'd just watched in reruns. God bless the internet.—JM
Jun 17, 2011
Little-Known Facts About the GOP Presidential Candidates
The more you know, the less you understand.
Jun 16, 2011
So, Cricket? Maybe?
The NBA and NFL might both disappear for a while due to labor unrest, so sports fans are going to have to turn somewhere.—JM
Jun 10, 2011
Other Reasons for Sending Someone a Picture of Your Cock
It should be noted that ladies never need a reason to show us their boobs.
May 27, 2011
The Science of Why We Don't Believe Science
Or, why climate change deniers and vaccination avoiders aren't that different from Rapture believers. (At least not if you believe these studies on the subject.)—JS
May 26, 2011
Dead Kids Make Bad Laws
When "Think of the children!" hysteria runs up against "Think of the children!" hysteria.—JM
May 24, 2011
Revenge of the Squares in North Dakota
I strongly disagree with most of the conclusions he draws, but I remain fascinated by the economic strength of North Dakota.—TG
May 19, 2011
Behind Arnold's Deception
Reading about all this Schwarzenegger stuff is like eating junk food; I know it's really bad for me, but it's so tasty...—JM
May 18, 2011
Best of Baron von Funny: April-May 2010
From the BP disaster to the NASCAR Hall of Fame to the season finale of Lost (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
May 12, 2011
Why "South Park's" Trey Parker and Matt Stone Now Say It's "Wrong" To Offend
They don't really say that. But read this if you want some behind-the-scenes scuttlebutt on the pair's transcendent Broadway musical "The Book of Mormon."—JM
May 10, 2011
The Mark of Kane
PoopReading.com's Tenessa Gemelke is unable to post links today, so I gladly offer this Citizen Kane-themed link at her behest.—JM
May 6, 2011
Unfinished Items on Osama bin Laden's Bucket List
Get out there and live life, because you never know when you might get shot in the face by Navy SEALs while hiding out in your secret, fortified compound in Pakistan.
May 5, 2011
Schadenfreude For the Non-Believer
"Rot in a state of nonexistence, Bin Laden" isn't quite as catchy, but you certainly don't have to believe in hell to believe that Bin Laden got what was coming to him.—JM
May 3, 2011
The RICH Economy
Obviously this is insane. But it's also a really fascinating discussion-starter about the post-labor economy. What will work be like when we have robots for everything (including the manufacture and maintenance of robots, and defense against robot uprisings)?—JS
Apr 27, 2011
Hate Thy Neighbor
Analyzing the politics of Parks and Recreation. Manages to walk that line between making interesting points and sucking the life out of the comedy.—BK
Apr 22, 2011
Things to Look Forward to in a Trump Presidency
Be careful what you vote for.
Donald Trump: Magnificent Bastard
Constant contrarian Adams has been on fire ever since he ran afoul of the Internet Police earlier this week. This post in particular seemed apropos.—JS
Apr 21, 2011
Lower the Drinking Age For Everyone
It's difficult to imagine on what grounds one could possibly oppose letting legal adults drink alcohol if they so chose, and yet 21 it remains.—JM
Beware the In-Laws
Are you sitting down? Christopher Hitchens is no great fan of the royal family. Although to be honest his main beef seems to be with the concept itself; he goes surprisingly easy (well, for him) on the Queen and her progeny.—JM
Apr 14, 2011
All He Wanted: Chris Kanyon's Doomed Quest To Be Wrestling's First Openly Gay Star
As Kobe Bryant showed us this week, sports is basically the Western world's last bastion of anti-gay bigotry. I imagine it's even more difficult in professional wrestling circles...—JM
Finland's Educational Success? The Anti-Tiger Mother Approach
It seems like Finland has it more or less figured out... but it also seems like their approach might not work in places that are terribly different from Finland.—JM
Apr 8, 2011
New Slogans for the Obama Reelection Campaign
You can't spell "reelect Obama" without "acrobat melee."
Apr 7, 2011
The Human Brain: Turning Our Minds To the Law
Interesting stuff, although I'd submit that most of what's discussed could have – should have – been arrived at through common sense ages ago, as opposed to through advanced neurobiology now.—JM
Apr 6, 2011
How Dumb Are We?
The saying goes: 50% of us are below average. But these days, it's starting to feel like a lot more than that.—JS
Mar 30, 2011
Best of Baron von Funny: February-March 2010
From the Winter Olympics to Joe Biden to the Toyota recall (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Mar 29, 2011
Tim Pawlenty: Can a Placebo Win the Presidency?
The very definition of milquetoast, Tim Pawlenty simply isn't a lightning rod for political hatred. These days that might be enough.—TG
Mar 25, 2011
Other Surprising Facts Found in the 2010 U.S. Census Data
Well, other than the fact that there sure are a lot of people with the last name Jablome.
Mar 17, 2011
Three Famous Alums From All 68 NCAA Tournament Teams
If you allow for a very, very elastic definition of both "famous" and "alums," this is a fun list.—JM
Feb 25, 2011
Oscar Picks 2011!
I'll be honest: these won't be as good as last year's. Last year I won the Oscar pool. This year? Just hoping to finish in the top half. Still, read on. Like you've got anything better to do...
Feb 18, 2011
Things Americans Were Paying Attention To While That Whole Egypt Thing Was Going On
In our defense, we're used to learning about Egypt's past. Who knew they had stuff worth paying attention to in the present?
Feb 17, 2011
For 2012, GOP's Best Hope May Be Losing
I'm not so sure... but she makes a compelling case.—JM
Feb 9, 2011
Best of Baron von Funny: December 2009-January 2010
From Tiger Woods to Avatar to the NBC late night fiasco (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Feb 8, 2011
Fight for Libraries as You Do for Freedom
I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that the Marshall-Lyon County Public Library saved my life.—TG
Feb 4, 2011
How to Tax the Rich
Adams calls these the "bad versions" of the ideas, to get the ball rolling, but I (a dirty, lefty hippie) am on board with all of them. Especially the idea of extra votes – we've already implemented that one!—JS
Jan 20, 2011
59 Famous People Who Died Before Age 40
If you're keeping score at home, that's PoopReading.com contributor Brandon Kruse 1, all of these people 0. Happy 40th Birthday, Brandon!—JM
The Incredible Shrinking Sound Bite
An argument that our era of "Twitter-sized attention spans" might actually be better than the way it used to be before? Sure... I'll bite.—JM
Jan 13, 2011
Can Tim Pawlenty Light a Fire With Republicans?
I happen to think Tim Pawlenty is the only Republican who could beat Obama. Which isn't to say that he would... just that he's the only one who maybe could.—JM
Jan 11, 2011
The Cloudy Logic of 'Political' Shootings
Hey, look! I found the one person who isn't screaming like crazy about the Gabrielle Giffords shooting in Arizona, but having a calm and rational response instead.—JS
Jan 7, 2011
Memorable Moments from 2010 That May Not Have Actually Happened
It was the best of fictitious times, it was the worst of fictitious times.
Dec 31, 2010
The Loophole Artist
Or, How the Wealthiest Americans Get Their Tax Cuts Whether the Income Tax Rate Falls or Not.—JS
Dec 29, 2010
50 Amazing Facts for Our 50th Issue
Religious Jedis, the Hoff, the drink once known as "fruit smack," the relationship between roulette and the devil, and a double dose of Sesame Street trivia.—BK
Dec 17, 2010
Pros and Cons of Being Time Magazine's Person of the Year
If a meaningless award is given out by a dying industry, does it still make a sound?
A Bayesian Take on Julian Assange
Silver's calm, pragmatic approach to things is always a welcome respite.—JS
Dec 16, 2010
Needed: An Economics For Grownups
I'm a little out of my depth on this one, but the lady who's interviewed for this piece – Deirdre McCloskey – really sounds like she has it all figured out.—JM
Dec 3, 2010
A Waste of Money and Time
Okay, last one I promise. But we couldn't wrap up Friday TSA Rant Corner without hearing from Schneier, the papa of "security theater," could we?—JS
Dec 2, 2010
Talking Tough and Drawing Viewers, Christie Is a YouTube Star
Believe it or not, a New York Times puff piece about a Republican politician.—JM
Waste Land: The Pentagon's Nearly Unprecedented, Wildly Irrational Spending Binge
You should read any and all Gregg Easterbrook pieces that you can get your hands on, whether it's something like this or one of his weekly "Tuesday Morning Quarterback" football columns on ESPN.com.—JM
Dec 1, 2010
Best of Baron von Funny: October-November 2009
From the Balloon Boy to distracted driving to the Sarah Palin memoir (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Nov 26, 2010
Other Things the Pope Says It's Okay to Do Now
Best papal decrees EVER.
Where I draw the line
Uh-oh. The TSA went and made Ebert mad.—JS
Nov 25, 2010
The 9 Manliest Names in the World
No blurb could do this article justice.—JM
Nov 19, 2010
TSA to investigate body scan resister
Guy: "That nudie scanner is ridiculous and the frisking is borderline sexual assault. Screw this noise - I'm staying home."
Internet: "Hooray! Rights! Freedom!"
TSA: "Do not fuck with the police state. We will ruin you."—JS
News Flash: Deadly Terrorism Existed Before 9/11
The author of Salon's excellent Ask the Pilot feature adds some level-headed historical perspective.—JS
Nov 18, 2010
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
Yeah... I forgot to look for links, and it was my day to do links. I was up really late. But here: TMQ is like half football and half random miscellaneous fascinating stuff, so even if you're not a sports fan there's plenty here to like.—JM
Nov 15, 2010
Sweet Action: 8 Big Bets Made by Famous People
I suppose you could say that by posting this link, I'm betting that you'll enjoy it.—BK
Nov 12, 2010
Surprises Found in the New George W. Bush Memoir
Guaranteed to catch you more off guard than a Category 5 hurricane in the Gulf.
Nov 11, 2010
Inside the Christie Bubble: Jersey Peers Take Denials With a Grain of Salt
As the former New Jersey governor Tom Kean put it this week in an interview with Capital: "The presidency could come to him."—JM
Nov 9, 2010
Democrats didn't lose the battle of 2010. They won it.
A nice alternative to the typical hand-wringing lament after an election, this is a look at what it costs legislators to legislate.—TG
Nov 5, 2010
Ways the Democrats Plan to Win Back the American Public
Have they even tried standing outside the American public's window holding a boom box that's playing Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes"?
For the First Time, the TSA Meets Resistance
It's Friday TSA rant corner! I recommend the Jeffrey Goldberg series (linked at the top), but this response was too good to pass up. A passenger revolt can't be too far behind.—JS
Nov 4, 2010
San Francisco Bans Happy Meals
This isn't from The Onion or anything like that. This is completely real.—JM
Nov 2, 2010
Breathless Myths and Stodgy Realities of the 2010 Election
This is the most reasonable article about politics I've read all year. Thanks, Mike.—TG
Oct 28, 2010
The Republic of Paperwork
I feel like Mark Steyn could sit down and talk about this with Adam Carolla for like twelve straight hours until both of their heads exploded. Any Californian knows all about this topic, undoubtedly.—JM
Sep 28, 2010
First, Bash the Teachers
An interesting look at media messages about teachers' unions.—TG
Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted
We may never have broken through racial segregation with a twit-in.—TG
Sep 23, 2010
America's One-Child Policy
Thanks to a perfect storm of political and societal factors, many countries are apparently only a generation or two removed from Children of Men territory.—JM
Sep 22, 2010
Comic Timing
Apparently some Democrats are worried that the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert rally in D.C. will hinder "Get Out the Vote" efforts for Election Day the following Tuesday. Sigh. Sometimes supporting the Democrats feels like betting on the Washington Generals.—BK
Sep 9, 2010
Fans' Guide to NFL Labor Battle
"Internal NFLPA studies have shown that only 33 to 40 percent of hardcore NFL fans have the impending labor drama on their radar screens." I would submit that if the impending labor drama is not on your radar screen, then you are clearly not a hardcore NFL fan.—JM
Sep 8, 2010
A Niche of the Unreal in a World of Credulity
Before I read this story, I had no idea ChristWire.org was a thing. And now that I know that it's a thing, I feel like more people should know that it's a thing.—BK
Sep 3, 2010
Additional Courses to Be Offered at Glenn Beck University
Before applying, just make sure you have a safety school, like O'Reilly Tech, Hannity College, or Dartmouth.
Aug 31, 2010
This Is Not a Recovery
In short, eat your shoes.—JS
Aug 24, 2010
Power Couple
In the age of Hallliburton and Blackwater, you'd think Eisenhower's "military-industrial complex" speech would get more play when it's time to beat the deficit drum. (Okay, that's hopelessly naïve, but anyway...)—JS
Aug 20, 2010
Other Construction Projects Deemed Too Inappropriate to Be Allowed Within Five Blocks of Ground Zero
If you build it, they will scrum.
Aug 12, 2010
Outraged Moms, Trashy Daughters
I'm telling you: beekeeper outfits. My daughters will never be allowed out of the house wearing anything more revealing than beekeeper outfits.—JM
Aug 10, 2010
Internet neutrality: Verizon, Google, and the Woody Allen problem
A brief update on the latest tempest in the Net Neutrality debate – entertaining for the number of times it's mentioned that regulators negotiate with the industry they're regulating, or the industry agrees to regulators' level of authority.—JS
Aug 4, 2010
12 Star-Powered College Roommates
Fun stuff – especially a neat little tidbit about Stanley Tucci's gift for name-changing advice.—BK
Aug 3, 2010
Million-Dollar Murray
Gladwell pounds the paragraphs. (From the archives but interesting.)—JS
Jul 30, 2010
Other Things Obama Fears Will Be WikiLeaked
Loose lips, now at your fingertips!
Jul 28, 2010
Best of Baron von Funny: June-July 2009
From Sarah Palin to rejected Jeopardy! categories to the Congressional health care bill (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Jul 16, 2010
American Secrets Discovered by the Russian Spies
No, even they don't understand why Two and a Half Men is so popular.
Jul 8, 2010
Vegans and the Quest For Purity
"Evolution favored meat-eating primates, enlarging their brains and enabling them to live in more and more complex and survivalist societies that today extend our life spans, provide genteel habitats, and produce philosophers who have the wherewithal to object to the very components of their own existence."—JM
Jul 2, 2010
Reasons the Founding Fathers Hate Our Stupid Guts
And this after we've spent all these years celebrating their accomplishments by eating hot dogs and blowing stuff up.
Jul 1, 2010
The Openness Elixir
I'm on vacation. I don't write blurbs on vacation. Just read for yourself and find out what this piece is about, all right?—JM
Jun 25, 2010
New Slogans for BP
Because if there's one thing slicker than oil, it's good spin doctoring.
Jun 17, 2010
Pandora's Briefcase
"They know you know they know you know."—JM
Jun 15, 2010
Why Americans Just Won't Buy Into Soccer
Like with most things, I'm naturally inclined to blame Clinton and hippies. But in this instance, try as I might, I couldn't find a way to blame Clinton.
No Secrets
Lengthy, lengthy profile of Julian Assange, founder of whistleblower site WikiLeaks.org – and a behind-the-scenes account of the recent release of its "Collateral Murder" video.—JS
Jun 10, 2010
Unknown Senate Candidate in SC Faces Felony Charge
This is quietly the weirdest story in the recent history of American politics. And not by a little. By far.—JM
Jun 4, 2010
Why Obama Should Put BP Under Temporary Receivership
I like the optimism, that government could do a better job managing the disaster, or that Americans would believe it could. But what does Obama have to lose? Most people either blame him for the spill already, or assume he's plotting to take over every major company.—JS
Jun 3, 2010
Not Dead Yet
Geez, P.J. O'Rourke is really mean. Still, pre-obituaries are a pretty good idea.—JM
Jun 1, 2010
Female Sheriffs of Wall Street
Elizabeth Warren is quickly becoming my top write-in candidate for November – for every office.—JS
May 20, 2010
Searching For Jesus In the Gospels
You don't have to be particularly (or even remotely) religiously interested to find stuff like this, well, interesting.—JM
May 19, 2010
Best of Baron von Funny: April-May 2009
From Somali pirates to the new Star Trek movie to Obama's first 100 days in office (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
May 14, 2010
Do 'Family Values' Weaken Families?
As tiresome and needlessly divisive as the red-state/blue-state map is, it turns out you can use it to predict the stability of families pretty well, and the results may surprise you. (You can read an excerpt from the book in question.)—JS
May 11, 2010
Tax the Hell Out of Wall Street and Give it to Main Street
A modest proposal from Cuban, who is always measured and subtle in his approach, and never used the stock market to make money.—JS
May 4, 2010
If the TSA Were Running New York
Hey, Fallows is back – and going gangbusters! What an interesting weekend.—JS
Leno at the White House Correspondents' Dinner: He's No Obama
Obama rules; Jay Leno is an unfunny dumbass. I was going to type that into the Internet anyway – thanks for giving it some context!—JS
Apr 29, 2010
Employees Fired For Pursuing Alleged Shoplifter
Apparently, most retailers specifically forbid employees from preventing theft. You know, things in this country didn't used to be perfect (pervasive racism, women being relegated to second-class status, etc.), but I feel like "stopping a robber from committing a crime" didn't used to be grounds for termination.—JM
Why Reporters Are Down on President Obama
Freezing out the press might seem like a weird strategy for the Obama administration, but, I mean, what are any of the jilted reporters going to do? Not vote for him? Seems unlikely.—JM
Apr 16, 2010
Things That John Paul Stevens Will Miss About Being a Supreme Court Justice
Sure, there's the job security, the power, the prestige... but what about the really important stuff?
Apr 8, 2010
The Gods of the Copybook Headings
91-year-old, 500-word poems aren't normally the kind of thing we feature here, but I haven't read anything in years that affected me like this and I really needed to share it. Honestly, from now on, if anybody ever wonders why I, personally, see the world the way I do, I can just direct them to this poem. I can't believe I just now read it; somebody should have shown this to me in high school.—JM
Mar 26, 2010
Additional Gaffes Made by Joe Biden
He who gaffes last, gaffes best.
Mar 24, 2010
Best of Baron von Funny: February-March 2009
From March Madness to unwanted Barbie dolls to Christian Bale's profane tirade (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Mar 19, 2010
In Defense of Deficits
Thorough, cogent, and surprisingly readable – gosh, it's fun to hate banks! (Plus, I linked to The Nation; I believe I win a Volvo.)—JS
Mar 8, 2010
We the Problem
Why we should stop pointing the finger of blame at Washington and instead point it at ourselves.—BK
Mar 4, 2010
Out of the West: Clint Eastwood's Shifting Landscape
A long – long – retrospective of the legendary actor and director's work.—JM
Feb 25, 2010
Crystal Mangum's Return to Court
"Back when she'd just accused wealthy white Duke students of rape, lawyers were volunteering to work for her pro bono should she want to sue for damages. This time around, with a case that's less financially promising, she's relying, according to WRAL.com, on a public defender." Sad, but not surprising.—JM
Feb 23, 2010
Terrorism Derangement Syndrome
Terrorism only works when we're scared; we're only scared when we're constantly convinced when it's working – lucky for terrorists, they have some local help in that department.—JS
Feb 12, 2010
Other Things Sarah Palin Has Written on Her Hand
Still, a note on her hand beats two on George Bush.
Feb 11, 2010
Obama's "Stupid" Jab at Vegas
I'd wager that Penn didn't select the title of this piece himself; he strikes me as particularly genial, and this mostly light-hearted offering is no exception.—JM
Jan 28, 2010
What Makes a Great Teacher?
Teachers unions might not be able to protect the ineffective and incompetent for very much longer. If that's the case, everybody – apart from the ineffective and the incompetent – wins.—JM
Jan 26, 2010
On the Jury, Gene Weingarten Didn't Believe the D.C. Police's Eyes
Here we have everything that's wrong with the American criminal justice system, encapsulated by one juror's experience.—JM
Obama's Get Goldman Plan
If I were him, I'd focus my State of the Union only on this stuff - hard to have a sagging approval rating when you're crusading against the greedy megatycoons!—JS
Jan 22, 2010
Mistakes Made by Martha Coakley in the Massachusetts Senate Campaign
You can't spell "Democratic Party" without "tired crap."
Jan 20, 2010
How Team Coco Channels Our Great Recession Anger
Interesting allegory, though far from perfect. Some of us are just angry because Leno is an untalented hack who's even less worthy of The Tonight Show job now than he was 18 years ago.—BK
Jan 18, 2010
The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage
We try to steer clear of blatantly partisan political links, but since this is a liberal pet issue being advocated by a prominent conservative, I figure it's okay.—BK
Jan 14, 2010
Mr. Smith Rewrites the Constitution
Is all this filibuster bickering unconstitutional? And does it even really matter any more what's constitutional and what isn't?—JS
Jan 13, 2010
Best of Baron von Funny: December 2008-January 2009
From Rod Blagojevich to unpopular holiday stories to the auto bailout (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Jan 11, 2010
Saint Elizabeth and the Ego Monster
A fascinating excerpt from the new book Game Change that reveals the sordid dysfunction inside the John Edwards presidential campaign, and offers yet another lesson in the folly of buying into the public image of any famous person.—BK
Jan 8, 2010
Memorable Moments from 2009 That May Not Have Actually Happened
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to make a bunch of shit up.
Dec 17, 2009
The Noughties: A Fond(ish) Farewell
Turns out that Toby Young, that bald English one-trick-pony douchebag from "Top Chef," is actually an excellent writer and an even better cultural critic. Who knew?—JM
Dec 14, 2009
Why You Can't Stop Gay Marriage and Marijuana
Sounds good to me. (I'm going to guess Joe's 50/50 on this one.)—JS
Dec 9, 2009
League of Nations
I was going to say this is too geeky even for a group of guys who created a fantasy Movie Draft, but is anything too geeky for that? (And, besides, I really do love playing Risk.)—JS
Dec 4, 2009
The "Palinization" of Palin
It's cute how people keep making reasoned, thoughtful arguments about why Palin ought to be dismissed, as though people who genuinely like her would respond to reason or thought.—JS
Dec 3, 2009
Making Marriage Last: Right Activist Seeks To Ban Calif. Divorce
I'm not on this guy's side and he makes no bones about the fact that he's just doing this to be a dick, but even so... I like his style.—JM
Dec 1, 2009
The Great Climate Change Scandal
I haven't caught "The Daily Show" in a little while; I can only assume they're all over this story. Right?—JM
The Puzzle of Boys
Boyhood: turns out it's not all just sports and farting. (even if it's mostly sports and farting)—JM
Nov 25, 2009
Yes, She Can: Palin Has a Shot at the Presidency
I'm not quite convinced, although the following passage is very interesting indeed: "Who the Republican candidate is, and his or her qualifications and abilities, will matter only if Obama's approval rating is between 47 and 51 percent going into the fall of 2012."—JM
Nov 24, 2009
A.V. Club Interview: Steven D. Levitt
A.V. Club also has personal faves Ricky Jay and Richard Dawkins this week, but we've agreed not to overlink the same site too much and Levitt's the one debunking the TSA, rethinking the response to global warming, and talking about penis size. Advantage: Levitt!—JS
Nov 20, 2009
Surprises Found in the New Sarah Palin Memoir
Looks like someone's "going rogue" on herself.
Nov 18, 2009
Best of Baron von Funny: October-November 2008
From the presidential election to the explosion of the iPhone to the futility of the Detroit Lions (and more!), enjoy some of our favorite jokes from one year ago.
Nov 17, 2009
Unheavenly Host
A thoughtful piece about Glenn Beck (not that Jon Stewart's sillier work on the subject hasn't been excellent). Includes a nice parallel to the great Andy Griffith movie A Face in the Crowd (which inspired the Gabbo Simpsons episode).—JS
Oct 28, 2009
The End Game of Bobby Fischer
This isn't exactly news (Fischer died in January of 2008), but the bizarre story of the chess champion's life remains morbidly fascinating.—JM
Freaked Out Over "SuperFreakonomics"
Add the "Freakonomics" guys to the growing list of people who aren't exactly losing a ton of sleep over gloom-and-doom climate change predictions.—JM
Oct 26, 2009
End State: Is California Finished?
Geez, I hope not; that's where I keep all of my stuff!—JM
Oct 22, 2009
What Poker Can Teach Us
What can poker teach us? Pretty much everything, if this piece is to be believed.—JM
"Eating the Dinosaur": Football
Yeah, yeah; two football links. Quit whining, they're both good. In an excerpt from his new book of essays, Klosterman explains why he – and we – love football so damned much.—JM
Oct 16, 2009
Underqualified for the Overrated
Hitchens, evidently no fan of the Nobel Peace Prize, nevertheless finds Obama's "premature." Perhaps "hopeful" would be a nicer way of putting it.—JS
Petulance and the Prize
Keillor (the anti-Hitchens, if ever there was one) says just get over it. Why should the Nobels make any more sense than the Oscars anyway?—JS
Oct 15, 2009
What Torture Never Told Us
Basically: anything useful. But you probably already knew that, since all available evidence shows intelligence obtained under torture is unreliable. (Otherwise, we'd have Al Qaeda right where we want 'em!)—JS
1-800-Political-Venom
One hardly expects politesse or customer service when one dials one's cellular provider's customer service line. But a political screed? That's a surprise.—JS
Oct 13, 2009
Decline Is a Choice
Here's what I link to when left to my own devices, folks!—JM
Oct 12, 2009
Obama Becomes Japan's English Teacher
The cult of personality grows (although who could object to this? Learning is learning).—JM
Oct 8, 2009
My Conversations With a Gay Pro Athlete
Granderson doesn't name names, if you're looking for that sort of thing, but he tackles an issue that I've long seen as a very important one. Fortunately, I don't think we're too far away from pro athletes being openly gay, and having it not be a big deal.—JM
Who Killed California?
Spoiler: it was unions, pretty much. Unions and environmentalists. Also, Arnold didn't help matters.—JM
Sep 25, 2009
Game Brain
Ignoring the brain trauma problem in retired players and hoping the problem goes away would be bad enough, but what the NFL is doing is even worse.—JM
Sep 22, 2009
The Case for Killing Granny
The "death panel" idea is a farcical lie, but I actually wish it weren't. I stand ready to pull my mom's plug, precisely because of how much I love her.—JS
Sep 16, 2009
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
It's not Tuesday morning anymore, but everything should still apply.—JM
Sep 3, 2009
The Rubber Room
Those stories you hear about New York City teachers being paid their full salary to sit in a room for years on end, doing nothing? Completely true.—JM
Sep 2, 2009
A Radical Solution to End the Drug War: Legalize Everything
The author and a high-ranking former narcotics officer calculate the yearly cost of America's war on drugs: more than 15,000 deaths and 50 billion dollars spent.—BK
Aug 27, 2009
Mike's Top Ten TV Shows of the 2008-2009 Season
Time to lay the hammer down, bitches!
Aug 26, 2009
Ted Kennedy: What I've Learned
Originally published in 2003, and rerun to mark last night's sad news.—BK
Aug 25, 2009
"Death Panels" - A Most Excellent Term
Ebert deconstructs the phrase, questions Facebook politics, ponders health care reform and end-of-life issues, and properly explains the oft-misused term "meme." (My hero!)—JS
Status-Quo Anxiety
People are inherently resistant to change. But can the status quo be bad enough that they overcome that inertia? (After all, "Change" did win by six points last November.)—JS
Aug 20, 2009
Yale Surrenders
The Yale University Press has decided to publish a book about the Danish Mohammed cartoon controversy... without reprinting the actual cartoons. And the prognosis for the 21st century gets ever-so-slightly more bleak.—JM
Aug 13, 2009
The Whole Foods Alternative To ObamaCare
The founder and CEO of Whole Foods has some good ideas. That's not surprising, since Whole Foods is just the best store ever.—JM
Are Liberals Seceding From Sanity?
Lies, damn lies, and statistics...—JM
Aug 6, 2009
If Barack Obama is Spock, Sarah Palin is Kirk
It takes quite a bit of mental gymnastics, but apparently, if you're determined to do so, you can see the last few weeks as a "win" for the former Alaska governor. Plus, Star Trek!—JM
Legalized Sports Betting is Inevitable
Well, let's hope so!—JM
Aug 5, 2009
The Courthouse Ring
When you combine Gladwell and To Kill a Mockingbird, you've got my attention. An interesting look at the history of racial prejudice and Southern liberalism by way of the classic novel.—BK
A Last Word on the Beer Summit
The power of hypothetically having a beer with the President.—BK
Aug 3, 2009
Held Hostage in North Korea
This isn't the sort of fare we normally link to, but it's important to remember that this story is still going on...—JM
Jul 31, 2009
Other Ideas Considered to Resolve the Gates-Crowley Dispute
After all, it's not like the White House has better ways to be spending its time and resources.
A Beer with Obama
For a concept that sounds like it would instantly grow tiresome, this imaginary fly-on-the-wall scenario is thoroughly entertaining.—JS
A Man's Home Is His Constitutional Castle
A defense of Henry Louis Gates's right to be outraged, despite the shamefulness of the resulting brouhaha. (At least I think that's what Hitchens is saying – one can never be 100% certain.)—JS
Jul 29, 2009
The "President" Has Some Explaining To Do
Other than the mountains of irrefutable evidence that Barack Obama is a natural born United States citizen, what evidence do we actually have that Barack Obama is a natural born United States citizen? One patriot dares to ask the tough questions...
Jul 24, 2009
Recent Additions to the Congressional Health Care Bills
Your tax dollars hard at work!
Jul 23, 2009
XXXL: Why Are We So Fat?
Several books advance various theories on how and why obesity has become so much more common in the United States (and the rest of the developed world).—JM
Jul 16, 2009
As American As... Cricket
I have every reason to believe that I would be capable of becoming a big cricket fan. I mean, I'm sure I won't, but, still.—JM
Ten Politically Incorrect Truths About Human Nature
For instance: men sexually harass women because they are not sexist. And more.—JM
Jul 14, 2009
The Glorious Third
Speculating on the reasons behind Sarah Palin's resignation. (Which, given the details on offer, is all a person can really do – other than ignore it.)—JS
Jul 13, 2009
The Patriot's Guide to Legalization
Keep churning out sane, difficult-to-refute arguments in favor of marijuana legalization, and I'll keep linking to them.—JM
Jul 10, 2009
Ways That Al Franken Can Make Up For Lost Time
Preferably without resorting to using a DeLorean modified by an eccentric scientist to travel back to a period several years before he was born.
Jul 9, 2009
Good Enough, Smart Enough: Why Al Franken Will Be a Superlative Senator
This piece by a close personal friend of the new senator's is reassuring; Ornstein makes a persuasive case that Franken's term in office won't necessarily be an embarrassing disaster.—JM
Jun 29, 2009
Let's Burst the Bubble
"Politicians will, almost by definition, be deeply weird." It seems to me that I remember Jerry Seinfeld doing a routine along these lines once, too. And, if you think about it, if any of your buddies pulled you aside one day and said "I've decided that I'm honestly and seriously going to try to become the President of America," you'd think he'd gone completely nuts. And yet, every four (or eight) years, one guy does it.—JM
Sex Americana
Infidelity may no longer be the political career-killer it once was.—BK
Jun 25, 2009
Sanford Thinks Adultery is Wrong (If Clinton Does It)
Sure, public figures should have private lives. But when those figures legislate from a stance of denying others' privacy, it's hard not to pile on.—JS
Heartless: The Disturbing Glee at Mark Sanford's Downfall
There's good old-fashioned schadenfreude, and then there's piling on just to do it.—JM
Jun 23, 2009
Reagan Was Wrong
Well, duh. But Henry Fairlie said it all along, and his decades as a political essayist make for a revealing account of one conservative's deepening dissatisfaction with conservatism.—JS
Jun 22, 2009
California Has No Money and Few Options
It's like they want us all to move to Arizona or Nevada.—JM
Playboy Interview: Alec Baldwin
He talks about a lot of things over the course of a long, rambling conversation, including putting an end date on 30 Rock.—BK
Jun 19, 2009
Other Things Sarah Palin Is Now Demanding an Apology For
Up to, but not yet including, this list.
Jun 16, 2009
Palin Can't Outsmart Letterman
Few can. But deliberately misinterpreting a joke in an attempt to get some publicity and generate a wedge issue isn't even trying.—JS
Jun 12, 2009
With Apologies to the Palins
David Letterman isn't the only one who has some explaining to do.
Jun 11, 2009
The Early Jobs of 13 Political Icons
We all knew that Harry Truman was a feisty ex-haberdasher (right? Um... right?), but here are 12 others you probably weren't aware of...—JM
Can Right-Wing Hate Talk Lead To Murder?
I just read this piece because I was curious to see if she'd mention Abdulhakim Muhammad (formerly Carlos Bledsoe), the American Muslim convert who shot and killed a US soldier outside an Army recruiting station in Little Rock last week. And guess what: she doesn't bring him up. Shocking, I know. Too bad, too, because ignoring him sort of undermines her argument, which isn't entirely without merit.—JM
Jun 10, 2009
A Note From Stephen Colbert
Colbert steps in as Guest Editor this week, and while his stint is mostly serious, here he indulges himself in some fun.—BK
Jun 5, 2009
Less Prestigious 300 Clubs
Sometimes membership does not have its privileges.
Jun 2, 2009
Goodbye, GM
Believe in Michael Moore or don't, but his passion on this issue is undeniable. (And he can sound loony and poetic at the same time, which is kind of cool.)—JS
Jun 1, 2009
Dear Pixar, From All The Girls With Band-Aids On Their Knees
Linda Holmes, one of my favorites, wants Pixar to make a movie about a girl. Who isn't a princess. As the father of daughters, I wouldn't mind if they did that myself.—JM
May 25, 2009
They Died For You: 10 Things Americans Should Know About World War II
For Memorial Day, your requisite dose of "freedom isn't free." True freedom, of course, involves even the freedom to take for granted the sacrifices of those who came before, and unfortunately that's a freedom of which I occasionally avail myself.—JM
May 22, 2009
The Ten Biggest Non-Sports Upsets of the Last 25 (or so) Years, Part I
Jesse "The Body" Ventura over real gubernatorial candidates, "American Idol's" Kris Allen over everyone else, VHS over Beta, and more...
May 21, 2009
Obama Loses His "Cool"
A popular liberal president who has freely admitted his own youthful drug use could certainly help move this country's attitude toward marijuana legalization further in the right direction. If he had any balls whatsoever, that is.—JM
May 11, 2009
I Want to GOP to There
How 30 Rock's storylines have a tendency to embrace a conservative worldview. It's a really interesting observation, even if the writer – understandably – isn't quite sure what to make of it.—BK
May 7, 2009
The Internet Saved My Tongue: How I Beat Canada's "Human Rights" Censors
I'll not go so far as to suggest that this sort of thing will be coming to America any time soon; nor will I go so far as to suggest that such a thing would be unimaginable.—JM
May 5, 2009
Justice Cincinnatus
A lot of interesting stuff about outgoing Supreme Court Justice David Souter. (But I'll admit I was destined to link to this article as soon as I saw the name Kermit Roosevelt.)—JS
May 4, 2009
An Appreciation of Jack Kemp
ESPN's Tuesday Morning Quarterback has nice things to say about the late Jack Kemp, with whom he was (slightly) personally acquainted.—JM
Ten Years After Lebowski, the Real Dude Still Abides
A talk with Jeff Dowd, the real-life inspiration for The Dude character in The Big Lebowski. If you're not interested in his experiences being a part of the Seattle Seven in the 70s, you can find the Lebowski stuff about halfway down the page.—BK
May 1, 2009
Less Publicized Accomplishments From Obama's First 100 Days in Office
If an accomplishment happens in the forest and no one is around to witness it, does Obama still get credit for it?
Allow Me to Retort
Joe and I don't always agree – as Isaac (Robert Guillaume) said on Sports Night, if you're smart, surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you. Last Friday was like Isaac Day here at Poop Reading.
A Brief History of the 'F' Word
Avert your eyes, Matt and Joe's mom.—JS
Going Postal
Lengthy, scathing rant about the Postal Service (not the band, though that would be great, too). Kramer was right – who needs it?—JS
Apr 30, 2009
Justice Stevens Renders An Opinion On Who Wrote Shakespeare's Plays
Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is apparently part of a movement that believes Shakespeare's plays were actually written by Edward de Vere, the 17th earl of Oxford. As for me, MTV's "The State" had Shakespeare himself admitting in a throwaway line at the end of a particular sketch that "Christopher Marlowe wrote all my plays," so that's what I choose to believe.—JM
Apr 28, 2009
Straight Man
An interesting piece on, among other things, how Team Obama makes lemonade from Joe Biden's lemons.—JM
Apr 24, 2009
The Weekly Log, 4/24/09
Gay marriage, Kent Hrbek, and "Chuck."
(this blurb should not be taken to mean that Kent Hrbek is getting gay married to a guy named Chuck. I mean, I haven't specifically heard that he isn't, but, in this particular case, I think we can take the absence of any evidence that he is to mean that he is not)
Apr 21, 2009
The NFL Draft Must Be Mocked
TMQ returns from hibernation with his annual NFL draft column! Rejoice!—JM
Thoughts on Pot vs. Alcohol from a Former Police Chief
A thoughtful companion to Joe's recent post on the legalization question.—JS
Apr 20, 2009
The Hundredth Senator
The editors at The New Republic have some unsolicited advice for Minnesota governor – and possible 2012 GOP presidential hopeful – Tim Pawlenty regarding the Norm Coleman/Al Franken senate election. But just because advice is unsolicited doesn't mean it's necessarily bad.—JM
Apr 16, 2009
Wall Street On the Tundra
For those of you looking for a 10,000-word piece on the collapse of the Icelandic banking system, here's a 10,000-word piece on the collapse of the Icelandic banking system.—JM
A Threat In Title IX
First they came for the wrestlers, then they came for the baseball players...—JM
A Team That Chose Principles Over Gold Medals
Apparently, the Long Island University basketball team would have represented the United States at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, but they chose not to go, and their story remained largely unknown.—JM
Apr 13, 2009
Olympian Political Correctness
This piece was written last summer, but it's just as true now. I don't know what made me think of it; maybe I just wanted to be needlessly provocative.—JM
Apr 10, 2009
Other Celebrities Who Will Be Joining the Obama Administration
It's not exactly a collection of the best and the brightest.
Apr 6, 2009
Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense
In the first paragraph of this piece, Joe Klein offers up what may in fact be the best idea any human being has ever had. Better than fire, better than cars, better than WrestleMania. He goes on to make the standard case that pot should be legalized, a case that – for my money – can't be made often enough.—JM
Apr 2, 2009
Are You Laughing Now?
As if we needed evidence to confirm it, evidence seems to confirm that Republicans are on the receiving end of more – and more bitter – jokes from late night comics.—JM
Mar 23, 2009
The Folly of the "Hundred Days"
Why that particular benchmark has always been an unreliable indicator for presidential success.—BK
Mar 19, 2009
How Jon Stewart Went Bad
A guy who knows from the wrath of Jon Stewart weighs in. Unsurprisingly, Tucker Carlson has some critical things to say about "The Daily Show" host, some of which need to be said. Still, it'll always be fun to watch Jon Stewart yell at people.—JM
Mar 16, 2009
Watching Stewart-v-Cramer With Wall Streeters and Working Folks
Whatever your political views – and mine are not Jon Stewart's – it's nice to see Jon Stewart just get in there and kick ass once in a while.—JM
The Brokest Generation
Mark Steyn is definitely an alarmist, but he's an alarmist who entertains the heck out of me. Plus he always keeps things light, just how we like it here.—JM
Mar 12, 2009
To My Special Friend Gordon: 25 DVDs
Barack Obama gave British PM Gordon Brown 25 movies on DVD (and they apparently weren't formatted for European DVD players). Thank God Bush isn't around anymore; he might have given Brown something stupid.—JM
Feb 27, 2009
Lesser-Known Provisions in the New Economic Stimulus Package
Clearly not all provisions are created equal.
Feb 19, 2009
Lincoln the Great (Though He Didn't Look That Way at the Time)
A thoughtful – if not necessarily groundbreaking – rumination on Abraham Lincoln in general, and how different generations have perceived Lincoln in particular.—JM
Feb 18, 2009
Curious Factoids Revealed by Presidential Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin Following An All-Night Presidents’ Day Pub Crawl
If you like "Fun Facts" on Letterman, you'll like these; the styles are very similar.—BK
Feb 13, 2009
You're Welcome America
A review of Ferrell and McKay's Broadway Bush impersonation sendoff, highlighting the informative power of comedy.—JS
Feb 12, 2009
The 10 Greatest Fictional Presidents of All Time
Wasn't Grover Cleveland fictional? I mean, that name... come on. Put a colon in the middle and you've got the title of a regional Sesame Street spin-off.—BK
Feb 6, 2009
Rise of Citizen Dave
Letterman's offhand, carefree incisiveness keeps him relevant even when his show isn't always at its best. Why to watch, even if you do so with your finger on the fast-forward button.—JS
Feb 5, 2009
The Meaning of Sarah Palin
There are so many generalizations in this piece that, if you ever went to grad school, your brain will actually liquefy and drip out of your nostrils as you read this. You just won't be able to handle it. And the generalizations are pretty much right on, too, which will only make you madder.—JM
Feb 3, 2009
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
The NFL season isn't really over until Gregg Easterbrook writes his Super Bowl column and hands out the Longest Award in Sports. Enjoy.—JM
Jan 27, 2009
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
There's not much football left this season (i.e., one game), which means there's not much Gregg Easterbook left this season. Read him while you still can!—JM
A Wonderful Day for Washington, D.C.
My daughter is really into Enchanted these days, which I bring up because I can no longer watch Timothy Spall in that movie without immediately thinking of Christopher Hitchens (and vice versa). Here, he (Christopher Hitchens, not Timothy Spall) offers an enjoyable, patriotic and – since it's Hitchens – cheeky take on the Obama inauguration.—JM
Jan 26, 2009
Microsoft Oval Office
Will President Obama have a personal computer in the White House? Recent history suggests he will not.—BK
Jan 23, 2009
10 Fascinating Meetings in Modern History
Good stuff, though sadly the list does not include the time Scooby Doo and the Gang met the Harlem Globetrotters.—BK
Jan 22, 2009
Obama Takes Oath Again, Faithfully This Time
Also, on Tuesday, he started talking right after "I, Barack Hussein Obama," stepping on the Chief Justice's "...do solemnly swear." Apparently I'm the only person who remembers this, but, I'm positive George H. W. Bush did the same thing in 1989.—JM
Jan 21, 2009
How the Movies Made a President
It's less about Obama than it is about the changing ways Hollywood has portrayed black men over the last 50 years; but an interesting read nonetheless.—BK
Jan 20, 2009
"...A Kid in Iowa Who Grows Up To Become President..."
We originally published this piece back in November, but it seems like a good fit for inauguration day. And, if you haven't read it, it's new to you!
"Supergraphics" Anger Tenants In L.A. Office Buildings
You see these giant, multi-story ads on the sides of buildings in Los Angeles, and I always thought, "boy, I would think it would be annoying to work in one of those offices." Turns out it really is.—JM
Jan 16, 2009
Surprises Planned for the Obama Inauguration
It can't just be all swearing-in and speeches. It can't!
Obama Returns Night-Owl Presidency
As a night-owl myself, I find this sort of thing fascinating.—BK
Jan 15, 2009
The Minnesota Recount Was Unconstitutional
Big surprise: in an election where 2.9 million votes were cast, and the "winner" "won" by 225, there's controversy surrounding the result!—JM
Jan 14, 2009
Is Obama a Real Post-Partisan?
Barack Obama, Bill Kristol, David Brooks, George F. Will and Charles Krauthammer sit down to dinner together... no, that's not the setup to a dirty joke whose punchline involves sodomy. It's what happened last night in Chevy Chase, MD.—JM
Homeland Security USA Reviewed
This occupies 60 minutes of ABC's airtime when we could be watching Pushing Daisies. It's enough to make a man don an explosive vest.—JS
Jan 13, 2009
Tuesday Morning Quarterback
The world's best, longest, and least-about-football football column is almost done for the year; don't miss it while it's still around!—JM
Jan 9, 2009
National Mall Reflects Magnificence and Neglect
As millions prepare to descend upon D.C. for the Obama inauguration, the place where they will spend a good deal of their time is in disrepair.—BK
Jan 6, 2009
First Person Plural
Studies indicate that when we fight our temptations we really fight with ourselves. Struggling to lose weight, quit smoking, or finish that novel? The good news is, either way you win!—JS
Clint Eastwood: What I've Learned
Pretty much what you'd expect – "in my day" this, "kids today are pussies" that – which is to say: awesome.—JM
Dec 26, 2008
Memorable Moments from 2008 That May Not Have Actually Happened
Hindsight isn't always 20/20.
Dec 18, 2008
Why History Can't Wait
Not a great deal of suspense for 2008's Time Magazine "Person of the Year." And maybe I'm nuts, but, when it's actually a man, can't we go ahead and say "Man of the Year?" Just for old time's sake?—JM
Dec 16, 2008
Are you Ready for some (Political) Football?
Mmmmm, football good. Politics bad.
So You've Decided to Attack a World Leader
The contents of a pamphlet found among Iraqi shoe-thrower Muntadhar al-Zeidi's personal effects shed some light on his methods...
Dec 12, 2008
Additional Demands Made by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
Because demanding too little in an extortion conspiracy is the kind of thing that could really haunt a guy.
Dec 8, 2008
The 7 Dumbest Things Ever Done By Airport Security
Cracked.com has some great stuff, but it isn't ideally formatted for our purposes. This one, however, absolutely must be read. Must!—JM
Dec 5, 2008
Ways the Big Three Automakers Plan to Spend $34 Billion
What, you thought they were actually going to use it to restructure their business models and make better cars?
Nov 16, 2008
Lose the BlackBerry? Yes He Can, Maybe
President-elect Obama is as addicted to his BlackBerry as any of us. Will President Obama be able to live without it?—JM
Nov 11, 2008
Obama Victory Raises Social Significance of Basketball
Interesting article about Obama's passion for the game, and what it might say about how he'll lead.—JM
Nov 7, 2008
Surprising Moments from the 2008 Election That May Not Have Actually Happened
Though it would have been more entertaining if they had.
Yes, It Can
Joe said it more succinctly: The Daily Show is very likely to survive Obama's presidency. But in case you're curious why it will, read on.
Nov 6, 2008
Can "The Daily Show" Survive the Barack Obama Presidency?
I'm pretty sure it can.—JM
Nov 4, 2008
Obama and McCain Walk Into a Bar...
A study finds that conservatives may enjoy humor more than liberals. I don't think that's very funny... d'oh!—BK
Nov 3, 2008
Leave Al Franken Alone
In defense of an embarrassing buffoon.
The Spreadsheet Psychic
Lengthy profile of Baseball Prospectus stat-cruncher Nate Silver, who's analyzing political polls on the side at FiveThirtyEight.com to see if he can predict the election.—JS
Nov 2, 2008
Walter Sobchak, Neocon: The Prescient Politics of The Big Lebowski
You'll have to forgive me, I'm late to the party on all the 10th anniversary hoopla that went down in September.—BK
Following the Script: Obama, McCain and The West Wing
Charting the many parallels between the Santos/Vinick race and the Obama/McCain race. Somewhere John Wells's ego is firing pistols in the air.—BK
Oct 31, 2008
As a Conservative, I Must Say I Do Quite Like the Cut of this Obama Fellow's Jib
Yet another conservative columnist jumps on the Obama bandwagon.—JM
Oct 28, 2008
Why Obama Needs a Tina Fey
I agree with the premise, I disagree with the conclusions. Nonetheless, it's an interesting discussion of modern political satire.—BK
Oct 24, 2008
...or For Worse; Why American Politicians Have Such Rotten Marriages
An interesting (and non-partisan, I promise!) rumination on political marriages that's not the downer that the title would lead you to believe.—JM
I Am Not a Real American
I've been sternly warned about posting political links, but what the hell; it's Michael Ian Black. He should get a pass.—JM
Oct 21, 2008
Senator Obama Reaches a New Low
McCain, Palin and Biden all have kids in the military, but not Obama. What; are his children too good to fight for our country? Read on...
Oct 17, 2008
Who's Playing the Race Card?
It's like Hulk Hogan used to say, kids: say your prayers, eat your vitamins, and read your Krauthammer.—JM
Oct 14, 2008
Night of the Living Constitution
Explaining the judicial consequences of an Obama presidency.—JM
Oct 13, 2008
Vote For Obama
McCain lacks the character and temperament to be president. And Palin is simply a disgrace.—JM
Oct 10, 2008
Other Signs That the Gloves Are Off in the 2008 Presidential Campaign
Just in case you missed the delicate subtleties of all the name-calling and guilt by association.
The Choice
The New Yorker's presidential endorsement may be an obvious one, but it's excellently stated. If "associations" are really such a huge liability, can one do worse than George W. Bush? Jameson (and the New Yorker) thinks not.—JS
Questions of Character
Good old Krauthammer. He says what Joe would say, if only Joe was smart enough.—JM
Oct 9, 2008
McCain in a Bear Market
A George Will column with a baseball lede! I know! Try not to get too disheartened, McCainiacs; George Will never liked him to begin with.—JM
Oct 8, 2008
Prepare For the Worst
Somebody finally succeeds in convincing Joe to be scared of an Obama presidency, without even calling Barack a Muslim!—JM
Oct 7, 2008
Beware of Ponytail Guy
How town-hall debates can go very wrong for a candidate.—JM
Oct 6, 2008
Nebraska, Maine
Two electoral votes to watch.—JM
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