A miscellaneous list of links for Election Day diversions. All inappropriately long to keep you from what you really want to be paying attention to:
- The history of balloons. From animal bladders to foil and everything in between (and inside).
- The Atlantic’s Corby Kummer on saving the American Chestnut (The American Chestnut Foundation)
- Whiff a short piece by John McPhee from Nov 2003: “William Shawn, this magazine’s editor absolute for a great many years, used to tell his nonfiction writers that the world’s worst subject was the future. Hard to tie down, the future could too easily come loose and take off on unexpected vectors.”
- America’s First Transcontinental Highway: “The Lincoln Highway began in Times Square, Broadway and 42nd, New York City, and ended in Lincoln Park, San Francisco, spanning the continental United States in 3,389 miles.” (more about the Lincoln Highway)
- Aaron Sorkin’s Sports Night is out on DVD again in a special 10th anniversary addition. I mention this mostly to say (shhhhhhhh) every episode of the show is on YouTube right now… just search (shhhhh!!! do NOT pass this on and remember, once you find them, you may be stranded there for hours).
And please, if you can, vote.