2-17-2010 The Day in Review


[![](http://blog.stanfordreview.org/content/images/2010/02/biden-ash-wednesday-300x278.jpg "The Nation's Highest Ranking Catholic Observing Ash Wednesday")](http://blog.stanfordreview.org/content/images/2010/02/biden-ash-wednesday.jpg)
The nation's highest-ranking Catholic observing Ash Wednesday
A plane leaving Palo Alto airport crashed in East Palo Alto, [killing](http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/a-tragic-day-for-tesla-motors-three-employees-die-in-a-plane/19362573/) three Tesla employees.

Sometimes the headline says it all, and that’s the case for this slideshow: A History of Obama Feigning Interest in Mundane Things.

The Wall Street Journal investigates Palo Alto’s tourism boondoggle.

Church of England goes green for Ash Wednesday.

Noooo! Tiger Woods to apologize, although it’s not clear what for yet. Perhaps for being so awesome at golf and stuff.

Good to know… Indian casinos are smoky.

Are we done with this one yet? Antonin Scalia reiterates that the whole secession issue was settled by the Civil War.

The GOP still faces long odds to retake the Senate. Graphs here.

David Leonhardt defends the stimulus on its one year anniversary.

Why don’t people trust the government right now (or ever, for that matter)? The economy.

Well, that’s not very diplomatic. American Ambassador to Doha (yes, we have one) Joseph LeBaron and Turkish foreign policy Ambassador Fuat Tanlay shout at each other over who is more important, the Prime Minister of Turkey, or the Qatar Sheikh.

Andrew Sullivan absolutely lays into Marc Thiessen over his use of Catholicism to defend torture.

Will Saletan weighs the pros and cons of covering sex change surgery.

Jackie Calmes analyzes the gridlock in Washington.

Maybe going cold turkey is the best way to quit smoking.

P.J. Tobia wonders why there were any Afghanistans in Marja.

Robert Baer says sanctions won’t get it done in Iran.

Alex Horne is on a journey to invent a word.

San Franciscans react rather insensitively to a man prior to his suicide.

Showdown! The Obamas v. Twilight.

Showdown! Tea Party Edition: Joe “The” Plumber v. Sarah Palin

Conservatives to brutally beat Nancy Pelosi, or at least a piñata-ified version of her and a Harry Reid punching bag (careful! The real one’s a former boxer) at CPAC.

Stanford alum Elif Batuman garners rave review for her debut book.

Internet thing for the day: Hipsters in puppy and unhappy form.

FEATURED ARTICLE:

Esquire profiles film critic Roger Ebert, nearly four years after he lost his jaw and ability to speak to cancer.





[![](http://blog.stanfordreview.org/content/images/2010/02/225px-Goyaale.jpg "1...2...3... Cheese!")](http://blog.stanfordreview.org/content/images/2010/02/225px-Goyaale.jpg)
1...2...3... Cheese!
**ON THIS DAY:**

A big day for magazines as the New Yorker is founded in 1925, and Newsweek first publishes in 1933.

Birds of a feather? Probably not. Huey Newton born in 1942, and Paris Hilton born in 1981.

Apache chief Geronimo died in 1909.

UA-140492650-2 UA-140492650-1

GO TOP