Amusing Link: August 2005 Archives

If you are deeply interested in donning skintight spandex and fighting crime--which is to say, if you are a normal human being--you might want to visit The Government Bureau of Superheroics.

I recently stumbled across an online textbook seller who is offering The Government Manual for New Superheroes for sale right next to other reference works like "Grade 10 Testing Reading and Writing Workbook" . I was especially amused to see that even a volume aimed at costumed crimefighters is subject to the same markup that applies to all textbooks--this guy is selling the Government Manual for a full $4 above the cover price.

I like to imagine some teacher clicking the wrong button and buying two dozen copies of our book when she meant to buy "Government in Canada," and then having to structure her curriculum around us, instead.

The Smoking Gun has the memo that speechwriter William Safire prepared for President Nixon in case the Apollo XI astronauts were trapped on the moon. It's a rather remarkable document, and a reminder of just how risky the Apollo mission was, and how brave the men were who undertook it.

Via Metafilter