New Yorker (The)

Charts adapted by The New Yorker from the Organisation for EconomicCooperation and Development's Survey of Adult Skills [Click to enlarge]by KenRemember how The Newsroom's Will McEvoy caused that national shitstorm by refusing to play along with the bromide that America is No. 1?

A photo of the real Tower of David taken by the Spanish photographer Sebastian Liste, one of 14 posted on newyorker.com in January"One day, I asked the real El Niño Daza about the community that he had created in the Tower [of David]. He spoke in the style of a new sheriff of Dodge who had cleaned out the riffraff. 'We live well here.

by KenThe above news, in case you missed it, comes courtesy of New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff's weekly blogpost, "Nothing to Say," news that Bob declares he was "particularly gratified about." There is perhaps inspiration to be drawn from Bob's opening:

With "The Bear Who Came Over the Mountain" update below"At the level of the sentence, [Alice Munro's] stories proceed within the grammar of conventional realism; but at the formal level, her work invents its own grammar, which is why her stories strike many readers as closer to novellas than to any idea of 'the conventional well-made short story.' "-- James Wood, in a newyorker.com blogpost,"

"We will always have Paris."by KenFinally I can suggest why I love New Yorker carton editor Bob Mankoff. It's not because he does such a brilliant job as cartoon editor. Probably he does, but how would I know? And even if it's so, that wouldn't give me any strong feeling about him.

"Relax, honey -- change is good."by KenLast week New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff, in the newsletter-blogpost "No Cliché Is an Island," issued a challenge to readers, having to do with clichés in cartoons.

Salinger appeared on the cover of Time for Sept. 15, 1961.by KenOne thing I don't know about the level of public interest in the Case of J. D. Salinger is whether younger people share the fascination bordering on obsession -- wait, what "bordering on"? -- that we older folks do.

"I have an imaginary friend.

-- Jack Ziegler, July 11, 1988 (click to enlarge)

"Harry's decided that if the federal governmentwon't defend our marriage then he's got to.""I have been gay all my life, and for most of it gay marriage was not even on the table. In fact, for many years the only time you saw anyone openly gay was on television, and they were hiding behind a screen with their voice disguised."I am thoroughly convinced that at some point in time same-sex marriage will be a non-issue. For the most part. Eventually. Sort of. . .