JAMES LILEKS: “This really is the future I wanted. Although I expected longer battery life.”

UPDATE: Maybe he needs one of these!

LONG TAILS AND HIGH TRUST: Ed Driscoll looks at the blogosphere in light of Chris Anderson’s formulation.

APPARENTLY ONE OF MY EARLIER POSTS has hit a nerve.

AS MICKEY KAUS ONCE SAID, never lie to a man with access to NEXIS.

UPDATE: It’s probably a bad idea to libel a man with access to Google, too . . . .

ANOTHER UPDATE: For some reason the second link isn’t working. It’s at Volokh, currently the top item.

IF IT’S NOT FAILURE, IT’S NOT NEWS!

A metaphorical drought also has broken throughout Afghanistan. As Kim Hart of the American Journalism Review writes, “with the establishment of a new government and building of infrastructure, a continuing U.S. military presence and the hunt for terrorists, Afghanistan is rife with stories of long-term consequence.” Unfortunately, as Hart notes, there’s hardly anyone left in Afghanistan to report it.

As the old saying goes, all dressed up and nowhere to go. Just when, after decades of bloodshed and despair, Afghanistan is finally getting back on its feet, the media have already moved on. But as citizens of countries whose servicemen and -women liberated Afghanistan from the Taliban yoke and continue to help rebuild of the country, we deserve to be told when all that blood, sweat and money is bringing good results.

Fortunately, Arthur Chrenkoff is rounding up what reporting is available.