Nice article from sociologist Sudhir Venkatesh about Grand Theft Auto IV. (Venkatesh’s work on Chicago gangs was quoted a lot in Freakonomics if, like me, you’re wondering where you’ve heard the name before.
This may sound strange, but I found that Grand Theft Auto actually offered a less sensational portrait of gangland and ghetto streets [...]

So it’s like this: I’m conducting an experiment.
Over the last 12 or so months, I have heard a lot about, but have yet to determine any inherent value in, the web phenom known as Twitter.
But in my biz, it makes sense to take any Internet trend semi-seriously, at least until it proves itself to be [...]

Hysterical. I’m trying to remember if I wrote this myself while drunk. It’s all true.
Dear Cat,
I have some issues with you right now that I would like to hash out. And now is as good a time as any with you laying over my arms while I am trying to type on the computer. [...]

“Jim, can you just pop into my office when you get your mic and makeup off?

Holy snippety snap.
Kind of a weird skill, and he’s kind of overselling it with his cassette shirt (”Hey, I’m the tape guy!”). But this is pretty cool.

Hat tip to Staple Design.

This tune is in the new Grand Theft Auto, and it was a very good call. If I were ever to run someone over with a car, this is the music I might play.
These guys are B to the A to the Double Dizzle.

I had no idea.

Great article in the New York Times about the costs — financial and environmental — of shipping food around the world. Well worth the read.
In the United States, FreshDirect proclaims kiwi season has expanded to “All year!” now that Italy has become the world’s leading supplier of New Zealand’s national fruit, taking over in [...]