Month: January 2013

This week the Dish declared independence and you can read Andrew’s announcement and all our other coverage and explanation of the move here. We also hope you’ll consider joining us as a founding member. Friday on the Dish, Andrew rounded up more reaction to our new business model and how it might evolve, got interviewed by David Carr, asked readers to weigh in on whether or not we should round our subscription rate up to $20, and answered PM Carpenter’s concerns over the possible editorial consequences of directly relying on readers’ support. In other independence coverage, Ann Friedman evaluated the importance of building a relationship with readers and we addressed the mystery of our mega-donor, as well as acknowledged the Dishheads of Arizona. Andrew also marveled at an animated Maurice Sendak interview, responded to President Reagan’s love of Reader’s Digest, hoped Iran would again turn Green during this year’s election, and pointed out how similar Obama’s presidency has thus far been to both Reagan and Eisenhower’s (and later the WSJ agreed about Barack being the new Ronald). In political coverage, Ambers and Ezra tried to guess what the GOP’s post-fiscal cliff strategy would be, Joe Biden worked the chamber as readers gauged his influence, Brian Resnick taught us about the Presidential Autopen, and Sam Harris pleaded for some common sense to untangle America’s political deadlock. We also went through how the fiscal cliff deal will affect the wealthy, analyzed the state and sustainability of the US welfare system, examined the polarizing effects of Congressional-district gerrymandering, and charted the number of abortions state governments have been restricting. Looking overseas, Frank Dikötter looked at China’s resource trade policies with the developing world, Evan Osnos wanted the US government to better back up American journalists in China, and Derek Thompson surveyed the economic disaster of Latvian austerity. In assorted coverage, Alyssa suggested ways to de-glorify violence in pop culture, Jack Shafer considered the ethics of publicizing gun-ownership data, Richard Gunderman appreciated the transcendence of music, Keith Humphreys shone a light on America’s gradually-declining prison population, and Maria Konnikova tried to experience the benefits of Sherlock Holmesian mindfulness. Also, Douglas McCollam shared what Brando said to Capote, Dean Karlan advised us how to best make our charitable contributions count, Walter Russell Mead believed in the greenness of telecommuting, Alec Foege wanted us to start tinkering with our stuff again, and Henry Wiencek panned Jon Meacham’s Jefferson biography for going too easy on the president’s slaveholding. We looked into whether or not dating sites were making us less monogamous, viewed Facebook’s efforts to capture some of the self-deleting photo market, watched backwards fireworks in our MHB, admired Bali through the VFYW, and noted how the Internet had accidentally shaved Andrew’s beard in our FOTD. The rest of the week is after the jump:

Thursday on The Dish, Andrew explained what our soon-to-be-independent business model was, as well as made clear how transparent the Dish would be (and why) before then releasing the overwhelmingly-positive data from our first 24 hours signing up members. Andrew also went through more reader responses to our announcement and appreciated Jay Rosen’s appraisal of the “mutualized journalism” the Dish is trying to do. In other IndieDish coverage, Dean Starkman questioned the likelihood that others could follow our lead, Jeff Bercovici passed along The Atlantic’s new thoughts regarding a pay-meter of their own, and @MelloMcGee mashed up MGM with the Dish’s independence in our Tweet Of The Day.

Andrew also responded at length to the pending investigation of the CIA’s involvement in Zero Dark Thirty, tried to unpack the polarized vitriol between conservatives and liberals, and called out the Obama administration for its “indefensible secrecy” regarding the assassination of US citizens who wage war on the US.

In political coverage, David Brooks noted the GOP’s fiscal rock-and-a-hard-place, Tim Huelskamp pushed back on the idea the the full House GOP really supported Speaker Boehner, hunter Ari LeVaux took on the NRA, and David Gutting claimed that Obama rolled the GOP with the fiscal cliff deal. We also explored Al Jazeera’s purchased-entry into the US television market, about which Pamela Geller made a deranged statement to earn herself a Malkin Award nomination. Looking overseas, Ackerman tried to make sense of the newest death toll out of Syria, Jacob Newberry was troubled by reverse exploitation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Keith Humphreys questioned pot’s profitability for drug cartels, Max Paris surveyed the sad state of the Kyoto climate change treaty, and we learned about China’s democratic near-miss of a hundred years ago.

In assorted coverage, Drum highlighted the link between lead exposure and crime rates, Eric Moll detailed what we could do to combat fossil fuels, Ian Frazier lamented modernity’s lack of mystery, Adam Green introduced us to the world’s greatest pickpocket, and Tom Jacobs examined the psychological power of a woman in high heels. Also, Evgeny Morozov dispelled the environmental friendliness of telecommuting, a reader further explained the dangers of eating fructose, Jelani Cobb pointed out that Django Unchained was “a riff on the mythology we’ve mistaken for history”, and Willoughby Cooke stood up for the typically over-worked and under-paid line cook. We then wondered if being a little overweight might actually be good for us, again contemplated the universe’s possible opinion of humanity, considered the interactions generated by provocative-book reading in public, saw a Brooklyn substation through the VFYW, literally took a second look at 2012 in today’s MHB, and an owl was inventoried in our FOTD.

– C.D.

Wednesday on the Dish, Andrew declared our independence, announcing that on February 1 the Dish would leave The Daily Beast to become a fully independent blog which depends on nothing but our readers for support (via a freemium-based meter). Andrew then answered reader questions about the move here and here. Also we rounded up blog reax, as well as checked in on the Twitter response here and here. We watched in amazement as an avalanche of memberships began, published many reader reactions from the inbox, reposted last year’s fascinating reader survey, charted the inequality of the web advertising business, got called mavericky in a tweet, and handed John Nolte a Malkin nomination for calling the Dish’s independence part of some left-wing media conspiracy.

In political coverage, we rounded up blogosphere response to the now-passed fiscal cliff deal, Michael Hirsh wondered if Joe Biden was the most influential VP in history, Conor Friedersdorf rejected the notion that the 2nd Amendment was some safeguard against tyranny, Paul Ryan earned the year’s first Yglesias nomination for supporting the fiscal cliff deal, and Richard Socarides anticipated marriage equality for Illinois.

In assorted coverage, Maria Popova explained her donation-over-advertising strategy, Boris Muñoz imagined a Venezuela without Hugo Chavez, Ada Calhoun looked at the increasing practice of at-home abortions, Wayne Curtis surveyed America’s walking stats, and Terry Teachout advocated for more accurate depictions of small-town life in the arts. Also, Edward McPherson told us the story behind Dallas’ essential airport, Alex Knapp questioned the management skills of robots, Kevin Kelly called in about the developing world’s prioritizing of cell phones over toilets, and a reader (who is an actuary) set the record straight about car insurance rates based on how much someone drives. Readers also pushed back on the idea that teenagers shouldn’t smoke weed, while other readers weighed in on why women seem to smoke less of it than men. Then we went over the news that Avis was buying Zipcar, examined the possible late-career solipsism of Judd Apatow, discovered a new use for washing machines in our MHB, met a Chinese camel herder in our FOTD, and saw Colorado mountains through the VFYW.

By Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Tuesday on the Dish, Andrew offered his extended thoughts on last night’s fiscal cliff deal, raised an eyebrow at Barney Frank’s recent change of heart about Chuck Hagel, and announced 2012’s Dish Award winners, later adding some important context to our Face Of The Year.

In political coverage, we rounded up blogosphere reactions to the fiscal cliff deal, while Bruce Bartlett and Daniel Gross examined why a Grand Bargain didn’t happen and Drum cautioned that deal or not, the fiscal cliff was still out there. Also, readers responded to the conversation over Hillary Clinton’s blood clot, Ann Friedman checked in on the still-limited progress of America’s female politicians, and a traveler aboard the National Review’s “conservative cruise of a lifetime” shared her Hewitt-ian fears. Looking overseas, Marc Lynch hoped Egypt would be able to “muddle through” its current morass.

In assorted coverage, Oliver Burkeman offered a reality check regarding New Year’s resolutions, readers proved themselves quite knowledgable about Hobbit names, Eric Jaffe suggested pay-per-mile car insurance as a way to reduce driving, Rober Walker pondered the shrinking authority of magazine covers, and Gary Marcus argued that an automated workforce could lead to greater inequality. Also, Nathan Harden previewed the idea of a la carte college classes from multiple universities, Gaia Vince appreciated the many benefits of urban density, David Haglund teared up while watching a trailer for Landfill Harmonic, a reader gave their perspective on why women don’t often buy weed, and somewhat relatedly, Justin Shanes avoided a hangover in our Tweet Of The Day. Readers shared their views from abroad on America’s vacation-light work ethic, Charles Simic noted the ease with which present-day idiots can make themselves known, Jeff Jordan anticipated the death of shopping malls, and Atossa Araxia Abrahamian explained the (libertarian) paleolithic diet, while Robert Lustig detailed the dangers of fructose. John Herrman surveyed Instagram’s growing international footprint, a reader passed along a great Don Becker joke referring to his mental illness, and Rand Simberg explored the fascinating implications of property rights in space.

We also watched the new trailer for To The Wonder, learned about the use of canine labor throughout history, saw a Puerto de la Cruz paraglider through the VFYW, and enjoyed a four minute reduction of 2012 in our MHB. Meanwhile readers struggled with this week’s difficult (and Danish) VFYW contest and Nancy Pelosi walked the media gauntlet in our FOTD.

This Holiday Season on the Dish, Andrew wished readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and urged readers to support the Poetry Society of America with a rumination on verse. He also dissected the Pope’s incoherence on gay marriage, provided further thoughts on the Zero Dark Thirty debate, relayed a personal anecdote about the “mutts of war,” sounded off on marijuana prohibition, watched Bibi become even crazier, and charted Krauthammer’s continued descent into Fox News absurdity. In a somber year-end meditation, he declared the American polity “broken.”

The fiscal cliff loomed large, and you can read Andrew’s evolving thoughts on it here, here, here, here and here.

Andrew also closely tracked opposition to Chuck Hagel possible nomination as Secretary of Defense. He told the President to grow a pair and face down the former senator’s AIPAC-led critics, lamented the purity of neocon McCarthyism, evaluated the reasons for the anti-semitic slurs against the man, defended Hagel against Barney Frank, and followed the ridiculous Log Cabin Republican resistance to Hagel, including questions about who paid for the NYT ad they deployed against him, here, here and here.

– C.D. & M.S.

Richard Gunderman ponders it:

Like Mac Davis, I believe in music. When I listen to music, or at least certain kinds of music, I feel transported to another place, my mood is elevated, I feel a new sense of harmony, and I am able to focus more clearly on what seems to matter most. A physicist might come along and say that what I call music is merely the scraping of horse's hairs across cat gut, a mechanical vibration in a particular frequency range. A neurologist might come along and explain that I am merely experiencing the transduction of kinetic energy into electrical energy as processed by neurons in the auditory and higher associative cortices of the brain. And yet, there is something about the music that is hard to reckon in such terms. It would be like saying that a passionate embrace is merely the pressing of flesh on flesh.

Walter Russell Mead finds Morozov's take too pessimistic:

Some of the benefits of telecommuting will take some time to work themselves out. As IT improves and new generations become more accustomed to interacting virtually, we’ll be able to solve some of the current kinks Morozov points out. But he is also too pessimistic about the state of telecommuting technology today. Even if telecommuters still buzz around in their cars from time to time, the widespread adoption of telecommuting will distribute travel away from the peak times, making it more energy efficient—and reducing costs for infrastructure.

Dan Slater claims that dating websites are threatening monogamy:

The positive aspects of online dating are clear: the Internet makes it easier for single people to meet other single people with whom they might be compatible, raising the bar for what they consider a good relationship. But what if online dating makes it too easy to meet someone new? What if it raises the bar for a good relationship too high? What if the prospect of finding an ever-more-compatible mate with the click of a mouse means a future of relationship instability, in which we keep chasing the elusive rabbit around the dating track?

Alexis Madrigal rebuts the piece. His biggest problem with the article: blaming technology for our own choices:

[I]t's not wrong to say that Facebook wants us to do things. But if you stop talking to your cousins because it's easier to update Facebook than give them a call, it's not right to say that Facebook made you do that. If you stop reading novels because you find Twitter more compelling, it's not correct to say that Twitter made you do that. Maybe you like real-time news more than the Bronte sisters, no matter what your better conception of yourself might say. 

Maybe Jacob doesn't want to get married. Maybe he wants to get drunk, have sex, watch basketball, and never deal with the depths of a real relationship. OK, Jacob, good luck! But that doesn't make online dating an ineluctable force crushing the romantic landscape. It's just the means to Jacob's ends and his convenient scapegoat for behavior that might otherwise lead to self-loathing.

Obama signed the fiscal cliff bill using an autopen because he was vacationing in Hawaii. Brian Resnick notes that handwriting-copying devices date back to Thomas Jefferson's era and reports that, understandably, the technology behind reproducing the signature of the commander-in-chief is locked up:

The White House treats the presidential autopen's security with the secrecy you might expect for the most powerful signature in the world. "I always heard the autopen was the second-most guarded thing in the White House after the president," Jack Shock, Bill Clinton's director of presidential letters and messages told the Associated Press in 2011. When the AP pressed the matter to the executive branch, the White House "declined to provide any further details about how many autopens the administration uses, what they look like, where they're kept, or who makes the machine."

(Photo: The Autopen Model 50 from the International Autopen Company. According to Wikipedia, the device "was used extensively by John F. Kennedy's White House to duplicate his signature." By Benjamin Olding, International Autopen Company, via Wikimedia Commons.)

In the wake of the Newtown shooting, The Westchester Journal News put together a map, using publicly available data, showing the addresses of gun permit holders in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties in New York. Jack Shafer describes the backlash, which included a "crowdsourced map of the home addresses of Journal News employees — including their home and work phone numbers when found." He also considers the implications for privacy concerns more broadly:

Exactly how publishing public-record data constitutes privacy invasion is a topic worthy of a Poynter Institute seminar. By its very definition, the public record is not private. Under New York state law, the information the Journal News obtained from Westchester and Rockland county authorities can be obtained by anybody who asks for it. And even though it will deflate the sails of the boycotters, their protest is futile. No law prevents individuals from making the same pistol permit request from the counties and posting their own maps if Gannett and the Journal News surrender and delete theirs. I’d wager that somebody has already scraped the data from the Journal News site and will repost it if the paper goes wobbly.

The Baltic state is sometimes touted as proof that austerity works. Derek Thompson, who provides the above chart, tackles the claim:

First, Latvia had a massive bubble financed by massive foreign borrowing, with its current account deficit hitting a mind-blowing 22 percent of GDP in 2006-07 before the debt music stopped following Lehman's bankruptcy. And second, Latvia didn't do anything to cushion its subsequent crash. It didn't devalue its currency, and it didn't increase government spending. Instead, it kept its currency pegged to the euro, and actually gashed its budget. Now, it didn't have much of a choice when it came to austerity — that was the condition for its €7.5 billion IMF-led bailout — but it could have chosen depreciation over deflation. It did not.

He goes on:

The combination of tight money and tight budgets took Latvia's economy from "calamity" to "historical calamity"; its GDP fell by over 17 percent in 2009 alone. That's Great Depression territory.

Yglesias chips in two cents.

The social networking giant just released its own version of Snapchat, called Poke, which allows users to send photos or videos that quickly self-delete. Amanda Hess favors the original:

This is Snapchat’s cultural triumph over Facebook: It is a social network where sex is comfortably integrated into a user's wider digital life. On Snapchat, sexual identity isn’t cemented through a series of boxes and menus. User profiles are nearly nonexistent, and even private messages are fleeting (though the app has some loopholes yet to close). That’s a winning formula for teenagers, who are highly invested in exploring their sexualities, but face strong cultural shaming from both peers and adults for doing so. Snapchat allows users to behave sexually without that behavior defining them—not for more than a few seconds, anyway.

While acknowledging its myriad flaws, Mark Wilson offers a defense of Facebook's new app:

[F]or whatever Poke may lack in polish, it makes up for in acknowledging the failures of social networking–namely, that social networks lack one of the most important parts of socializing: The safe spontaneity that stems from the forgetfulness of the human mind. 

The Internet is designed to remember everything, to perfectly catalog and update every piece of information you could possibly need at any moment. And while that’s great for researching penguin migrational patterns and getting the best deal on Bounty Select-a-Size, it’s agonizing for socialization. How long do you spend composing a quip on Twitter? 30 seconds? A minute? Several minutes? How long do you spend composing a quip in person? A split second? Why is there such a difference?

One major problem with Poke compared to Snapchat is Facebook's vast social network: "Because if there’s anything on the Internet that’s the anti-sext, it’s probably the place where your conservative extended family is hanging out." But such self-deleting services aren't only being used to flirt with people; Todd Wasserman previews how the frozen yogurt chain 16Handles is using Snapchat:

If you snap a pic of you or your friends at a 16Handles location tasting one of their flavors, you can send it to Love16Handles on Snapchat. In return, you'll get a coupon for anywhere from 16% to 100% off on your purchase. You have 10 seconds to let the cashier scan the coupon, though.