16 May 2011: Afternoon By The Morning News — 16 May 2011 Smoke the Iraqi donkey wins green card lottery. Azerbaijan, nominally in Europe, wins Eurovision. Balance of power in Libya shifting toward rebels, but war looks to go long--meanwhile, 60-day deadline looms for White House. George Mitchell resigns as chief Middle East envoy; surprise is why he didn't resign sooner. Primer on who's who in government leadership in China. Brief story of Cheryl Ben-Tov, Mossad honey-trap that ensnared Mordechai Vanunu, who gave up Israel's nuclear secrets. Drudge still drives more online news traffic than Facebook or Twitter. Internet meme "planking"--lying flat on stomach in unusual spots--causes its first death in Australia. Man asks internet to decipher background noise from his girlfriend's voicemail. View from Paris of Dominique Strauss-Kahn's arrest, where only the far right shows solidarity with a working woman. Italian bus driver caught on video using two phones while steering with elbows. Long read: Humorologist tries to nail down funniness. Barkley Marathons feature no trail, plus a cumulative elevation gain almost twice the height of Everest. Accept that your children's lives are shaped mostly by their genes and their own choices. Introduction to "serenity parenting." Video essay appreciates Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line (see full series). Realtor dedicates life to curating work of unknown NYC street photographer Vivian Maier.
