Ross in his prime. You wouldn't think a guy with hair like that would be such a cultural icon. In the 1920s, only one American city was the center of art and commerce: New York. And in that city, only one magazine kept track of it all: "The New Yorker." And in that magazine, only one person mattered: founder and editor Harold Ross. Ross was born November 6, 1892, in Aspen, Colorado, and soon developed printer's ink in his blood. By 13, he had dropped out of school to work at the Denver Post, and by 25 he had worked for six other newspapers, from San Francisco to Atlanta. During World War I, Ross' talents got him a job in Paris, editing the Army newspaper, "Stars and Stripes." His fellow staff members included drama critic Alexander Woollcott and New York columnist Franklin P. Adams -- both of whom would go on to play roles in Ross' plans. After the war, he settled in Manhattan, where he worked on those plans -- to create a weekly magazine that would analyze, comment on, and play a role in the cultural life of the city. It would not, Ross insisted, be a magazine for "the old lady in Dubuque." It would be sophisticated and urbane -- but not snobby. It had standards, but if a reader was witty or informed enough, he or she would be a member of the club. In the depths of the winter of 1925, the first issue of "The New Yorker" rolled off the presses. Despite some glitches, such as a joke ("Pop: A man who thinks he can make it in par. Johnny: What's an optimist, Pop?") that ran with the set-up and punchline reversed -- a error reprinted in every anniversary issue for years -- the magazine was an instant hit. In the decades since, it has come to be considered the gold standard of American magazines. That respect is due almost entirely to Ross. He personally edited virtually every word that appeared in every issue until his death in 1951, and, despite his own poor spelling, his meticulousness for precise grammar, clarity, and good writing attracted such notables as Vladimir Nabokov, John Updike, Ernest Hemingway, John Hersey, Ann Beattie, John Cheever, Roald Dahl, Alice Munro, John O'Hara, Philip Roth, J.D. Salinger, Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, Irwin Shaw, Woody Allen, James Thurber, E.B. White (whose own prose style was crucial in setting the magazine’s voice and tone), and even Marlon Brando. But the literary aspect of "The New Yorker" was only part of the package. Each issue was filled with cartoons by artists like Charles Addams, Peter Arno, George Booth, Roz Chast, George Price, Saul Steinberg, William Steig, and Thurber again. So good were (and are) the cartoons, that many readers never get past them and are still satisfied they got their money’s worth. Despite Woollcott describing him as looking like "a dishonest Abe Lincoln," Ross' contributions to the culture of Manhattan and America are impossible to calculate. His sensibilities shaped the ways plays were written, movies received, and books were published, and it's almost impossible to imagine American -- and world -- culture without him. Suggested Sites... Wikipedia: Harold Ross - overview of Ross' life and career. The New Yorker - bringing the world to New York -- and vice versa -- since 1925. The New Yorker Cartoon Bank - pretty near every cartoon ever seen in the magazine, yours for the asking. Harold Wallace Ross - biography of The New Yorker's founder. Harold Ross: The History - the BBC takes a look at Ross and his magazine.

Directory categories: Harold Ross, The New Yorker, E.B. White, Magazines, Manhattan

Archived under: 1920s, Authors, Biographies, Birthdays, Cartoons, Journalism, Literature, Magazines, Media, New York, Society and Culture, The New Yorker

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Star Trek Pon Farr Perfume (From Entertainment Earth) Star Trek Pon Farr Perfume: With "Star Trek: The Movie" sweeping the nation's theaters and topping search spikes this week, I suppose we were all just waiting for "Star Trek: The Perfume" to come out. And so it has! Now all you sci-fi loving ladies can wow all the special Spocks and Kirks in your life with "light, clean notes of citrus, blackcurrant, lotus blossom, and water lily." Because nothing spells romance more than smelling like a desperate Vulcan. Opportunity.gov: Meanwhile, as we humans struggle with our economic crisis, our own Federation is coming to the rescue with Opportunity.gov: a site that provides new educational opportunities to unemployed workers. Homes for our Troops: In all my years of watching "Star Trek," I can remember only one member of Starfleet ever sustaining a major injury that left him permanently disabled. Even when Spock exposed himself to terrible radiation in order to save the Enterprise's crew at the end of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn," he still bounced back from his "death" with nary a scratch in "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock." Unfortunately, real life hasn't been as kind to many of our troops returning from Iraq, Afghanistan, or any of our many overseas conflicts. HomesForOurTroops.org raises money and organizes volunteers to help build specially adapted homes for our severely-injured veterans. This is truly a good cause. GradeGov.com: If you're tired of the government making decisions that you don't agree with, let your voice be heard on GradeGov.com. You can give your elected representatives a letter grade, write them a letter, and read other letters and grades from concerned citizens like yourself. Currently, Louie Gohmert (R. - TX) has garnered a grade of "A-" from his loving constituents, while Bennie G. Thompson (D. - LA) is evidently not feeling so loved with his grade of "F." Cars for a Grand: Even if we lose our jobs and the government fails us, there's one thing we can be sure will always be around in abundance: used cars. Capitalizing on this fact, CarsForAGrand.com offers exactly what their web address implies: used cars for $1000 or less. You can search by zip code for used, crashed, parts, or restoration project cars, or you can post your own used car listing. Suggested Sites... Issuu - a free magazine-publishing platform that allows users to publish online magazines that are easy and fun to read and interact with. Tweetmeme - tracks the most popular and most re-tweeted posts on Twitter. Antipodes Map - kind of useless, but kind of fun. Shows you the exact global opposite of any place on Earth. Map Your Name - shows on a map the popularity of personal names and family names in the USA, Europe, or Australia. Extreme Ice Survey - features photos and time-lapse videos of glaciers and ice caps melting. As featured on Nova.

Directory categories: Star Trek Collectibles, U.S. Politics: Surveys and Polls, Automotive Classifieds, Support the Troops, Twitter

Archived under: Advertising, Autos, Careers, Collectibles, Democratic Party, Disability, Education, Fanatics, Fragrances, Government, Housing, Issues and Causes, Jobs, Magazines, Media, Military, Names, Nature, Republican Party, Science, Science Fiction, Social Networking, Star Trek, Twitter, Web 2.0, Yahoo! Directory

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The famous logo On this day in 1953, the very first issue of "Playboy" was published. In it, founder Hugh Hefner encapsulated the magazine's essence with these words: "If you're a man between the ages of 18 and 80, 'Playboy' is meant for you. If you like your entertainment served up with humor, sophistication and spice, 'Playboy' will become a very special favorite." That first issue, though, had a precarious future. There was no date on it (a second issue was in doubt) and Hef's name was left out so it wouldn't be tarnished should the magazine go -- dare we say it? -- bust. Luckily for him, the issue sold well -- due in no small part to the nude centerfold, Marilyn Monroe. The centerfold may be the foundation upon which the magazine is built, but "Playboy" distinguished itself from other men's magazines of the era through its focus on a sophisticated urban lifestyle, as opposed to the rough and tumble worlds endorsed by competitors. This bid for sophistication incorporated intelligent articles, short stories by talented writers, and the "Playboy Interview," which has grown into an institution of its own. That formula of sophistication -- and sex -- which worked so well in the 20th century, has, with little alteration, endured into the 21st century. Today's magazine is only a part of Playboy Enterprises, which has spread beyond publishing into a clothing line, gambling, the Web, social networking, video, radio, and television. While Hefner remains the embedded symbol of Playboy leadership, the sprawling empire is actually run by his daughter, Christie from Playboy headquarters in Chicago. The magazine's 55th anniversary issue is due in January, and will feature a centerfold model chosen from the girls considered during this past summer's massive nationwide casting call. (An anniversary issue tradition since 1979.) The niche that Playboy carved out in the '50s is now saturated with men's magazines as well as online content, but the progenitor of them all is still the most popular. Why? It's a glittering male fantasy that's incredibly seductive, despite -- or maybe even as a result of -- being somewhat dated. But, really, what it comes down to is that, "Playboy" simply answers that indecent question ensconced within the male mind: what does that girl next door look like underneath her clothes? Suggested Sites... Official Playboy Website - access everything in the Playboy universe. Playboy Enterprises - Playboy magazine's corporate site. The Girls Next Door - information on the E! Channel reality show. Centerfold.com - archive of Playboy pictorials. Interviews with Hugh and Christie Hefner - Charlie Rose interviews Hugh Hefner and Playboy CEO Christie Hefner

Directory categories: Playboy, Adult Magazines, Playboy Playmates, Hugh Hefner, The Girls Next Door

Archived under: 1950s, American History, Anniversaries, Babes, Beauty, Breasts, Hugh Hefner, Magazines, Men, Models, Playboy, Sex and Sexuality, Society and Culture, Women

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(Photo by Kolby) In 1888, 33 explorers and scientists gathered in Washington, D.C., with a mission to create "a society for the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge." The result of that meeting was the National Geographic Society, which celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. National Geographic is near and dear to my heart for a variety of reasons, but mostly for the realms of discovery it's provided for me since childhood. Not only was the Society's magazine the sole delight I could look forward to while visiting various doctors' offices, but its photography, cultural travel, and science articles have been a never-ending source of eye candy and brain manna. The periodical opened up the entire world for Western populations, long before mass media and the Internet were available. Today it has blossomed into dozens of publications and news channels across the planet -- including the glorious National Geographic Channel in HD. But, not to forget the original intent of this organization -- to explore and discover -- here are but a few fruits of the Society's myriad labors: Discovery of Canada's highest peak, Mount Logan Support of the first successful expedition to the North Pole Excavations of Machu Picchu NGS flags flew along with John Glenn on America's first orbital space flight, as well as to the moon on Apollo 11 And in what may have provided the inspiration for my own college aspirations, the National Geographic Society, paired with Louis and Mary Leakey, helped launch (and fund) the careers of Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall, and Birute Galdikas, So here's my salute to you, National Geographic, for bestowing upon me -- and the rest of the planet -- your sense of adventure, need for knowledge, and the drive to make our world feel that much smaller, and all of us more connected. Suggested Sites... National Geographic Society - official site of the "society for the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge." National Geographic Magazine - official subsite to connect with the popular publication. National Geographic Channel - see what's airing on the television channel. Wikipedia: National Geographic Society - an explanation and history of the group started by explorers and scientists.

Directory categories: National Geographic Society, Conservation, Photojournalism, Anthropology and Archeaology

Archived under: Adventure, Ancient History, Archaeology, Journalism, Magazines, National Geographic, Photography, Society and Culture, Travel

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The New Yorker cover If Eustace Tilly himself had been searching for the unlikeliest person to edit a magazine about sophistication in New York, he couldn't have done much better than Harold Ross. Despite being a high-school dropout, Ross fell in with the Algonquin Round Table -- the group that defined American wit in the 1920s -- and used their talents to create a magazine that was "not edited for the old lady in Dubuque." Ross was the brain of The New Yorker, and its heart was E.B. White, whose clean prose informed the magazine's style, and whose influence spread far beyond Manhattan. Since its first issue, dated February 21, 1925, virtually every major American writer, photographer, or cartoonist -- James Thurber, John Updike, Dorothy Parker, John Hersey, Ring Lardner, Richard Avedon, R. Crumb, and Truman Capote, and scores of others -- has appeared in the magazine's pages. So, on your 81st birthday, Mr. Tilley, we say to you anything except "the hell with it." Suggested Sites... The New Yorker - 81 years later, still the gold standard for American magazines. I Hate The New Yorker - well, maybe not the gold standard for everyone... Emdashes, The New Yorker Between the Lines - behind the scenes at the magazine. Harold Wallace Ross - the life and times of The New Yorker's father. Urban and Urbane - the 1930s, as seen from West 43rd Street.

Directory categories: The New Yorker, Harold Ross, Algonquin Round Table, E. B. White, James Thurber

Archived under: Anniversaries, Birthdays, Dorothy Parker, Humor, Journalism, Magazines, Media, Reading, Writers, Writing

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