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This past year the National Book Award celebrated its 60th anniversary by conducting a public poll to select the best work of fiction that had won the award. To make the short list for this poll, the National Book Foundation balloted a number of select writers to pick their three favorite winners. Interestingly, four out the six books chosen were short story collections—the collected stories of William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Flannery O’Connor, and John Cheever respectively. Only two were novels—Thomas Pynchon’s “Gravity?...
Before the guidelines for next January were made public last week, many groups had initially planned to develop activities that would span multiple weeks...
...possible contenders, Obama is actually in a position to benefit from the opportunity to name another new member of the court. Picking a new Justice is a lot like picking a vice-presidential running mate. Eighty percent of the task is finding someone who the press and the public will instantly believe is eminently qualified for the position. Twenty percent is the public-relations job of defining the choice to rev up the party base, satisfy centrists and disarm the opposition. A nominee with a compelling biography, impeccable résumé, strong presentation and demographic appeal could strengthen Obama...
...dropped altogether. But Justice Minister Dermot Ahern led a campaign to clarify the law instead, defining blasphemy as any statement "grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion" and adding a fine of up to $34,000 for offenders. And despite public protests against the updated measure, Parliament passed it last year. According to Ahern's office, the minister felt that recasting the law was the only viable option. However, his office pointed out that the new law has an exception that should comfort artists like those featured in the blasphemy exhibition: it provides...
...Internet," Ahern last month proposed holding a referendum on the law, insisting that this was always his "preferred choice." However, with no date set for any referendum, opponents are keeping up the pressure. In May, Atheist Ireland will organize a 25-day walk across the country to hold public meetings on the statute, while the Museum of Contemporary Art is planning further one-off anti-blasphemy law events, as well as an exhibition this summer entitled "These Artists Are Criminals." (See pictures of the world according to controversial artist Banksy...