Category: Odds & Endz

Just links today

• Big shakeup at the Village Voice. 8 editors dismissed (via Huffington Post).
• The classist nature of breast feeding. This article reports that, like everything else, well-paid professionals have an easier time of it that the working class.
• I’ve been hearing about Truth Dig since I started listening to Left, Right and Center nearly a year ago. I didn’t have large expectations but there’s a mountain of good stuff here.
• Daniel Schorr, NPR’s senior news analyst turns 90. Man, I wish his commentaries were podcast (via Tigerbeat).
• Triumph the Insult Comic Dog gives a weather report in Hawaii. Hilarious!

• Today is the anniversary of the riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. My mother was there got clubbed in the knees by cops and tear gassed. It’s a great country. (via The Writer’s Almanac).
• According to this article, the school cafeteria is becoming the battlefield in the struggle against childhood obesity. Also called “the end of Turkey Surprise.”
• This article reminded me that the Songbird music player, supposedly the Cadillac to the iTunes Camry, will have a Mac version in about the year 2056.
• Have you tried peanut milk yet? It’s apparently the next wonder food. I had some today. Tasty (via Valleywag).

• Have you seen the trailer for The Queen? I can’t tell if it’s a bipic of Queen Elizabeth II (that starts in 1997) or a docudrama about an event scarely a decade old. Of course, World Trade Center is in theatres now and that only happened 5 years ago.
• Lipstick & Magazines keeps getting better. This issue recommended the San Francisco Hotel Project, an ongoing photo essay of the city’s residential hotels, Calisphere, a giant collection of publicly available, primary source materials from UC Berkeley, and Andy Worhal-style dishes for banana splits.
• Speaking of wierdness in my city, I may just have to take a ghost tour of my neighborhood.
• Where the Hell is Matt is a travel blog of a guy who has been around the world several times and videotaped himself dancing in all corners of the globe. But you probably knew this already.

• Indies Under Fire is a documentary about the struggle of independent bookstores to survive. I’ve viewed the trailer. Please tell me there’s more to this story than another chains = bad, indies = good litany (via Readerville).
• The PEN Center is now offering podcasts. Lit porn, really (via Tigerbeat) .
• I have no idea what’s doing over at 8020 Publishing (does anyone?) but I’m curious.
• Anybody know about the McMenamins chain in Portland? What’s their reputation like?
• Ferrell’s is back! I’m so doing my next birthday there.

• Vogue film critic John Powers does the best summary of the hypnotic appeal of Film Noir I’ve ever heard on this Fresh Air segment.
• Any thoughts on the 50 Greatest Action Sequences ever? I’ve already submitted mine.
• The Player, one of my favorite movies ever, was based on a novel by Michael Tolkin. Guess what? Tolkein’s written a sequel (via The Elegant Variation).
• Web 2.0 Hotties. What, no Jory JD (via New Media Musings)?

• Did you know that nonfiction is doing great and the literary novel might be in trouble? Did you know that ducks quack?
• In only sort-of related news, Starbucks is going to be selling books soon. I think the purchase of a hardcover should, at the very least, entitle you to a free maple scone (both from Arts Journal).
• Wanna pay 75$ to see Guns n’ Roses play in San Francisco? Tempting but I’ll pass (via SFist).
• It has been way too long since I’ve been in a human pyramid.
• Jeff Chang’s new book has a cover which rocks the house.
• Anybody ever been to Breckenridge, Colorado? That’s where I’m headed to this weekend

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• Perhaps you can’t wait until next year’s Tour De France to watch more cycling. According to my sources (Senors Veen and Sarvas), Cycling.tv has some video clips (but essentially requires a broswer custom designed by Bill Gates himself) and OLN Cyclsm Sundays will offer condensed versions of major races. Not much but it’s a start.
• SF Power is a community power co-op offering low cost and free energy efficiency services to certain city neighborhoods. I don’t live in one of those neighborhoods but damn, could I use something like this.
• If you’re dying to find out what celebrity you look like (and really, who isn’t?), upload a photo to My Heritage and they’ll tell you (via Smoke and Ashes).
• James Fallows tried to live entirely in Web 2.0 for two weeks. A couragous man (via New Media Musings).
• I was too busy this week to go to either AlwaysOn or Blogher which makes me sad.
• Roadfood.com is a people-driven guide to diners throughout America. The search is a bit broad but this could potentially blossem into my dream come true (via OJR).