2011
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Family Tree Shake-Up
Fossils found in a South African cave may be “the most plausible known ancestor of archaic and modern humans,” argue the scientists who discovered the bones, citing the combination of apelike and human features in the newfound species—dubbed Australopithecus sediba.…
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A Success for Public Access to Information!
Remember when Aaron Swartz challenged the US Government by illegally downloading over 4 million articles from JSTOR, in hopes of breaking down the barriers that prevent public access to information? He was facing some major charges including a million dollar…
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“The Phlebotomist”
Sativa January’s story, “The Phlebotomist” is about love, marriage and swingers, published on Our Stories, an online journal that publishes the best fiction on the web. Here’s an excerpt: “But as Linda ripened and cured, marriage did something: It made…
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You Are What You Read
You know when psychology and reading enthusiasts join forces and deliver good news about the merits of leading a literary life? This is one of those moments! In a recent study, some researchers at the University of Buffalo found that…
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On The Ecstatic
“From the Greek ek-stasis, it means “standing outside of,” as in separation from the common, or, in the Hellenic religious understanding, a hiatus from cognition in celebration of the visceral and mystical.” Interpreting Euripedes’ The Bacchae as “a masterful homage…
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DEAR SUGAR, The Rumpus Advice Column #84: The Distance of the Leap
From what garden or pot or crack in the pavement did you grow? How did you get your water?
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Rombes on IMDB
Let’s all take a minute to appreciate Nick Rombes and his attention-to-detail dedication to experimental film writing. IMDB gave his latest essay, “10/40/70 #37: Marnie” a much-deserved shout-out. If you haven’t gotten a chance to experience the Rombes screen shot…
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City Inspirations
With 80% of the population expected to inhabit cities by 2050, governments may find ideas for reforms in examples of urban transformations elsewhere. This piece looks to Colombia, whose story of “political metamorphosis” is told in Bogota Change, part of…
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Cormac McCarthy’s Lunch
In the spirit of taking on literary identities under the guise of an internet profile (like Laura Ingalls Wilder’s famed twitter), there’s another way to take on the writerly stylings of beloved authors. “Yelping With Cormac” is the blog for…
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The Commercialization of Literature
Jack Kerouac’s literary imprint has made its way into some surprising mediums–a t-shirt sold at Urban Outfitters, a lyric of a Katy Perry single. Though the commercialization of literature isn’t exactly breaking news, it is interesting to track the ways…
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Goodbye, Michael Hart
Michael Hart should have been more famous than he was. I don’t know if it’s accurate to say that he invented the e-book, but he had tons to do with developing it. He started Project Gutenberg, which is one of…