In a New York Times Op-Ed aritcle, Brent Staples says something which suggests that the use of the term “pass” to mean, citing definition “5. d” in the OED, To be held or accepted as a member of a religious or ethnic group other than one’s own. Used esp. of a person of Negro ancestry [...]
Keywords is one year old today (June 29th)! Thanks to everyone for coming back week after week and taking the time to read what I write. Thanks to everyone whose left a comment or linked to Keywords from their own blog. Thanks to all the other bloggers out there who’ve given me such great content [...]
[A]s critical as the government’s interest may be in detaining those who actually pose an immediate threat to the national security of the United States, during ongoing international conflict, history and common sense teach us that an unchecked system of detention carries the potential to become a means for oppression for others who do not [...]
Somebody’s set up a web site to coordinate voter-registration drives in swing-states. If you plan to take a trip this summer, maybe you could register some voters on the way! What a great idea. If you do this, it would be really great if you could blog about your trip. You can some related blogs [...]
Read this hilarious series of telegraphs between British colonial officials in 1916, there is a punch-line at the end, so read the whole thing. Here is how it starts: January 1st. F.O. to Cairo 101. Greek Prime Minister wishes to import grain. Can you do this? January 4th. Cairo to F.O. 416. Your 101 not [...]
“Fahrenheit 9/11,” has made over $21.8 million in three days. It took Moore’s Oscar winning “Bowling for Columbine,” nine months to earn $21.5 million… $11.75 of that was from my pocket, but I don’t have a lot to say about the film. It was a good film, but not for the issues that have been [...]
People tend to view Israeli politics entirely through the lens of relations between Israeli Jews and Palestinians, forgetting that there are many divisions within Israeli society. There are divisions within the Jewish community itself, especially between Western and non-Western Jews, and there are also serious issues facing the one fifth of Israeli citizens who are [...]
78% of South Koreans have broadband internet access. But none of them can access most blogs. Why? Because the government is trying to limit access to video footage of the Kim Sun-il beheading. (Via Scott Sommers.) UPDATE: Write a letter.
Read this article (emphasis added): In the 2000 presidential election, 1.9 million Americans cast ballots that no one counted. “Spoiled votes” is the technical term. The pile of ballots left to rot has a distinctly dark hue: About 1 million of them — half of the rejected ballots — were cast by African Americans although [...]
The winners have been announced!!! Below are just some of the winning T-shirt designs from the Designs on the White House t-shirt contest. Support Kerry, order one today! (Yes, I know, some of the best designs didn’t make it. But don’t despair, we are working with the designers to sell some of the runner-ups as [...]