Andrew Ferguson’s cover story at the latest Weekly Standard gets to heart of what annoys me about the Newseum:

Our terrific country offers lots of ways to make a living, but with the possible exceptions of movie acting and architecture, only modern journalism would have the nerve to celebrate itself with something as gaudy and improbable as the Newseum. The Freedom Forum, a nonprofit foundation seeded with money from the Gannett newspaper chain, conceived and underwrote the museum for $450 million, and a half dozen newspaper and media companies kicked in another $122 million to pay for exhibits and other trimmings. That’s $572 million–a lavish sum by any measure. It’s especially impressive from an industry that is, according to its own incessant complaints, going broke.

I’m a writer, but then nobody’s perfect.

– The epitaph of film director Billy Wilder. Check out other humorous final words here.

But you just never know.

I can be reached at ink.stained at comcast.net.

That would be Senator Barack Obama’s campaign, which kept both Jeremy and his friends quite busy yesterday. Jeremy explained Obama’s crazy old uncle to the pasty-white folks of Merry Olde England while commissioning another piece on Obama for the American Spectator from The Other McCain. Jeremy also took the time to explain how Obama might boost himself with his veep choice. Meanwhile others noted that while the crazy uncle’s speeches may give Obama heartburn, they drew an “Amen” from the chorus.

In future references I shall be sure to identify the president [of Turkmenistan] by his full name:  Kurbanguly Maylikgulyyevich Berdymukhammedov. I am sure my colleagues will follow suit.

– John Derbyshire.

Over the weekend the good folks at Modern Drunkard Magazine forwarded the following e-mail to me. The e-mail’s author, Bill Bledsoe, was one a group of contemporary prohibitionists I profiled for the, ahem, non-prohibitionist publication earlier this year. So I was rather surprised to find out Bledsoe liked my article.

From the e-mail:

A friend forwarded a copy of an article in your Issue #53 re: Gene Amondsom, the Prohibition Party, and quoted me. I found it to be interesting, amusing, politely written, and yet not without stretching the truth. I am ordering (under separate cover) a copy of that issue. I’m sure other issues have similar articles with snide, sniveling, and sanctimonious comments about Prohibition, also stretching the truth out of shape. You have a mission in life (what ever it is) and we do also, to help educate our citizens of the dangers and destructive nature of the drug.

Thanks for giving us at least SOME recognition though slight.

Bill Bledsoe

You’re welcome, Bill. The next virgin Pina Colada is on me.

A mega-rich Russian is starting a new magazine called “Snob” according to this Reuters report:

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia’s super-rich love to flaunt their wealth. Soon they will have a magazine called Snob to help them.

Mikhail Prokhorov — whose wealth is estimated at around $22 billion (11 billion pounds) — plans to spend $150 million setting up a magazine, website and television station called Snob, the general director of the new venture told Reuters on Wednesday.

“It’s for people who are successful and those who want to be successful,” said Andrei Shmarov, who will run Snob.

***

Snob’s magazine and website, which will focus on lifestyle features, business news and travel, will be available from this summer, Shmarov said, with the cable television channel following shortly.

The Onion anticipated this a few years back:

NEW YORK—Upscale consumers who enjoy cigars, wine, and “all the finer things in life” will have a new magazine to enjoy beginning next month when Pompous Asshole hits the stands. Targeted at the 23- to 60-year-old pompous-asshole demographic, the new monthly magazine is expected to compete directly with Cigar Aficionado for advertising dollars. “Pompous Asshole is the magazine of the good life,” said publisher Paul Westman, “And, unlike Cigar Aficionado, we truly cover it all: From tips on choosing the right humidor to advice on where to gamble in Monte Carlo to the lowdown on the new Jaguar XJ8, Pompous Asshole is the magazine no rich prick can afford to be without.”

‘Course, the big question I have is whether this new magazine needs writers in Washington …

The world cries out in apathy

– “Todd” discussing the latest Paris Hilton-related news in Idontlikeyouinthatway.com.

… somehow let this story get published despite some, err, problems with the evidence …