From Der Spiegel, an essay on Trans-Atlantic Comparisons: Sophisticated Europeans, obese Americans?; why Europeans have it wrong about Americans; and is the US really a nation of God-fearing Darwin-haters? Si Newhouse’s Dream Factory: What happens to a magazine empire built on glossy fantasies when harsher realities intrude? From Splice Today, an article on Dave Eggers and the myth of print's importance. Do you know about this new J.D. Salinger lawsuit? Save J.D. Salinger's archives! International Man of Misery: The global economy is in free fall, but do-gooder Jeffrey Sachs, formerly known as Doctor Shock, is still trying to end poverty and save the world — can he, can anybody? Just Like Bush: Obama used the same rhetoric as his predecessor — so why was he so much more effective? New Statesman profiles Michael Sandel. US states as countries of equal population: At last, the worlds of cartography, vexillology and population statistics meet! Let’s not forget another important piece of Sonia Sotomayor's identity: She is a New Yorker, through and through (and more). Richard Pryor as stand-up philosopher: The great American comic satirized white racism, his fellow blacks, and himself. There are rules to playing the everyman celebrity — violate them at your own risk.