A Random Assortment

~ A great series by MSI paralleling ancient political thought and country music.

~ I'm scared to death of lightning and super happy to hear that it isn't killing as many people these days.

~ On Gasland: Aside from the terrible aesthetics of the low-fi documentary, which are dizzying, boy, I buy it--all these ideological documentaries I swallow, hook, line and sinker.

~ Yes: "You may have been raised charismatic if..." (via TB)

~ The Panda Cam at which you can watch the National Zoo's baby panda sleep (oh so cute).

~ On Dallas Buyers Club: When I lived in Texas, two of my best girlfriends there had a real thing for Matthew McConaughey. I never got it--I didn't find him remotely attractive, but did find him always oozing self-confidence in a very unattractive way. Dallas Buyers Club, however, had just the role for him--you could barely tell it was him, so thin and dark-haired and with such 80s hair and mustache. The typical McConaughey bravado is even less well-founded than usual, and so is endearing and inspiring.