NSLog();

I love a good ripping. I love swimming against the tide of "popularity," particularly when most of those gliding down-river are doing so without any particular thought as to why they're doing so. Because it's easy? Because everyone else is doing it?

The first article is here and the second is here. And yes, they're by the same author, which does diminish my glee.

I read a few of Friedman's books and found them entirely unmemorable (save for the fact that I read them - that much I do remember). Not quite trash, but when Freakonomics has you beat, it's not good.

Then there's Dan Brown. I just bought his latest book for my Kindle because they lack the pompousness of Friedman (or his current-gliders). They're not as serious - it's pure escapist bullshit literature, so I cut Brown some slack and perhaps even find a little humor in how badly he writes. If you're particularly bored or you feel about Brown as I do about Friedman, here, here, and here. That'll keep you busy.

I seem to recall that I really enjoyed a Roger Ebert review of Ben Stein's movie. And, lo, here it is. That's probably the best of the bunch.