Recent Reading

Subcompact Publishing. Predictions and proposals for the fresh new field of internet-distributed portable-device publications, of which Marco Arment’s The Magazine is a prime example.

Google’s Lost Social Network. I am not on board with the term “sharebros,” but I still use Google Reader, and have found Google Plus to be mostly bitter disappointment.

America’s Real Criminal Element: Lead. Kevin Drum on the interesting correlations between criminal activity and environmental lead from gasoline emissions and paint in the 20th Century.

6 questions journalists should be able to answer before pitching a story. On how a journalist can “pre-report” a story idea to show its worthiness to editors.

It might not get weirder than this. Sophie Schmidt, daughter of Google Exec Eric Schmidt, on their recent trip to North Korea. (Odd layout, best experienced in a more readable format.)

What About Penn? Somewhat ironic look at New York Penn Station, in light of the Grand Central Centennial.

Rob Liefeld’s Sharper Image. His comic art has been roundly mocked for anatomical weirdness, but Rob Liefeld has made a successful business out of licensing his creations to independent artists, resulting in diverse — and sellable — superhero titles and storylines.

Amazing First Person Account from the Green Line Meltdown. Story from a major track failure in which people actually exited the train into the tunnels, from Unsuck DC Metro,