13 August 2009: Afternoon

Afghan blogger gains massive following, founds blog school despite lack of computers in Afghanistan.

Ambassador Holbrooke says Colbert’s take on the Afghan elections “got it pretty accurately.”

Op: The U.K. got the school-fees question right, America did not, and let’s keep it that way.

Hawking corrects op-ed, says without British public health he’d be dead.

“Dead by Mistake:” painstakingly researching stories to illustrate the ineptitude of our health care system.

The law says you retain the right to a sex life wherever you reside—though apparently not in nursing homes.

Muslim bathing suits—the “burkini”—under attack in France.

You can’t visit any time before your time machine was built. Important principles of time travel, real or imagined.

Inventory of right-wing media hosts stirring the crackpots.

Notes on the insurance business in high-risk lava zones.

Saabs incur “the highest levels of psychological involvement,” more than 10 times the passion for Volkswagens.

Instapaper for the commute: How “The Beatles: Rock Band” came about.

Interview with Alison Gopnik about the thoughts of babies.

Audio: Mark Doty’s “Gone,” from Radiolab’s meditations on death.

Revised generational periodization scheme (from a larger catalogue of Anarcho-Symbolists).