URLs du Jour

2007-03-08

  • Something to bookmark the next time some Castro/Che-sycophantic journalist goes to Cuba.
    According to Reporters Without Borders, Cuba is the fourth-worst place in the world for journalists — the worst are North Korea, Turkmenistan, and Eritrea (in that order). Cuba has an official press, and everything else is illegal. The regime greatly fears and persecutes any peep of independence. In the crackdown of March 2003 — known as "Black Spring" — 27 journalists were arrested. Some have been released, even as others have been put away. There are now about 25 journalists in prison. And anyone who remains on the outside is constantly harassed, constantly disrupted, doing that dance with death.
    "Read the whole thing." It's a story of real bravery.

    Cuba recently expelled three journalists (one American, one Mexican, one British) for—let's face it—excessively honest reporting. This Investor's Business Daily editorial makes the obvious observations:

    If professional standards mean anything to the mainstream media, getting expelled for that reason is a badge of honor.

    Which brings up why remaining correspondents inside Cuba aren't red-faced about not being thrown out.

  • But that's about as serious as I can get today. We all miss the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip. An occasional schtick was Calvin asking his dad kid-type questions about the world, his dad coming up with bizarre, yet internally consistent answers. Elise has discovered that this is funny even without the artwork. Sample:
    Q. Why does the sky turn red as the sun sets?

    A. That's all the oxygen in the atmosphere catching fire.

    Good material for all you dads out there; that Bill Watterson guy is a genius. A relatively recent press release from his publisher where he answers some fan questions is here.
    Q: What led you to resist merchandising Calvin and Hobbes?

    A: For starters, I clearly miscalculated how popular it would be to show Calvin urinating on a Ford logo. …

  • Ann Coulter and Bill Maher are a lot funnier when Iowahawk writes their dialogue. (Warning! Contains invective!)