A Cat’s Life: Mr. Mick, 1994-2011 A Cat’s Life: Mr. Mick, 1994-2011
Not a lot of people know this, but Mr. Mick, The Nation’s dearly departed office cat, invented lolcat—that curiously cute feline patois that became an Internet craze.&n…
Nov 9, 2011 / Photo Essay / The Nation
Human Rights Experts Condemn Chinese Repression of Tibetan Buddhists Human Rights Experts Condemn Chinese Repression of Tibetan Buddhists
China usually manages to quash UN calls for action on its human rights violations. Not this time.
Nov 9, 2011 / Barbara Crossette
Voting Rights Restored in Maine, Restricted in Mississippi Voting Rights Restored in Maine, Restricted in Mississippi
Maine votes to reinstate election-day voter registration while Mississippi votes to mandate government-issued IDs in order to cast a ballot.
Nov 9, 2011 / Ari Berman
Field Notes From the Revolution: Activists Occupy California’s Imperial Valley Field Notes From the Revolution: Activists Occupy California’s Imperial Valley
I thought I might find a simple meme of the Wall Street protest. What I discovered was a desert flower brought to blossom by an activist tradition, coalition-building and old-fashi...
Nov 9, 2011 / Mike Davis
Labor Rights, Abortion Rights, Immigrant Rights, Voting Rights Prevail Labor Rights, Abortion Rights, Immigrant Rights, Voting Rights Prevail
In a rebuff to GOP extremism, voters reject Mississippi’s personhood amendment and Ohio’s attack on labor rights.
Nov 9, 2011 / John Nichols
Night Thoughts of a Baffled Humanist Night Thoughts of a Baffled Humanist
Punitive yet salvific, austerity is the ideology of a country that has turned against its own culture.
Nov 9, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Marilynne Robinson
slow poem slow poem
slow things heard in old songs sad songs sung by the sides of old inns dry roses clutched by a lover a wedding dress downriver you will ask them their names the women who remember will ask you in turn where you come from inside this small country you are writing a book it’s unfinished the evening enfolding you slowly a soreness in the fingers who are you they ask you will get in the car with the mirror with the silver flaking in the back the book will receive much criticism you knew it from the story the bride gone downriver where dusk pulls the sunset quarter after quarter so many have written they will ask you with roses will ask what to call you by the river where you come.
Nov 9, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Rodney Koeneke
Times Squared Times Squared
Jem Cohen’s Newsreel No. 1, Aki Kaurismäki’s Le Havre, Andrew Niccol’s In Time
Nov 9, 2011 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans
Letters Letters
Class Warfare Starts at Home San Francisco Arab Spring and Occupy America—people are rising up to demand economic justice for all. For too long the mega-wealthy have ignored their responsibilities to The People who made them wealthy. Ninety-nine percent is a lot of dissatisfied people; we greatly outnumber the monied class. They cannot win; not even with bullets or bought politicians. GARY REGINALD DODGE Sprague River, Ore. We who support the Wall Street protest are misguided if we are waiting for the protesters to define the protest. Their job is to be place keepers on the street until the rest of us frame the point, from the safety of our homes and offices, free from pepper spray and police batons. It is our responsibility to do this—and we number in the millions! DON SCOTTEN Portland, Ore. I’ve been having buttons made that read “99%,” white on shiny black. I immediately recouped my original $50, paid out of my Social Security, and have reordered twice, turning it all into more buttons. I can’t keep up with the demand. I hope to make enough to give them away. Anyone can do this. I hope you will, all over the country. You can do it to make money if you’re broke, or simply to help create a way for ordinary workers to wear their opinion over their heart. The Occupy camps will come down or be destroyed. It is urgent that we who support them make ourselves known. GAIL AMARA In Living Black and White Portland, Ore. I wholeheartedly agree with Cliff Ulmer [“Letters,” Oct. 31]. I find your magazine plain, hard to read—dull. Like Ulmer, I’m a liberal and former print newsman. I won’t be renewing my subscription. That was a one-sentence paragraph, unlike the mega-sentence blocks of grayness favored by your editors. Count me as one of the ’60s pioneers introducing modular makeup, larger typefaces, fewer columns and increased use of graphics—designed to make news publications more readable and attractive. Your editors emulate textbook publishers by favoring drabness and vocabulary bloviation, forcing captive readers to experience eyestrain and routinely consult dictionaries. USA Today, a highly successful publication, captures a large readership because of visual appeal and brevity. And by acknowledging that readers have limited time to endure editorial roadblocks to the understanding of issues and events. JAMES M. VOIGT Port Jefferson, N.Y. I think The Nation is just fine without bells and whistles. The last thing it needs is to take up column space with gimmicks. I don’t buy it for colorful graphics; I buy it because it is the best damn alternative periodical out there (FYI, I also subscribe to In These Times, Extra!, The American Prospect and the Hightower Lowdown). KEN WISHNIA Fort Worth Cliff Ulmer says The Nation is dull and not “colorful.” Not one word on the excellent content inside, just carping about looks. If he wants flash with no substance, he need look no further than the current slate of Republican presidential candidates. JUDITH SPENCER Bethlehem, Pa. Regarding Cliff Ulmer’s suggestion that The Nation include cartoons, may I suggest he contact Funny Times (funnytimes.com). It features contributors like Dave Barry, Colin McEnroe and Will Durst in newspaper format. The many cartoons are sure to amuse any Nation reader. MATTHEW REPPERT
Nov 9, 2011 / Our Readers
Puzzle No. 3215 Puzzle No. 3215
ACROSS 1 Prepares the telescope to find a volcano (5,2,6) 9 One who drinks like a fish (salmon), immersed in every vice, essentially (9) 10 His or her or his and her—not here, I hear (5) 11 Pierre’s here with half-clever one that hangs around the house in wintertime? (6) 12 Battalions of babies? (8) 14 Lumps in egg-nuts stew (7) 15 Singer-actress snatching back tot’s cheese (7) 17 Country enthusiast, on the rebound, lives near Iowa (7) 19 Aides originating at university near Paris, perhaps! (2,5) 22 Between a rock and a hard place in Afghanistan (8) 24 Grove conceals back of your body (6) 26 Donne is obscure? Exceedingly (2,3) 27 Plagiarized Broadway musical returns after cutoff, missing first part (9) 28 Declaration—for example, “We unite” (13) DOWN 1 Monarch of comfy shoes? (That’s sarcastic) (7) 2 Appellate courts often confiscate source of some auto accessories (9) 3 Legendary archer, say (4) 4 Expert: engineer, not catcher (10) 5 Texas regressively enters age of surplus (5) 6 Chose participants in returning cadet celebration (7) 7 Mister Softee’s primary appeal (7) 8 Head of ministry to straighten out evil (6) 13 Mixed-case writing in ancient Rome restricted Occitan’s initial expansion (10) 16 Surveillance of sea pigeon in a storm (9) 17 Engaged teaching assistant with a bit of experience in ascendant musical genre (5,2) 18 Ron gets lost around 11:00 in Montreal—this could be positive or negative (7) 20 Broadcast network invested in the second New Testament available for reading (2,5) 21 Drunk dries up? (6) 23 Initially, awful, ugly din is organized sound (5) 25 Frost poem (4) ACROSS 1 THE(NC)E 4 CAR PAL 9 INFER + I + OR 10 “aye, cutest” 12 IN + EPT (pet anag.) 13 PA + R + RICIDE (I cried anag.) 14 TO + AD (initial letters) + IED 16 NOS + TRIL[lion] 17 co[a]ching anag. 19 “I, whole” 21 A + B(SENT)EES 22 BO(FF)O 23 2 defs. 24 hidden 25 anag. 26 AN ODE + S DOWN 1 TAF + FETA (fat rev.) 2 rev. hidden 3 viler anag. 5 “[M]ac oui yes” 6 P(REM)IER 7 pun 8 anag. 11 FRANKEN STEIN 15 [v]INCENT + I’VE 18 ONSH + OR + E (nosh anag.) 20 OFF + ICE + S 22 B(I[m]P)ED
Nov 8, 2011 / Joshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto