links for 2008-07-24

Why we buy
Excellent piece of self analysis from Penguin Books. Exactly why are their classics more popular than other, even cheaper versions?

Lost In Showbiz: Is Mayfair Really In The "Heart Of Theatreland"?
A geographically unrealistic press release for a restaurant at 'Lost In Showbiz'

New Scientist: Overactive bladders play with the mind
"THE urge to pee too frequently might literally mess with your mind. Experiments in rats show that an overactive bladder changes brain activity. If the same is true in humans, it could in part explain the disrupted sleep, reduced ability to concentrate and confusion that often accompany ageing."

Media Matters for America: CBS splices McCain interview clip, expunging his false claim on surge timeline and falsely suggesting he gave different answer
If you've never read Media Matters, it's a litany of horrifying examples of narrative reimagining and editing on US television. "On the CBS Evening News, anchor Katie Couric aired portions of an interview she conducted with Sen. John McCain, removing a part of a response in which he falsely asserted that the 2007 U.S. troop surge "began the Anbar awakening." Couric gave no indication that McCain's comments had been edited in any manner, nor did she otherwise note his falsehood."

Nineteen tips for cheering yourself up -- from two hundred years ago.
"Avoid poetry, dramatic representations (except comedy), music, serious novels, melancholy, sentimental people, and everything likely to excite feeling or emotion, not ending in active benevolence."

There's a lot of excitement in Twitterville about a new Apple store opening at Liverpool One on Saturday. Which I don't really understand since there's been one at the Albert Dock for years.

The 7 Most Worthless DVD & Blu-Ray Special Features
Which I almost one hundred percent disagree with -- except for DVD-ROM features. How many of these actually work? Well, apart from the .pdfs of old annuals which appear on the Doctor Who releases of course.

Bella Hardy on the BBC Proms Folk Day
"... from the enthusiasm of all involved, I've high hopes for something more regular, hopefully with a bigger range of British acts (the line up is, it has to be said, very English for a titled British day). In fact, Roger Wright, Proms Director, just popped into the dressing room to congratulate us all on kicking off "...the start of a folk proms tradition..."

I had to tell someone I was a working girl.
I've heard people admit worse things. Really.

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