News update

• I am not absolutely convinced of the true importance of twitter and facebook for organizing in countries such as Iran (or the Ukraine, Georgia and the such before). The MonkeyCage had an interesting critical discussion of this (1, 2, 3). Yet, here is a fascinating article how citizen journalists provide the traditional media (and everyone else) with material which it cannot gather on its own.


• I knew beforehand that Arizona law had a highly amusing provision of breaking ties in popular elections through a card game. But I have to admit that I was surprised that this is actually still used sometimes. (NY Times)


• Finally, JD Salinger is alive an defending his creation. I love the fact that this guy simply disappeared from the public scene after having published one of the most popular novels in American (adolescent) history. (NY Times)