The Dubious Romantic Messages of 1980’s ‘Super Friends’ Valentines [Comics Alliance]

So, what set off Thursday’s ultimately frustrating series of events? Among other things, this:

“Based on the responsibility of the Armed Forces, and its commitment to protect the people, and to oversee their interests and security, and with a view to the safety of the nation and the citizenry, and of the achievements and properties of the great people of Egypt, and in affirmation and support for the legitimate demands of the people, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces convened today, 10 February 2011, to consider developments to date, and decided to remain in continuous session to consider what procedures and measures that may be taken to protect the nation, and the achievements and aspirations of the great people of Egypt.”

Looking at the brass involved, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces appears roughly equivalent to the Joint Chiefs. It’s the kind of group you might expect Mubarak to chair — only he wasn’t in the room.

But unlike the Joint Chiefs, the Supreme Council isn’t a standing operations committee. It’s only been convened twice before in Egypt’s history: the Six-Day War and the October War. Mubarak may have thrown sand in their gears, but Thursday was not a drill.

As far as Congressional Sex Scandals go, Wednesday’s short-attention-span edition wasn’t much of a story — at least, until the subject resigned. In fact, until the resignation, we thought the whole thing beneath notice. Marital infidelity? Please. Where are the diapers? Where’s the wide stance? Where’s the zazz?

Consider: Married Congressman Solicits Relationship on Craigslist. Yes? And?

And, well — nothing.

Nothing, that is, but a “hip” gossip site sounding downright puritanical about it. Because to us, the story isn’t about a sex scandal that doesn’t even involve sex, but Gawker becoming your mother. Call it the Scolden Age.

Read more »

At first glance, Fort Wayne’s former Renaissance Center doesn’t look like a candidate for the next installment of the Stinque Guide to Phallic Civic Landmarks. But then you learn the ex-Ren’s secret weapon:

Despite garnering far more support in an online poll than the thicket of other suggestions, residents shouldn’t expect Fort Wayne’s new government center to be named after the city’s longest tenured mayor.

Deputy Mayor Beth Malloy said naming 200 E. Berry St. the Harry Baals Government Center was “probably not” going to happen.

Yes. Baals. Harry Baals. Pronounced just like God intended, although his kids preferred the less-embarrassing “nutsack”.

Which explains why Harry Baals is enjoying a runaway lead of 2,771-312 in online voting against his closest competitor.

And really, Fort Wayne, there’s no escaping fate. The current runner-up? Johnson Memorial.

Harry Baals building unlikely [Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, via Political Wire]

Literally.

The Master Race’s Graphic Masterpiece [Design Observer, via Kottke]

Organisationsbuch der NSDAP [Internet Archive/PDF, 23mb, starting p.563]

The Paper of Record, February 5, 2011:

But some scholars are already wondering how much damage, if any, a party-line ruling striking down the [healthcare] law would do to the court’s prestige, authority and legitimacy.

Is that a caterpillar on the ceiling, or did our eyebrows just fly off?

Read more »

As we write, it’s 10 a.m. in Cairo, and crowds are already flooding into Tahrir Square for the “Day of Departure” — the departure, they hope, being Hosni Mubarak’s. When this is posted, it will be 2 p.m. If shit’s going down, it’s going down now.

Al Jazeera is repeating Omar Suleiman’s promise Thursday that protesters won’t be forced out of the square. The New York Times is is holding out a ray of hope:

The Obama administration is discussing with Egyptian officials a proposal for President Hosni Mubarak to resign immediately and turn over power to a transitional government headed by Vice President Omar Suleiman with the support of the Egyptian military, administration officials and Arab diplomats said Thursday.

Today’s metaphor: National Geographic moved the Pyramids. Can the protesters?

The Case of the Moving Pyramids [Museum of Hoaxes]