No War is Civil

Civility is a casualty before the first shot.

Just before dawn, 150 years ago today, the Civil War started with a single cannon shot which sailed over Charleston Harbor and exploded above the federal garrison at Fort Sumter, setting the stage for four years of carnage that cost more than 600,000 American lives.

Currier & Ives lithograph of the 1861 bombardment of Fort Sumter, in South Carolina's Charleston Harbor, from the Library of Congress.

You can hear arguments about the name still echoing through the former Confederate States, where some still seriously contend our bloodiest war wasn't really about slavery... America's original sin.

Adam Goodheart’s new book is “1861: The Civil War Awakening.”

Did the Conflict Ever End? Audio Embed: BBC, PRI & WBUR's Here & Now 4/11/11. Host: Deborah Becker.

The New York Times series: Disunion- the Civil War’s unfolding.

Ken Burns' treatment of The Civil War repeated on PBS last week.

Meat Market

A sweet, salty, savory scent for real men and women who really want a taste of someone whose essence attracts hordes of other dudes.



Other signs of the Aporkalypse...

9" x 15", periodic table pillow, (non-meat) stuffing included

Can you smell what Victoria's Secret is cooking?

Holy Taco's collection of 50 things made better by bacon.

Banned From Bus Sides

A ban that began with saying no to this bus board, has been expanded to prohibit all forms of "political" advertising on the King County Metro, the Seattle area's largest public transit system.

Censoring Commercial Controversy Audio Embed: Puget Sound Public Radio 4/11/11, Reporter: Liz Jones.

In September 2009, the United Nations Human Rights Council's Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict headed by Justice Richard Goldstone found strong evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both Israel and Hamas during the Gaza conflict (during the winter of 2008–2009); urging the international community as a whole to put an end to impunity for violations of international law in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The South African jurist was no novice in the field. He had previously investigated, or prosecuted, similar allegations pertaining to the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. He also didn't come to the task with an anti-Israeli bias... Justice Richard Goldstone is a Jew.

Sex Ed with Julia Sweeney

Discussing birds, bees (and frogs) with her eight-year-old daughter.

411

In the United States there will be more than 6 billion calls to directory assistance this year... The phone company already has your number.


Lily Tomlin as "Ernestine" from Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1969-73)

Belgium Gets By

As last minute budget theatrics threatened at least a partial shutdown in Washington DC, very little attention has been paid to the fact that already has happened in Brussels, where it's business as usual.

Saturday marked 300 days without a central government for the country of Belgium, surpassing the record formerly held by Iraq. Officials there are in a political stalemate over budget issues and electoral districts, but many Belgians say the absence of a government doesn't make much difference in daily lives. Host Scott Simon talked with Belgian columnist and journalist Gerrit Six.

No Government, No Worries Audio Embed: Weekend Edition Saturday 4/9/11.

No Toner, No Cry

An M thru F experience via Failblog

Snow Ball Fight In Space

Gas giants' ring ripples chronicle evidence of chaotic collisions.

Comets as Cosmic Clocks Audio Embed: CBS Radio's Osgood File 4/1/11.

Alien Nation

Space invaders aren't a new topic for Steven Spielberg. In the last decade he's turned out the TV mini series Taken (2002) and a full scale action/adventure visualization of War of the Worlds (2005).

And coming in June, a TNT mini series called "Falling Skies."

Wish Fulfillment

The Washington State Lottery is encouraging would-be players to participate in pairs. Their ad campaign, "Play Together, Win Together," positions the Lottery as a social experience and encourages friends to play it together to make dreams come true.


In the spot "Segways at Dawn," two knights solemnly strap on their armour in preparation for a joust. As the contest begins, it's revealed they're in a muddy field on Segways with a group of friends watching.

Slow motion jousting, either mounted on steeds or balanced on Segways, may not be what you had in mind, but isn't there something you and your friends have never done but wish you could try?

From Cole & Webber via creativity-online

Desperate and Distracting

Eva Longoria's Wardrobe Malfunction


David Letterman gets more than a tasty hint of cilantro!

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Rickles on Regis


Mr. Warmth probably has a larger cup size.

Long Ball

People who complain about the pace of baseball, calling a nine-inning game an eternity, obviously had never heard of the 33-inning game in 1981 between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings... Dan Barry has. And he wrote the book on the longest ballgame ever.

Bottom of the 33rd Audio Embed: WBUR & NPR's Only A Game 4/9/11, Host: Bill Littlefield.

Jon Cryer Will F You Up

"Two and a Half Men" co-star Jon Cryer reveals that he has been spending his post-Charlie free time recording a hip hop album.


Jon Cryer's musical production number will be featured tonight on:
The Comedy Awards - Comedy Central, Sunday 4/10/11, 9pm E/P

Mapping Stereotypes

Some humorous, some hurtful, each with some truth...

Sayin' No to Nevada

John Coulter's illustration for the Las Vegas Sun

Politicians' contradictory excuses for why businesses don’t want to locate in Nevada... Because it's really Mississippi with a desert.

Continental U.S.

‘Amercia In My Book’ by Haley Nahman

The "Dark (Perspective) Continent"

Yanko Tsvetkov's vision of Africa as seen through American eyes

Eye Can See Clearly Now

Education spending question: What if a $10 purchase could buy you a 50% increase in how much a child learned in a school year?

Illustration by Vanessa Brantley Newton

Paul Glewwe (rhymes with ‘heavy’) and Albert Park did it by giving away $10 eyeglasses to schoolchildren with poor eyesight in China.

Eyesight, Education & Economics Audio Embed: APM & WNYC's Freakonomics Radio Podcast 4/5/11, Host: Stephen J. Dubner

Glamour Photo Shoot

The Real Housewives of Late Night


See more continuing drama from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.