National Book Festival 2014

The 2014 National Book Festival is running until 10:00 PM Saturday August 30th in Washington DC, produced by the Library of Congress. This year’s festival was kicked off the National Mall and is being held in the cavernous Walter E. Washington Convention Center, but they could have held it in a phone booth. 24 percent of Americans haven’t read a book in the last year, and those who did read around 5, probably comic books.

You can attend for free. Go to the Culinary Arts Pavilion to enjoy America’s new National Pastime, watching other people cook.

Related:

“The Decline of the American Book Lover,” Jordan Weissmann, The Atlantic

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Las Vegas Tribute to Newtown Victims

The city of Las Vegas pays tribute to the slaughtered children of Newtown, Connecticut this week by hosting that New England town’s resident gun lobby, the National Shooting Sports Foundation.  60,000 gun worshippers are expected to attend the memorial for the 20 children and six educators shot to death by a single military-style firearm.

The NSSF represents gun and ammunition manufacturers and dealers, and lobbies against laws banning high-capacity gun magazines, something the Las Vegas police chief favors. The organization also maintains that military-style weapons belong in civilian hands since they drive massive industry profits and are fun to use.

More:

“Gun Group Chief Says Industry Didn’t Cause Newtown,” Ken Ritter, AP via ABC News

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

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New Model Year at the Auto Show

It’s that that time again. Gleaming new automobiles are being previewed at auto shows, and pretty young girls are leaning on them. This symbolism sends messages you won’t find in manufacturers’ specifications. Men: buy this car, get that girl. Women: buy this car, be that girl.

Back in the last century, when the USA manufactured real products instead of just bad business deals, the auto show circuit started in Detroit, the Motor City, and fanned out around the country. Today the auto industry is globalized, and so is the car show circuit. The U.S. may not sell many American cars abroad, but the Girls-Leaning-on-Cars concept is a hot export. Compare the ladies of the Detroit, Delhi, Tokyo, Geneva, Guangzhou, and Qatar auto shows.

The meme has permeated all levels of American culture. See selected Flickr images from family photos, movie mags, and amateur hot rod shows in these galleries.