Potpourri

TWIR email subscribers: As you surely noticed, there was (is?) something wrong with the email distribution system that we use. We apologize that you received two emails of an old entry, and we're also sorry that you didn't get last week's blog delivered to your inbox. Please read it, though, by clicking here. We hope that you find it worthwhile.


There’s a bunch of stuff that has surfaced THIS WEEK, but making a common theme would be a stretch. To be honest, we’re also being a bit lazy this week after the amount of work that went into last week’s blog.

Further, we’re embarking on a tough three weeks. We’ll be together most of next week, cooped up in a little room watching and coding political advertisements at the Kanter Archive at the University of Oklahoma. Next Friday, we leave for Denver, where we’ll stay for a week for the Democratic National Convention. Stephen will be at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN the week after that. So we’re coasting a bit this week. We appreciate your understanding.


Is Obama the End of Black Politics?

TWIR reader Richard Maopolski brought to our attention this lengthy piece from the New York Times Magazine. We started to excerpt and comment on it, but the fact is that it is a must read – in its entirety – for TWIR readers (particularly those who have followed RaceProject research more broadly).


Blognigger

We’ve reviewed satirical websites, pictures and stories in this space before, but to be honest, we don’t know what the hell is up with this one. TWIR reader Professor Denise Scannell sent this to us because she heard some folks talking about it and knew that we’d be interested. We are, but we’re a bit confused as to the point that he or she is trying to make. Circumcision, Osama Bin Laden, Bernie Mac – we don’t know what’s happening with this blogger from Brooklyn, but you can do your best to figure out what’s happening here. Most of it is not directly related to race, and it’s not clear if the writer is black. Hmmm.


Spanish Olympic Men's Basketball Team Mocks Billions

We haven’t seen this level of sophisticated mockery since third grade. (Well, okay, we see it in Wrigleyville, Chicago, but whatever.) Nice going, guys. Real nice.