December 2008
Foreign Policy: The 10 Worst Predictions for 2008 →
Teeny Tiles →
$5 gets you a 2”x2” ceramic tile (w/ or w/o magnet) printed with your image on it. Photos, drawings, all are game. Nifty.
Re-Nest: Black & Decker's Thermal Leak Detector →
As an owner of an eighty year old home with cross-breezes every which way, I think this new thingie is gonna be awesome.
Meandering Thoughts on Obama and Transparency
Transparency in government means different things to different people. Like the word “change” itself, it tends to mean what you want it to mean.
For some, it is a “no more secrets” reaction to 8 years of a ridiculously secretive Bush administration, while for others it is a wonky idea that has been flowering since sunshine laws first went on the books in the states in the...
Harper's Does The Numbers: Illinois Governors Have... →
“Number of men elected as Illinois governor since 1960: 7
Number who have been charged with criminal conduct: 4
Number who have served time in prison: 3
Number of years served (combined) thus far by three jailed governors: 6 *
(* — George Ryan, Rod Blagojevich’s predecessor, is two years into a 6 1/2 year sentence. Dan Walker went to jail in 1988 for conduct that occurred after his...
“Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of...”
– Abraham Lincoln, discussing the differences between the auto bailout and the financial bailout, 1861
Blagojevich Corruption Timeline →
This is the Chicago Tribune’s handy dandy take, which is admittedly heavily weighted towards their own coverage.
MUST READ: U.S. Attorney's Office Press Release on... →
I haven’t read the 76 page criminal complaint (pdf via WaPo), but if the press release is any indication, the full document must be a doozy. Read the press release at least - it’s a little long, but it is full of juice.
The most amazing part is how recent so much of this crap is. The Blag has been under scrutiny for some time due to ties to Tony Rezko, so the potential for impeachment...
It's Not Just Detroit That's Full Of Elected... →
Jason and Shannon, I feel your embarassment, though to be honest, I’ve thought the Blag was a massive asshole for a good long time.
WatchWait for it! Wait for it! OMFG: Saxophone Walrus Takes On “Baker Street” (via Best Week Ever)
“It’s almost like putting your dick in the wrong hole, ya know....”
– Kenny Shopsin, in the documentary I Like Killing Flies.
Read the amazing 2002 New Yorker profile by Calvin Trillin here and buy his new book for Christmas here.
