Linkage

Most of you who know me or have been stuck sitting next to me at a dinner party know that I will invariably try to get you to read some book, or watch some documentary that's "amazing" or "dude you have to watch this" awesome.  Well the same holds true for the World Wide Web.  By the way, how amazing would it have been had Al Gore really invented the inter-web (Snopes ruined that one)? Well if we can't thank Al, maybe you can still be talked into wasting some perfectly good time surfing so that next time you're around me you can say "yeah man I am already a connoisseur".  Happy surfing!

bittersoutherner.com

Being a Yankee growing up in New York I learned very little about the South outside of the fact that we whacked them in the Civil War, and that they talk funny down there.  It turns out that the War Between the States was a little more complicated than that, and folks from my home state don't exactly have easy accents.  Now having lived in a couple different areas below the Mason Dixon line as an adult I have found myself somewhat fixated on the South.  The Bitter Southerner is the place to be online if you are a fellow explorer of that strange place down there that's part of us.  From food to music or from art to cultural flavor, it's easy to lose two hours of your life in a place like Mississippi.  The top story on the site this week just happens to be on the Carolina Chocolate Drops, an amazing old timey band most folks have never heard of.  Watching them open for Old Crow Medicine show in heavy rain at Red Rocks this summer was one of my highlights of the year.  Check out The Bitter Southerner and treat your ears to Old Crow and the 'Drops.

nytimes.com/upshot

Shortly after bucking all trends and predicting that President Obama would mop the floor with Mitt in the 2010 elections, Nate Silver decided to quit The New York Times and take his talents to ESPN. The Upshot is the Times' attempt to fill that hole, and I must say they have done rather nicely. Focused on data driven stories about economics, social programs and politics The Upshot is a fun place to get smarter online.  Make sure you dig a little and find some of the great interactive maps they produce on employment gaps, rising out of poverty and more.  If it sounds nerdy well then call me one.  I know we all have a tiny dude with a pocket protector and taped glasses in us somewhere.

lookingatappalachia.org

Having lived in "The deep dark hills of Eastern Kentucky" for four years I will always be in love with Appalachia.  It's a region of incredible beauty and not just in its blue hills. One man's vision to capture the region's diversity through the lens of the camera is Looking at Appalachia, the brain child of photographer Roger May (you can enjoy May's own work at rogermayphotography.com).  May created a space for photographers from different states in the Appalachian Region to share glimpses of their area.  Yours truly tried his hand with some submissions from a couple counties in New York that make the map. Alas my attempts are more worthy of this space than Looking at Appalachia, which is definitely worthy of your time.

Map: The Appalachian Region


brtom.typepad.com/wberry

OK so I have to admit something; I have a bit of a man crush on Wendell Berry.  Maybe it's more that I am pretty obsessed with his fine work, namely his poetry and fiction.  If you're like me, you probably know all about Br Tom's exhaustive recourse of all things Port William.  If not I highly recommend doing some digging here.  Actually if you're a Wendell Berry virgin (there are too many) get off the computer and read "Jayber Crow". Once that's accomplished you will understand, trust me. There is a rumor out there that yours truly once stalked Mr. Berry in his hometown of Port Royal, Kentucky. Those rumors are unsubstantiated.

fivethirtyeight.com

Nate Silver is a popular guy on this blog.  After quitting The Times, his new site FiveThirtyEight is on ESPN's platform.  Named for the number of electors in the United States Electoral College (don't ask), Silver's site focuses on sports and politics with an emphasis on polling.  On any given day you may find a poll suggesting that Mitt Romney has an empathy problem (he does) or a piece about the 80 people who have as much wealth as half the world.  Silver has hired some really bright contributors for this site.  Their stories are sure to make you a little wiser, or at least more annoying when you're spouting facts at the dinner table. Nerd Alert!