Aside

My buddy Noah Breuer is studying in Kyoto for the year, and is learning about traditional Japanese printmaking techniques. He just sent these photos of some of his latest works. Complete set

My good buddy David Boyk has an excellent column in today’s Daily Cal. Through the magic of the Internet, I’m able to enjoy it even from the frozen tundra that is Estonia. I disagree with him though, about TMBG. I think it’s quite a good name. But somehow they messed up the photo. Boyk is much cooler than this dude.

Apparently, I have something of an Estonian readership. Because of yesterday’s post from Kohvik Moskva, I drew this comment in an Estonian blog: (Translated from the Estonian by Veljo Haamer. Edited by Cyrus Farivar) I’m always looking suspiciously at these guys around me in WiFi cafes. Is that man the next obsessive-compulsive blogger? Is he a coffee dealer, who offers the first cup of coffee free, with a friendly smile?

E&P: (via TechDirt) NEW YORK Attention Associated Press members, prepare to get more for your money: Now available, two leads for the price of one. In a break with tradition at the 156-year-old news cooperative, the AP will now offer two different leads for many of its news stories, the organization confirmed Wednesday. “The concept is simple: On major spot stories — especially when events happen early in the day — we will provide you with two versions to choose…

After four iterations of topics, and a very unhappy thesis advisor, and a month of busting my ass reporting — my thesis is done. I’m trying to figure out where I can get it published. For now I’m not putting up a public copy, but I will email a not-for-distribution copy to whoever wants one. [hed] New York to Boston for $15 [sub-hed] The Past, Present and Future of the ‘Chinatown Buses’

I’m sitting in Kohvik Moskva (Moscow CafŽ) in Tallinn. I just met a 20-something Swiss guy from Lausanne, named Julien Renaud, who speaks perfect American English (used to live in Pasadena), born to a French father and Brazilian mother. He speaks French, English and Portuguese. He moved here a few months ago to be with his Russian girlfriend (who he met on the Internet) who was born and raised in Tallinn. She speaks English, Russian, and Estonian. She’s teaching him…

LA Times Commentary: It’s part of a global problem: About 400 million people speak English as their first language, an additional 700 million or so use it as a second language and a billion people more are struggling to learn how to speak it. Meanwhile, other languages are disappearing at the rate of two per month. There are about 6,800 languages in the world, but the expert consensus is that 400 of them will soon be extinct. Why care? “When…

NYT: Indeed, on the square it was possible to find veiled Sunni Muslim women from Tripoli, Shiites from scattered points around the country, Druse and Maronite Christians. There was a distinctly different dress code among the demonstrators as well, with some women sporting bare midriffs and pierced belly buttons. A few of the banners cemented the theme of unity by displaying both a cross and a crescent. Some of the banners displayed a bit of wit: “Long Live the Syrians…

No Petrograd for me. Getting a visa will take at shortest a week, usually two. Next time.

Estonia Randomness #3: Veljo says “Married with Children” is the most popular television show in Estonia. I can’t decided whether or not this is better or worse than the fact that they show Jerry Springer in Senegal. Estonia Factoid #1: Along with Icelandic, Estonian is at present one of the smallest languages in the world that fulfils all the functions necessary for an independent state to ÔperformÕ linguistically. Teaching, at both primary school and university level, is in Estonian; it…