Humorous Learning

Imagine if a superior force granted a smart analyst of U.S. politics and culture a magic veil to say everything he wants to say but can't because it is politically incorrect. The veil would prevent him from hurting political and cultural sensitivities, avoiding accusations of racism, sexism or bigotry. Also, it would allow him to mock reactionaries both left and right. I believe that such a Chosen One already exists, it's called Stephen Colbert and works under the veil of humor. It is instructive to watch him make fun of authors, professors or celebrities with crazy ideas. His interviews are typically an embarrasing eye opener for argumentative fallacies and flawed beliefs. Watch him interview Kurt Andersen, Dinesh D'Souza or CNN's Anderson Cooper to get a sample. Also, he has a unique ability to express the mainstream opinion on current affairs with crude honesty. Classic reports are the "Anti-gay marriage ad" and "Is it time to care about U.S. soccer?" Last but not least, watch him at the 2006 White House Correspondent's Association Dinner, where he said the definitive word on President George W. Bush.

Foreign Policy Magazine's Quiz

In the 21st century, a lot more people are informed about international affairs than in previous centuries. It is now as easy to learn say about Pakistani domestic politics as it was to get bored 100 years ago. Granted, most of us have contributed zero to such development but we should nonetheless take advantage of it. Fortunately, if you think that you are informed about international affairs, there is a nice free way to find out: take the FP Mag's quiz. The quiz not only tests your basic I-read-The-Economist knowledge but also the unimportant minutiae that will score you points in a cocktail party. Typical questions are, "What percentage of the world’s cargo travels by sea?" and "Which country is home to the world’s busiest McDonald’s?". The only snag is that you have to go through a (pretty smooth) registration process in order to take the quiz.

Real Clear Politics

Back in the old days, political news came in a pre-packaged container called "7 PM news show" in which a middle-aged white man would tell people what they needed to know. Nowadays, information sources are scattered and news arrive at light-speed. There is, however, Real Clear Politics, a fantastic "news aggregator" that gives you free access to a vast collection of political news. Relevant debates, analyses, opinion columns, polls are neatly organized and available in different formats. Visit RCP and feel like you are Walter Cronkite's news editor.

E-mail Etiquette

Sometimes it takes more time to sign-off an email than to actually write it. Certainly, an email's final words can negatively impact its core message. Depending on who your audience/reader is you may need to close the email differently. However, it is hard to know what specific words are appropriate. Thanks to Washington Post's Ruth McCann we can learn more about email-etiquette's basics in this article. Read it and figure out if your boss deserves a "sincerely."

Will Wilkinson

In a previous post on bloggingheads, I mentioned Will Wilkinson. His blog deserves a special recommendation because it is a great free source of everyday knowledge thanks to his admirable ability to make logical well-reasoned arguments. He is superb at bringing together economics and political philosophy analytical tools to make sense of the U.S. policy-making process. For example, check out his unique take on macroeconomics and its impact here, here, and here. He is also extremely insightful on inequality.