Wider Angle

Twitter Favorites

2008-06-26T02:01:00.002-04:00

It's nice that so many companies are "committed to excellence." That's probably why life has seemed so much better for everybody lately. - hotdogsladies

Meals that take less than 5 minutes to prepare and consume are somewhat anticlimactic. - cruel_raspberry

from @MetalFatigue: He didn't need to look in the box to know the cat had vanished. The chihuahua's angry yip, though, came as a surprise. - ze frank's bedtime

I have not been to a literary reading for a long time. Was surprised by the amount to cell phone vid cam-ing. Really? BOOTLEG LIT READINGS? - hodgman

someone just mistook me for someone that gives a shit. - friskygeek

Black shirt, white tie and shadowstache: the official uniform of the cell phone salesman. - scottsimpson

Someone's either drinking cinnamon flavored coffee or wearing Eau de Bear Claw - my_name_here

Attention Anti-Jail Flyer Jerk: Your persistent spamming of my apartment has made me Pro-Jail. - meghann

having fløde havarti and crackers with pears and tea. this started as snack but i think i'll call it dinner. - mikeropology

grumbly that I have to register with the University of Auckland to download someone's thesis. Open spirit of science, my balls. - gnat

motherfuckers! I registered with their site and am still denied a 1984 thesis on the movement of molluscs "due to copyright restrictions" - gnat

Favorite Extensions for Firefox 3

2008-06-17T22:29:00.002-04:00

With the release of Firefox 3 today, it seems like a good idea to recommend some extensions you can use to enhance the new version. These are add-ons I use every day and highly recommend.

BlueOrganizer
Context-sensitive browsing and bookmarking extension. "When looking at an address, find it on Google maps instantly, when reading a book review save it to your Amazon Wish List with a single click, or when looking at a movie add it immediately to your Netflix queue - and much more."

Delicious Bookmarks
Tag, import, and access your Delicious bookmarks from within Firefox.

Forecastfox
Wonderfully customizable extension that displays weather forecasts from accuweather.com unobtrusively in your status bar.

Google Notebook
Add, edit, and organize your Google Notebook from the Firefox status bar.

Greasemonkey
Download hundreds (thousands?) of scripts to enhance, correct, or redesign your favorite sites. Easily activated and deactivated.

Better Gmail
A collection of Greasemonkey scripts that can be installed as an extension. Does lots of helpful things, plus it can even re-skin your Gmail interface.

Personas
From Mozilla Labs, you can theme your browser even more extensively with lightweight backgrounds.

StumbleUpon
Discover great new sites by tagging your favorites and connecting with the internets brains.

Twitterfox
Use Twitter from your status bar and get updates for new tweets.

Web Developer
Access lots of developer tools quickly from a toolbar.

Video Repost

2008-06-09T04:21:00.003-04:00

Some excellent videos recently posted on the Wider Angle Tumblog...

Top Chef Puerto Rico (S4 E13, if you're keeping track) full episode

Radiohead's "Big Ideas" covered by computer hardware (via waxy)

Superdelegates: The Maron Proops Experiment

Recent Twitter Favorites

2008-06-09T02:33:00.003-04:00

I'm pre-emptively nostalgic about using this adorable little iPhone v1, ca. 2007. It's screen is only 2-dimensional! How quaint! - lonelysandwich

just got back from visiting my grandmom. she asked about the fortress city of "mitsubishi" (a.k.a. machu picchu). - mikeropology

God, I hate "Keeps Explaining the Wine Guy." - hotdogsladies

Neighbors! Don't abandon your twitterfarms for plurk, the wells all run dry! O, for our forefathers' BBS acres. Stark, but stable, and free. - xenijardin

We fashioned lean-tos from blinking banner ads, and brewed eula bark into a sort of dark "rss" to warm us through the black nights. - xenijardin

You guys know that while there's nothing wrong with the gay people you see on TV, they're pretty unrepresentative of the rest of us, right? - plasticbagUK

My Twitter friends stream is increasingly turning into open mic night at the Comedy Barn. - jkottke

Wider Angle Summer 2008 Remix

2008-06-09T01:26:00.003-04:00

In preparation for more regular posting, I thought I'd clean the place up a bit and make it a little fresher. I'll be tweaking it over time, as always, but mostly I don't feel like having a gray background anymore.

America and Our Future

2008-05-18T04:46:00.002-04:00

I'm genuinely concerned about the United States of America, and I will be writing an essay shortly in this space, but I'm posting this to find out who still subscribes to this once pretty awesome and now regretfully neglected blog.

If you're still on the RSS feed or still, for some reason, continue to check the main page, you are excellent. Apologies for the lack of Wider Angle Awards... it just didn't seem worthwhile with all the shit going on in the world. The Tumblog has still gone on strong. I plan to write a lot about politics, the global economy, scarcity, and under-reported yet worthwhile stuff in the near future. But I need to know that someone, somewhere is reading it.

So if you happen to be one of those people who cares what I think, it would be great if you left a comment or emailed me.

Have a lovely weekend!

Wider Angle Awards 2007 coming soon

2007-12-13T15:18:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since I've posted here (though the Tumblog continues to roll on) but it should be noted that the Wider Angle Awards will return this year since I like putting the list together quite a bit. I hope to make it more unique this year to distinguish itself as a weird little guide. As for how successful I'll be, we will all find out together.

Seasons greetings to all.

Zeitgeist

2007-10-10T01:09:00.000-04:00

Zeitgeist is well worth your 2 hours. Full screen it or watch it in parts.

San Francisco Love(s) the Frisky Pink Mammoth

2007-10-04T00:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to the float on Saturday!

You can still find the remixes of San Francisco Love at Beatport.com. Get all of them together for just $19.99 USD. Remixers include Chris Fortier, Pole Folder, Opencloud, CPM, Derek Howell, Nick and John Dalagelis, Thee-O, Nixx, Joel Armstrong, Funk Harmony Park, Terje Bakke, Cristian Paduraru, Eddie Cumana, and more!

San Francisco Love

2007-09-10T23:01:00.000-04:00

"I sold my soul to the Olaris devil." That's why Chris Fortier says he remixed San Francisco Love.

Officially, it's because it's for "a great cause and one more reason to make some fresh beats."

He's one of over a dozen artists to get involved with the San Francisco Love campaign organized by Olaris Records. To give back to the community that has given so much to dance music, and in celebration of LoveFest and the city that is its home, talented artists from around the world have remixed Royal Sapien's "San Francisco Love" for release on September 27 to benefit the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

Kicking off Love Weekend in San Francisco this year, Olaris Records and Cece Blake have organized a mini-gala happy hour at the famed 111 Minna Gallery on Friday, September 28 to benefit the Foundation. If seeing the avant garde art isn't worth your five dollar donation, the front room will feature Frisky Radio’s downbeat grooves, while the back room will rock with the electro-disco-progressive sounds of Royal Sapien from Olaris Records and San Francisco’s Will Spencer of Drive.

"It will set you in the proper mood for the rest of your Lovefest weekend. You'll come away feeling that you did something good while having a BLAST! What could be better? It is LOVEfest after all!" Cece Blake has been organizing giant events in San Francisco for years. "I do it because of how good the music makes me feel. And sharing this feeling with others is what motivates me to do events such as this.”

If you're an early partier, you're really in luck. The first 111 people through the door will not only get free promo CDs, but will also be treated to Peroni beer. That said, you must be 21 to party.

Royal Sapien's anthem "San Francisco Love" will be released the day prior featuring a big room main mix and alternative takes from a musical army including Chris Fortier, Pole Folder, Opencloud, Derek Howell, Eddie Cumana, Joel Armstrong, Nick Dalagelis, CPM, Nixx, Funk Harmony Park, NO3 and Hambrick, Moog Conspiracy, Thee-O, Bitfiend, RND(), Terje Bakke, Cristian Paduraru, Maldroid, Ryan Crane, and Royal Sapien himself. Proceeds from the sale and licensing of all the mixes of San Francisco Love will benefit the San Francisco AIDS Foundation as well.

"The tune is really a tribute to the people of San Francisco," says Royal Sapien. "They have made me feel so good and so welcome over the years, and have supported the dance community in such a big way, finding a way to give back seemed like the natural thing to do."

If you're around for LoveFest weekend but can't make it to the party, find the San Francisco Love(s) the Frisky Pink Mammoth float in the LoveFest parade on Saturday and get down to funky beats from the world over, sponsored by Pink Mammoth, Frisky Radio, and Olaris Records. (Photo from mvgals.net)

Clubbers stuck in other parts of the globe can listen to a live webcast from the party on friskyradio.com, and DJs worldwide can pick up the San Francisco Love remixes on Olaris Records worldwide on September 27. More information for everything can be found at sanfranciscolove.org.

San Francisco Love Release Party
September 28, 2007
Event listings at Upcoming, MySpace, Facebook, Going, and Last.fm.

Afterwards join us at Mighty for Love Lee with Lee Burridge and friends, from Spundae, Listed, and Satellite.

Royal Sapien on Solipsistic NATION

2007-08-24T12:02:00.000-04:00

Bazooka Joe interviewed me for Solipsistic NATION a little while ago and asked me to mix a set of my music. The episode is out today on the podcast and features a selection of some of my favorite tunes over the past couple years.

Daft Punk at Keyspan Park, Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York

2007-08-11T17:50:00.000-04:00

Daft Punk played Keyspan Park in Brooklyn, New York, on August 9, 2007. Right on the beach at Coney Island, the weather was perfect with a nice breeze, The Rapture got people ready for the show, and Daft Punk blew 7,500 minds. Above are selections from the many great photos on Flickr, and below are my favorite YouTube videos submitted so far.

Photos by twoblackeyes, twoblackeyes, central village, central village, trontnort, the real janelle, gillianmae, teamstream, this_justin, tixgirl, dearkellygreen.

Close Encounters Intro / Robot Rock

Robot Rock

Television Rules the Nation / Around the World

Da Funk

Alive

Steam Machine / Around the World

Aerodynamic / One More Time

Too Long

Encore: Together / Prime Time of Your Life / One More Time

Tumblog and WA

2007-08-07T23:36:00.000-04:00

The Wider Angle Tumblog is really what I always wanted Wider Angle to be, a place where you can come to jump to other interesting stuff, but continuously updated as I find things. Almost everything I link to really needs little or no comment; it stands on its own and explains itself, and in the context of the blog time continuum, it seems to all make sense somehow.

Thusly and therefore inherently subsequently, semi-officially, all the awesome links and photos and videos will be on the Tumblog with very limited reposts to Wider Angle. I'll also try to make more frequent, longer, better posts about interesting and/or relevant topics here on WA.

However, there is an unresolved bit of this plan. What do I write about? I could do design critiques or music reviews, but do we really need more of that on the internets? I thought of answering questions about random topics, but I'm fairly sure the average WA reader is smarter and more resourceful than I am, or at least knows about Ask MeFi. The most recent Tumblog links and my Twitter posts are over on the side thing there.

So I ask you, the smart, witty, and quite attractive WA reader, what would you like to see here? Please email me at benmautner@gmail.com or leave a comment, I would most appreciate the input.

I was wrong. Did YouTube change debating?

2007-07-24T23:39:00.001-04:00

I mentioned on the Tumblog that CNN would bias the questions asked from YouTube users in the recent Democratic Presidential candidate debate. That insinuated that the debate would be less valid than other, formal debates.

I was certainly wrong. It seems that questions from people of the United States (YouTube users) not only mean more than questions from pundits and newspeople, but they're more compelling and entertaining. And thoughtful.

The electoral process in the United States could stand to get more involvement from the people and less from the mass media. The more people's voices are heard immediately, the more relevant every step of campaigning will be.

If the candidates are going to campaign for 2-3 years before the election, we should make it count for something. Make their campaigning messages matter NOW, while they're still in office. If they promise something for when they're President, make them accountable for it NOW.

This debate could be a great step forward. We should be so lucky.

Chris Fortier at Sullivan Room July 14 NYC

2007-07-14T16:44:00.000-04:00

If you're going to be in NYC tonight, head down to Sullivan Room to hear my good friend and excellent DJ Chris Fortier mix some techno records for you. Sean Miller from SAW and Alternative Route will be playing before him as will some NYC locals.

Admission is free before 10pm, $15 after that, but well worth it. I'll have a ~~Olaris~~ Fade shirt on if you want to find me and say hello.

Sullivan Room is at 218 Sullivan St., doors open at 9pm. 21+

Links for July 9, 2007

2007-07-09T01:30:00.000-04:00

The final tally of tracks and edits in a single one-hour radio mix. (Decibels for July 2007 with Royal Sapien, Chris Fortier, and Ryan Crane debuts on Wednesday.)

If you're looking for the default password for your router or another piece of similar gear, you may want to consult this list.

Chewbacca assaulted Marilyn Monroe outside a movie theater. "Chewbacca, whose real name was not available, fled before police arrived, Torres said." [via Fark]

Apple should consider not copying artists so directly for their products and ad campaigns.

Spinal Tap performing at Live Earth with an army of bassists. [YouTube]

Brilliant photos smuggled out of Zimbabwe.

It's the birthday of one of America's best radio stations, WNYC. Their dedication to groundbreaking programs like On The Media and Radio Lab and upholding the tradition of the station is inspiring.

Kim Jong Il has been looking sick lately.

According to a recent study in New Zealand, gay people take loads more drugs than straight people. "Massey University researchers analysed government data from the New Zealand Health Behaviours Surveys involving 15,000 people and found that while gays drank broadly similar quantities as straights, they also were twice as likely to use pot, and 50% more like to smoke tobacco."

MadTV presents... the iRack. [YouTube]

China has been exploding with commerce and growth, but much like the United States economy, the foundation of outlandish use of resources and credit could mean a collapse.

Organic fruits and vegetables are better for your heart than industrially grown varieties.

Wider Angle Tumblog Reblog (for your convenience)

2007-07-05T02:26:00.000-04:00

These are items recently blogged to the Wider Angle Tumblog, reblogged here for your convenience. Subscribe to the Tumblog via RSS.

Your World. Delivered. To the NSA. On the iPhone. (via lawgeek) (07/04/2007 05:08)

Happy 4th! (via Royal Sapien) (07/04/2007 02:36)

"Africa won't be "saved" by aid, but by the ingenuity and determination of its own people." (07/04/2007 02:03): - Africans to Bono: 'For God's sake please stop!'

via xkcd.com (07/04/2007 01:59)

Gates loses 'World's richest' crown | The Register (07/03/2007 04:21): Carlos Slim ended Gates's 13-year reign thanks to a 26 per cent surge in the stock price of his company America Movil during the second quarter. Slim boosted his personal net worth to $67.8bn compared to last year’s $30bn.

77 Million Paintings by Brian Eno (via Laughing Squid) (07/03/2007 02:01)

John Stamos' Bizarre Australian TV Interview (via turdy76) (07/03/2007 12:34)

Wii demand still outpaces supply (07/03/2007 12:26)

TED | Talks | Hans Rosling: New insights on poverty and life around the world (video) (07/03/2007 12:15)

The National Aquatics Center - Beijing 2008 Olympic Games (07/03/2007 11:41)

South Park Mac vs. PC (via huber7) (07/03/2007 10:03)

White Glove Tracking | We're Done - Thanks! (07/03/2007 08:24)

Success recipes most people know, but too few follow - lifehack.org (07/03/2007 02:57)

AllofMP3 Goes Down In Midst of Much Bigger WTO Scuffle (07/03/2007 02:53): It looks like the RIAA and big music labels have won a battle, if not the war, against massively popular AllOfMP3, a Russian music download site that sells MP3s for as little as two cents per megabyte. The site has been shut down, again, reportedly at the hands of the Russian government.

AllOfMP3 Shut Down by Russian Government (07/03/2007 02:49): AllOfMp3, the popular online music store, has been shut down by the Russian government. Pressure from the United States, and a refusal to enter the World Trade Organisation (WTO) convinced the Kremlin to take the website down for good.

Insanely Useful Websites | Sunlight Foundation (07/03/2007 02:07): Congresspedia
DOJ TrainingDB
FedSpending
Follow the Money
Govtrack
LOUIS
MapLight
Metavid
OpenCongress
Open Community Document Review
OpenCRS
Open Hearings
Open Secrets
OS: Lobbyists
OS: Revolving Door
OS: Personal Financial Disclosure
OS: Travel
Project Vote Smart
Taxpayers for Common Sense
VoterWatch
WashingtonWatch

Fade Records presents Audio Tour Volume 2

2007-07-03T01:21:00.000-04:00

Audio Tour 2 from Fade Records is mixed by me, Royal Sapien, and 40oz aka Chris Fortier. It's out now at all sorts of download shops and has received great reviews, for which we're very grateful. Check out the YouTube clip and send it around to some friends if you wouldn't mind.

You can listen to samples of the compilation and purchase it at Beatport, iTunes, eMusic, and many other fine retailers.

Also check out my latest singles, "Easy" and "Anti-Skate," and Chris Fortier's new album As Long As The Moment Exists.

Wider Angle Tumblog RSS Feed

2007-07-02T00:22:00.000-04:00

Check out the new Wider Angle Tumblog RSS feed powered by Feedburner. Full content posts plus email-to-friend and bookmarking buttons.

Three Cheers for Mika Brzezinski

2007-06-27T22:43:00.000-04:00

Mika Brzezinksi on MSNBC refused to lead with, or even report on the Paris Hilton nonsense. First she tries to light the story on fire, then she shreds it.

Mika, if you're reading this, I'd like to take you out to dinner.

Edited version without commercials from YouTube. [via reddit/WAtumblog]

Internet Radio Day of Silence

2007-06-26T22:41:00.001-04:00

Today, June 26, thousands of Internet radio stations went silent. This is how the soundscape online would be if new regulations that require exorbitant royalty payments go into effect.

As an artist, a label owner, and a broadcaster, I have the credentials to cite the pending law as shitty.

If you want to save Internet radio (from Pandora to last.fm to NPR) call your congresscritter and make them support the Internet Radio Equality Act.

Links for June 26 2007

2007-06-26T00:13:00.001-04:00

These are some links that I've saved that haven't made it onto the tumblog.

I think I want every shirt from Headline Shirts, particularly the Rich Crackers shirt.

Keep this script handy for telemarketers when they call.

Some ambitious and creative kids made a map of the United States out of LEGO.

Jim at Coudal Partners has some great advice for how to think about work. "...if you see work as a Montessori preschooler does, as a wide-open path where one thing leads to another and the development of one skill allows for another level of things to be explored, then that's a whole other kind of "work." It's not so much about what you make, it's more about what you learn making it."

It appears to be natural for mothers to kill an undesired child, happens in all sorts of species, including primates and other mammals. [via reddit]

I think text chat will still rule the web for quite some years (I prefer it to video or voice aside from speaking in person) and this is one of the reasons. "But after a few hours he said he was getting tired of using text chat -- and asked me to switch over to Ventrilo, an app that lets gamers chat using microphones and voice. I downloaded Ventrilo, logged in, dialed him up and ... ... realized he was an 11-year-old boy... I still enjoyed questing with him -- he was a terrific World of Warcraft player. But there's no doubt that hearing each other's voices abruptly changed our social milieu."

Best Buy's corporate culture seems to support good ideas that come from regular employees, so they've freed up the corporate environment to let workers spend their time as they like, as long as they get their work done. [via kottke]

Another performance from The Yes Men, and an interview with Wired.

Has the economy begun its downfall? "In other words, it sounds eerily like 2000-2002 except maybe on a much larger scale. Then it was “only” the tenth worse bear market in history, but over a trillion dollars in wealth simply vanished. What makes today’s instance seem particularly unfair is that the preceding recovery that is now ending—the “jobless” one—was so anemic. "

Bloggers and writers can turn their content into podcasts instantly, for free, read by computers that sound tolerably like humans. Check out Odiogo, a very cool service that I wish more blogs would use.

If you're doing research online, be sure to check these sites first to find hidden vast fields of knowledge on the Internets.

Best of Wider Angle Tumblog Vol. 3

2007-06-19T23:54:00.000-04:00

Some of the best links from the Wider Angle Tumblog over the past week or so, beginning with my new desktop. It comes from Microsoft's New Zealand site...

Underworld has a new album coming out in October. Can't wait to see them in Central Park.

Sao Paulo has taken down all their outdoor ads. A Flickr set documenting some of the results.

Winterbells is a Flash game I found again recently where a cute bunny has to hop up bells to score points, or risk floating down with ears flapping.

The majority of White House aides use RNC email addresses, and more than half of those accounts have not been archived. Every part of that is illegal.

Creature Comforts is my new favorite show on network tv.

Judge Jules's son is rather old now. I remember when he was born.

Why has Gary, Indiana been completely abandoned?

" I don't really have too much faith in the Constitution because you gotta remember when they signed the Constitution, you got all these geniuses in the room, and they're like, 'OK, we got the right to bear arms, got free speech, you can own niggers. Looks good to me, let's sign!' So obviously all those people were insane." Ice-T in Fuck

Tim Noble and Sue Webster make extraordinary shadow art.

Several hugely popular clubs in Ibiza have been suspended for drug violations. The authorities there just don't get it.

"Minimal is like great design. When it's good, it's lovely to behold. When it's bad, it's just wallpaper or linoleum. Sometimes it evelates to art... but frankly not often." Auntie Agony in DJ Magazine

Discovered Mozy. Unlimited online backup for $5/month.

My beautiful friend Kaci gets ready for her beautiful wedding.

"The ukulele is the pda version of the guitar." Mark Frauenfelder on Net@Nite

Custom wallpaper made so the pattern wraps around your stuff.

I am still so happy that Bush got his watch stolen.

Italy's emissions continue to increase while other major polluters in Europe have managed to lessen theirs. It's all moot, but still, for shame.

I still can't fathom this bouncey horse. WTF?

The USDA has decided that some non-organic things can actually be called organic.

Google Reader finally, FINALLY, gets an unofficial search engine.

Frank Zappa on Crossfire in 1986 defending free speech.

Royal Sapien on John Digweed's Transitions Podcast

2007-06-18T22:22:00.000-04:00

If you enjoyed my set on John Digweed's radio show, you may also be interested in the new 30 minute exclusive megamix-esque set by Royal Sapien now available on the Transitions Podcast. It was released this past Sunday, June 17.

Subscribe to John Digweed's Transitions Podcast for free in iTunes or download the mp3s directly from the Transitions section at libsyn.

Best of Wider Angle Tumblog Vol. 2

2007-06-11T00:09:00.000-04:00

Our 2nd compilation of highlights from the Wider Angle Tumblog begins with our progress in Iraq, from the view of Misha Niskin. [TL]

"73 percent of Americans said the country is pretty seriously on the wrong track, while 25 percent said things are going in the right direction." [TL]

"Time Warner has announced the introduction of packet shaping technology to its network." [TL]

Stefan Sagmeister on how design can make you happy, speaking at TED in 2004. [TL]

Stefan Sagmeister's desktop. [TL]

"Goodbye wires... MIT experimentally demonstrates wireless power transfer." [TL]

"It was a short-lived but spectacular breach of security at the new US embassy in Baghdad." Web leak puts US embassy at risk [in reference to this] [TL]

"An Ohio company has long been adding the industrial toxin melamine to animal feed ingredients, and those feeds have been consumed by livestock and fish meant for human consumption, according to the Food and Drug Administration..." [TL]

Bush and his beer. A new iconic photograph. [TL]

Oceana has produced a printable mini-guide of what kinds of fish are safe to eat, for you and the ocean. [TL]

Interactive Periodic Table [TL]

"Yes. I am the founder of this movement." - Paul Oakenfold takes credit for creating the acid house generation. [via Jonty Skrufff] [TL]

"What is Glyphs? Well it’s Adobe’s poorly-named character palette, while Glyphs is a nice 5-dollar word and fits within in the width of the menu, Fucked Up Characters Palette is far more descriptive and serves the user better." - STET [TL]

Three beautiful dolphins from Global Wanderer. [TL]

The benefits of being home schooled: the completely awkward and inappropriate spelling bee winner. [TL]

Biographical Landscape: The Photography of Stephen Shore, 1969-79 at ICP in NYC May 11–September 9, 2007 [TL]

"Blitzer tonight asked [Conservative candidates], 'Is there anyone here who believes gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the U.S. military? If you do, speak up now,' there was a deafening silence. No one raised their hands." Think Progress » Conservative Candidates All Support Banning Gays From The Military [TL]

Use Lastgraph to make spiffy graphs of your last.fm data. [via waxy] [TL]

Attractors - Awesome Flash physics simulation slash game. [TL]

"What the piece actually highlighted to me is people's relationship with their self-image, and perhaps even a mass(ive) desire to perform in public on several levels - both to be part of a crowd and to be individually reflexive." - cityofsound: The Weather Project [TL]

"In a major victory for TV networks, a U.S. appeals court on Monday overruled federal regulators who decided that expletives uttered on broadcast television violated decency standards." [TL]

"The economy keeps growing, as does the enormous largesse of the wealthy, while the average person makes less than they did when Bush took Office." [TL]

"First discovered by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1978, the Greenpoint spill has been estimated at anywhere between 17 million and 30 million gallons—three times more oil than the Exxon Valdez spill. That makes it the largest known oil spill in American history." - Exploring the Massive, Viscous Oil Blob That Lies Just Beneath the Streets of Greenpoint -- New York Magazine [TL]