Openletters

Synopsis: Openletters is an archive of letters written to specific people about specific things, available to read. They're all good, or at least interesting.
Openletters.net


Global Warming

Synopsis: Elizabeth Kolbert writes about climate change for the New Yorker. This comes after her excellent three-part series was taken offline earlier this year.

Comment: Chilling


20 inventions

Synopsis: 20 inventions from the Middle East that we still (albiet a bit modified) use today. Some of these inventions are pretty startling.
20 Inventions


Abortions

Synopsis: Abortion has run into legislative "confusion" in South Dakota regarding who's job it is to tell women whether they can have one or not. "In a world where lawmakers were threatening to make appendectomies illegal, I'd learn how to do one of those, too." This is a multi-part (all parts not yet published 2/28/06) article about the hows-tos of abortion. The caveat, "Don't try this at home" doesn't apply when you can't go somewhere safe, legally sanctioned and medically-approved.

For the women of South Dakota


Serenity

You cancelled that?: What the hell is wrong with you?

So there's been a lot of talk on different sites about how wonderful 'Firefly' was; about how great a TV series it was... which was reallys super-easy to ignore. This evening I bought Serenity and watched it. Um. You know, if that movie is in any way represenative of what was going on with the television program than someone needs to be impaled on a dull spoon for cancelling it.

Wikipedia entry
A failed effort for season 2
Serenity-Firefly blog


Web Dev Resources

Synopsis: A list of resources for web designers and developers. Handy when you're developing the web.
The Web Developer's Handbook
Hex Color Values
iDocs HTML reference
CSS Zen Garden
50 best Firefox plug-ins


Korean Folk Tales

Synopsis: The other day I was trying to find examples of Korean folk tales in class. I didn't have much success, so here is a list if I ever need it again.

The Story Spirits
The Disobedient Frog
The Rabbit's Judgement
Two Brothers
Why Is The Sea Salty?
A brief explination of Korean holidays


About Phillip Pullman

Synopsis: A sketch of Phillip Pullman, author of "His Dark Materials" a trilogy of children's novels by Laura Miller in the New Yorker. "In the trilogy, a young girl, Lyra Belacqua, becomes enmeshed in an epic struggle against a nefarious Church known as the Magisterium; another character, an ex-nun turned particle physicist named Mary Malone, describes Christianity as 'a very powerful and convincing mistake.'"

Far from Narnia


Tense Present

Synopsis: David Foster Wallace writes about modern American English "snoots" in Harper's Magazine.
Democracy, English, and the Wars over Usage
An interview with David Foster Wallace


Tokyo

Synopsis: Who doesn't want to spend some time and a few thousand dollars here? Here's a collection of Tokyo guides for the vicarious tourist.

Japan Today's Metropolis
Studio Ghibli Museum
Just in Tokyo [PDF]
Tokyo Essentials Tourist Guide
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
10 Things to do for free in Tokyo
The Apple Store

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Akihabara News.com



On Anime and Otaku

Synopsis: The economy of Japanese cartoons in the US market from Fortune magazine. Focused on the marketing strategies of ADV distribution, the article talks about the engagement of fans and suppliers. NGE in 2007 from Weta?

Anime Explosion: It's profitable


Chorography

Synopsis: Jonathan Bell writes about remembering, discovering and mapping London.

Vexed in the city


Korean Bloggers

Synopsis: Kicked off by Joi Ito's blog about Korean blogging in June, but presaged by that going back... um... decades, Koreans are busily doing their own thing with the interweb, for better or worse. Here's a highlight of K-web relevent articles.

Korean Bloggers
Web messages draw Korean wrath
More on the English Spectrum debacle
the VANK East Sea thing
VANK gets 0wn3d
The dog-subway debacle
Korean Electorial Smartmobs



How the world works, part 256

Synopsis: James Bamford writes for the Rolling Stone about John Rendon, a "Perception Manager."

The Man Who Sold The War


Art Markers

Synopsis: I bought a set of markers a few weeks ago, started looking around online for tips and tricks. They were tough to find, so here's a scrapbook of helpful sites.

deviantART
Dragon Paint
Car Design News
Automotive Forum
Feng Zhu Design


Korean Resources

Synopsis: A couple of dictionaries on your shelf never hurt. This is one that I find myself frequently using these days, so I thought I'd put it someplace handy.

Korean-English Dictionary
ZKorean Dictionary
Sogang Korean Lessons
A list of Korean resources


Muji

Synopsis: Muji, a brandless Japanese company you've probably never heard of, has just had it's most profitable year.

Design Special: Fiona Rattray reports from Tokyo


Jeong Jik Seong

Synopsis: Jeon Si-Jak has painted several pieces constructing what could be described as a cognitive or "mind's eye" depiction of complexity from the architectural chaos in Seoul, especially in the case of areas of small housing. Apparently drawing on material from places where I've actually lived (Bong-cheon dong, Sillim dong). [Small Girl with Parisol © 2005 Alex Grant]
Jeong Jik Seong


Shanghai Living

Synopsis: HU YANG Born 1959, Works and lives in Shanghai. Link goes to a 180 pages catalogue with 160 pictures available. ('Shanghai Living' published by People's Fine Art Publisher, Shanghai, China)
Shanghai Living


Interview with Milton Glaser

Synopsis: An interview by Chip Kidd with Milton Glaser, the guy who designed the I [heart] NY logo in The Believer.
Interview


The Art Business

Synopsis:Days and nights in Leo Koenig’s gallery by Nick Paumgarten in The New Yorker. “I’m aware that if I do my job right I will be forgotten and the artists will never be forgotten...”
Salesman


Nakamura Kankuro

Synopsis: Nakamura Kankuro is a popular kabuki actor and digs the Grand Canyon State.
Big in Japan


Paul Saffo

Synopsis:Paul Saffo writes about humanity's conflict with both innovation and nostalgia.
The Ghost Dances


Petulia Bain

Synopsis: Petulia Bain writes about growing up on the Navajo Reservation.
Heavy Metal and Donuts



David Sedaris

Synopsis: David Sedaris writes about trouble in the New Yorker.
The Girl Next Door


Leslie Harpold

Synopsis: Leslie Harpold used to write a lot, and very good work at that. This has always been one of my favorites.
Postcards from Over Here


Chun Tae-il

Synopsis: Cheonggye Stream, a reclamed tributary to the Han river, memorializes one of the first labor activists in Seoul.
Seoul Immortalizes Single Spark that Changed a Nation


Andrei Codrescu

Synopsis:Andrei Codrescu's "Jesus and McDonalds" from collected NPR stories contained in his book, "Zombification."
Jesus and McDonalds



Harper's Index

Synopsis: Facts related to Arizona; a compilation of Arizona facts from Harper's Index.
Arizona Index


John McPhee

Synopsis: John McPhee writes about the Mississippi river flowing out to sea and the potential catastrophe waiting to happen. In 1987. An excerpt from his book, "In Control of Nature."
Atchafalaya



Jon Carroll

Synopsis:Jon Carroll writes for the San Francisco Chronicle.
A Small Girl Walking Backward



Matthew Baldwin

Synopsis:Matthew Baldwin, with the Peace Corps writes about his experiences.
Sweeping the Dirt Floor



Sarah Hepola

Synopsis:Sarah Hepola, writing for The Morning News about Jason Blair.
To Tell You The Truth



Greg van Eekhout

Synopsis:Two stories by Greg van Eekhout, who was nominated for a Nebula Award in 2004 and who was one of the best officemates ever.
In The Late December
Show and Tell


Scott Carrier

Synopsis: On the nature of sound and thought from openletters. Scott Carrier is the author of one of the most compelling books, "Running After Antelope."
One Pure Thing



Salman Rushdie

Synopsis: Salman Rushdie returns to India after being in exile with his son.
A Dream of Glorious Return



Susan Orlean

Synopsis:Susan Orlean's Orchid Fever, nonfiction New Yorker article upon which the book, "The Orchid Thief" was in part based.
Orchid Fever



William Gibson

Synopsis: William Gibson writes about Singapore for Wired Magazine.
Disneyland with the death penalty