...A 1929 editorial ridiculed the fact that a statue erected in Grant Park to honor American Indians had given them horses of a sort that never roamed "over the plains that are now Illinois, or anywhere else on this continent." And throughout its run the magazine took it upon itself to defend … [Read more...]

from obituary for Doris Dungey: "Tanta argued that for every asset that banks unloaded on the government, the chief executives should be required to explain "why they acquired or originated this asset to begin with, what's really wrong with it in detail, what they have learned from this experience, … [Read more...]

A pre-emptive radio strike on this hollow opinion. If I were his editor, I'd sit Sorkin down to take notes on this stuff: smart sports anchors, now there's a twist worthy of a progressive economics President from New Hampshire. (Silly wag [Richard Sandomir], West Wing WAS a comedy, Studio 360 was … [Read more...]

Print wimps gather to celebrate 40th anniversary of the Beatles' White Album symposium, at Skidmore College, hosted by Gordon Thompson, author of Please Please Me: Sixties British Pop, Inside Out (Oxford). Panel: Allan Kozinn, New York Times critic and author of The Beatles; Walter Everett, … [Read more...]

The oral rendition of the selected bibliography, in conversation with Scott Woods (mp3). … [Read more...]

blip: (verb) a mashup of pandora and twitter, blindingly addictive, killerapp, non-sequiturs woven through instant classic playlists, ricoched through various anonymous ears of abundance, the flash fantastic, in blissful stereo where available. … [Read more...]

This would be quote of the week but it's too juicy, too venal, too outrageously narcissistic, even after watching the Boogie Man (Frontline's Lee Atwater) profile on Friday night. From Karl Rove in the Sunday Times Magazine: "Our new president-elect won one and a half points more than George W. … [Read more...]

Obama: The First Motown President (podcast riley), a discussion of the Vanity Fair oral history by Lisa Robinson, with Suzanne de Passe and Raphael Saadiq On Point (Thursday, November 13, 2008). (Download mp3, or iTunes) … [Read more...]

Tune in to On Point tomorrow morning at 11 am (Thursday, Nov. 13) for a discussion of Lisa Robinson's oral history of Motown (Vanity Fair). And when Levi Stubbs died last month, nobody mentioned that 1986 Billy Bragg song, "Levi Stubbs' Tears," a eulogy in search of a death. … [Read more...]

AD LINE OF THE MONTH: Urinal wallboard, Rennaissance Hotel Convention Center: King of Country Picks the King of Chrome: George Jones for Hunters Custom Automotive, Nashville (Society for Music Theorists conference, Plenary session on "Popular Music and the Canon") … [Read more...]

PLAYLIST FOR ZEP AUDITION (SINGERS/SONGS): Sorry about the monitors, people, we had like ZERO notice. Here are the ground rules: no breaks, no key changes, bring your own water and leave your cards at the door. If you are performing your own material, please give your changes to John Paul Jones IN … [Read more...]

Senator McCain: You have repeatedly opposed equal pay for equal work. If for any reason you were unable to fulfill your duties as President, would Sarah Palin receive the same executive salary in the event of her succession? … [Read more...]

The Boston Herald, today's front page It wasn't until I saw this photo that "Joe The Plumber" suddenly clicked as racist bait. How many black plumbers do you know? And who did Joe turn out to be but our most antiquated, rednecked, "bitter"-talking voter? Since only pictures "matter," Joe turned out … [Read more...]

Former Village Voice columnist Leslie Savan, author of The Sponsored Life and Slam Dunks and No Brainers, has been blogging on campaign ads for the Nation: … [Read more...]