pop quiz

Now, you can take a geography quiz with Miss Teen South Carolina, Lauren Caitlin Upton. Thanks, People!

Maps! Yeah!

We just need more of them in order to help South Africa, like.

Update: Someone was courteous enough (or had the map resources I guess) to make a map of Miss SC's comments

Chinese environmental decay

There's a big feature in the Times this morning on environmental damage in China. If I were President, it would be a requirement that these pictures appear on labels of manufactured goods which come from these factories. I'm not saying consumers shouldn't be allowed to buy stuff that comes at this kind of an environmental cost; just that people should *know* that low-priced toasters don't happen in a vacuum.

goth rock

Note: Goth rock band named the Machine in the Garden.

Turdblossom's Texas triumphs

Check out this excellent (though short) Lou Dubose article on how Rove got his start in Texas politics. If you've ever wondered how the hell W could've ousted Ann Richards or why there wasn't a formidable Republican party in Texas before 1994, this will have some answers.

What's the definition of irony?