In the New Yorker...

[serious crayons]

Oh, I saw that yesterday, and I agree with Remnick -- very sad.

Unlike other journalist-fabricationists like Stephen Glass or Janet Cook or Jayson Blair, Jonah Lehrer was really talented at writing that doesn't involve making stuff up. But he must have been super busy -- blogs, articles, bestselling books -- and maybe could not resist the temptation to cut corners.

Resigning in disgrace from the New Yorker is so unheard of I would imagine it would seriously threaten any future career. Plus, the publisher has stopped shipping his book and has pulled the electronic version.

It had sold 200,000 copies so far.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Next up will be Dexter Filkins on Afghanistan.

I don't like Dexter Flikins' or Jon Lee Anderson's articles mainly because they're too long. However, I read them anyway because I figure they're Important and also good for me. 

OK, well, in spite of myself, I actually enjoyed the Filkins piece on Afghanistan. It was still a bit longer than I thought was necessary, but it was interesting.

[serious crayons]

A more thorough account of the Jonah Lehrer debacle:

http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/107779/jonah-lehrers-deceptions?all=1

[serious crayons]

And a scathing TNR review of his most recent book (published before the controversy):

http://www.tnr.com/article/books-and-arts/magazine/103912/bob-dylan-jonah-lehrer-creativity?page=0,0

[Jeff Wrangler]

Thanks, Katharine.

I'll have to check those articles out at work tomorrow. Links disagree with my antique PC. 

[serious crayons]

In defense of Jonah Lehrer:

http://observer.com/2012/08/laffaire-lehrer-sticking-up-for-jonah/

[Jeff Wrangler]

In defense of Jonah Lehrer:

http://observer.com/2012/08/laffaire-lehrer-sticking-up-for-jonah/

I think Tullis' point about the coverup seeming worse than the crime is worth noting.

And I love it that he calls Bill O'Reilly a fathead. 

[serious crayons]

I think Tullis' point about the coverup seeming worse than the crime is worth noting.

Too bad Lehrer didn't give Tullis a call before responding to the accusations. Tullis' proposed explanation is genius.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Too bad Lehrer didn't give Tullis a call before responding to the accusations. Tullis' proposed explanation is genius.

Not that I'm trying to excuse Lehrer, but it does seem to me that if you do something like what he did, and get caught at it, you only make it worse for yourself when you lie about it. That's what I took away from my admittedly swift read of Tullis' defense.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Well, now that Romney has named Paul Ryan as "the next President of the United States,"    I'm going to have to read the Aug. 6-issue article about Ryan. The article's title is "Fussbudget."