The AV Club has an interview with singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, who puts out witty, literate and heartbreaking songs, one after another. (He is also a Judd Apatow bit player, which has made for some funny moments.)
James Fallows Examines America
That is the American tragedy of the early 21st century: a vital and self-renewing culture that attracts the world’s talent, and a governing system that increasingly looks like a joke. One thing I’ve never heard in my time overseas is “I wish we had a Senate like yours.”
In the most-recent issue of the Atlantic, James Fallows has an insightful examination of the strengths and flaws of the contemporary United States of America: How American Can Rise Again. He is largely optimistic, but as the quote suggests, he identifies our political system as unrepresentative, unable to engage major issues and perhaps irredeemably broken. An interesting read.
Daisy Owl: “Don’t Die”
A great installment of Daisy Owl, the web comic by Ben Driscoll. No context is necessary to enjoy about the most-basic medical advice you’ll get.
The Muppets Do Bohemian Rhapsody
Very funny stuff. I can see now why Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem didn’t give Animal more lead vocal parts…he gets a little confused sometimes.
Book Review: My Wild Kingdom
My Wild Kingdom is the autobiography of former Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom host (and Lincoln Park Zoo director) Marlin Perkins. The narrative is linear, starting with his Missouri boyhood and moving on to far-flung expeditions scuba diving with sharks and snowmobiling alongside reindeer migrations.
The early parts are compelling, as Perkins remembers a pre-Depression childhood, conjuring an era and setting that still carry a whiff of the frontier. He works his way across the country, starting his career with animals by dropping out of college to take a job at the St. Louis Zoo.
As a narrator, Perkins is confident and straightforward, offering recollection without much reflection. His lifelong love of animals–particularly snakes–is tempered with a blunt collector’s approach that can seem exploitative today. While the book bogs down a bit at the close with details of filming Wild Kingdom, he remains intriguing and approachable throughout, particularly for fans of animals.