This entry was published at least two years ago (originally posted on November 5, 2008). Since that time the information may have become outdated or my beliefs may have changed (in general, assume a more open and liberal current viewpoint). A fuller disclaimer is available.
Sometime between 10:26 and 15:23, I thought this stuff was interesting. You might think so too!
- MPAA Already Lobbying Obama: Perhaps Glickman, a former congressman, wants to get an early foot in the door to help the new administration choose the nation's first copyright czar. Or Glickman might be cuddling up to the next president because Obama has said he wants (.pdf) to reform the nation's intellectual property laws "to promote civic discourse, innovation and investment while ensuring that intellectual property owners are fairly treated." (Very serious question: is there any way for us to nominate Lawrence Lessig for the post?)
- Yes We Can: I ride the 7 bus to work those mornings I can’t face my bicycle. It comes up from south Seattle and traverses rich and poor neighborhoods, the International District, Pioneer square and Downtown. Usually, it is a hateful, loud, messy conglomeration of tired people. This morning, an older black man sat with a grin on his face. He was dressed for construction work. Out of the blue, he shouted, “YES, we can!” It was completely infectious- people responded in a chorus of “Yes, we can,” and there was clapping, and there were grins, ear to ear. And we rode on together.
- The next President of the United States: In a vote of historic proportions yesterday, Senator Barack Obama became President-Elect of the United States of America with a 52% majority in the popular vote, and more than 349 electoral votes. Over two years of campaigning was resolved with a record voter turnout, as the Republican candidate John McCain conceded graciously at 11:20 pm eastern last night. With such a high level of interest and attention, there have been millions of words written and photographs taken of the candidates over the past year. Here is a collection of some of the best photos of President-Elect Barack Obama over the past several months.
- Simon Pegg on why the undead should never be allowed to run: I know it is absurd to debate the rules of a reality that does not exist, but this genuinely irks me. You cannot kill a vampire with an MDF stake; werewolves can't fly; zombies do not run. It's a misconception, a bastardisation that diminishes a classic movie monster. The best phantasmagoria uses reality to render the inconceivable conceivable. The speedy zombie seems implausible to me, even within the fantastic realm it inhabits. A biological agent, I'll buy. Some sort of super-virus? Sure, why not. But death? Death is a disability, not a superpower. It's hard to run with a cold, let alone the most debilitating malady of them all.
- Barack Obama: How He Did It: A team of NEWSWEEK reporters reveals the secret battles and private fears behind an epic election. (It looks like only 1 of 8 chapters is online, it's unclear whether that's going to change after the print edition appears.)
- Highlights: Newsweek’s Special Election Project: Palin's shopping spree at high-end department stores was more extensive than previously reported. While publicly supporting Palin, McCain's top advisers privately fumed at what they regarded as her outrageous profligacy. One aide estimated that she spent "tens of thousands" more than the reported $150,000, and that $20,000 to $40,000 went to buy clothes for her husband. Some articles of clothing have apparently been lost. An angry aide characterized the shopping spree as "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast," and said the truth will eventually come out when the Republican Party audits its books.
- Palin faces questions, different landscape when she returns to Alaska: Can Sarah Palin go home again? In the 68 days since Alaska's governor began her run for vice president, things have changed on the home front. Some of her former allies are fuming, and former enemies are lying in wait. Public perceptions of the governor have also changed. Has the governor changed as well?