Popular Culture

18 August 2003


50 Million North Americans Resist Looting
A quarter of a century ago, there was a blackout in New York City that resulted in injuries, arrest, and widespread looting. As one person put it at the time, "Christmas came to the ghetto early." Yet in 2003, shortly after the lights went out, the concern that the "wolves and jackals" were coming out after sunset never materialized. The society appears to have grown up. For more, click here.

Fox Sues Franken -- Unfair and Unbalanced
Fox News Network, a right-wing news organization owned by right-wing media magnate Rupert Murdoch, is suing leftish comedian Al Franken and his publisher, ostensibly over the title of his new book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right." Fox claims that it owns the rights to "Fair and Balanced," which it registered as a trademark in 1995 It is an interesting method for silencing a critic, not responding to the ideas but to the very words being used. Click here to read on.

Lists -- Boring, Boring, Boring
Perhaps David Letterman is responsible, but there were rumors of it before he got his late night show. There was the Book of Lists in the 1970s, and surely, the evil existed before. Indeed, there are the 7 Deadly Sins, and the 10 Commandments. The creation and dissemination of lists (The Top Ten . . . ) has grown into an abomination. The trouble with them is threefold. Or perhaps several fold; after all, this is a criticism, not a list. Click here to read more.