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Join The Progressive Book Club

Brian Fairbanks — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:25:00 GMT

Dave Eggers, Barbara Kingsolver, Michael Chabon, and other liberal authors who don't write about politics have put together the latest nerd sensation.

The Progressive Book Club, which officially launched Monday, combines the offerings of a traditional book club with the interactive features of an online social network and the ideals of a grass-roots political party.

[The above authors] are among the editorial board members for the new club, which offers a selection of works each month, at discounts from 10 percent to 40 percent, and perhaps up to 80 percent. For most sales, the club will donate $2 on the member's behalf to a range of educational, environmental and other organizations.

We'd have suggested "The Book on Bush" by Eric Alterman and Mark Green, plus "Don't Think of An Elephant" by George Lakoff... but those are pretty dated titles. Sounds like they'll have political books by people like Joe Conason, plus books by the founders of the club and good books with at least some progressive content or message (Watership Down, etc.), with that $2 being the real "progressive part."

What would you recommend?

Via Yahoo! / Photo via Bloomberg

Christians Having Better Sex Than You

Brian Fairbanks — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:01:00 GMT

Don't you love the sacreligious pic, via PhotoDisc?

Created in 1997, the site covers topics like anal, oral and phone sex; masturbation and role-playing; fetishes; bonding; and spanking.

No, they're not talking about Nerve, silly. It's actually the website of Pastor Paul Byerly of Salem, OR, entitled TheMarriageBed.com. And it's just the latest sign that Christians are opening up to the idea of exploring sex and enjoying some hot anal action in the name of Lord Jesus...

Among the highlights of this astonishing article from ABC News (all right, we're grossly exaggerating):

On Pastor Paul and his wife Lori: "The couple talks openly about their inability to enjoy sex because of Lori's history of sex abuse and his involvement in pornography." Wait-- Pastor Paul was involved in pornos?! Please explain, ABC! (Alas, someone didn't do their follow-ups.)
These loveable old Christian weirdos even have some wit left in them at their age: "As pastor of the 15,600-member, nondenominational church -- one of the largest in the nation -- [Reverend Kerry Shook] recently delivered a popular sermon titled 'How to Make Your Marriage Sizzle.'" The witty part? "We were cooking beef burgundy with a reduction sauce." Get it? Sizzle fo' shizzle-- zing!
Shook: "One of the things we cover in scripture is how to meet each other's needs in bed." Damn! Who knew the Bible was dirtier than the Kama Sutra. (Proabably someone who's actually read it, unlike us.)
"Folks who are married and people of faith tend to have more sex, more often than people who are swingers." Sign us up for this crazy Christian nonsense if there is any proof whatsoever it'll work!
Dallas psychotherapist Melanie "is also critical of Christian attitudes toward premarital sex, which she argues encourages teens to marry young out of guilt. She also veers from the standard position on homosexuality." Is she single, perchance?

Okay, enough. Just read the damn thing-- although we've already spoiled all the best parts.

Video of the Day: Electric Cooter Lights Up Bathing Suit Competition

Bryan Christian — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:59:00 GMT

We have to assume that they've found a use for those body heat batteries or something. Otherwise, well... that seems kind of unsafe, right?

MIT Develops Microchips Powered By 1982 Film Featuring A Mustachioed William Hurt

Bryan Christian — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Oh, hold up; maybe we misunderstood this article the first time around...

[W]hat if microchips were just a little bit more efficient? That’s what a team of engineers at MIT was thinking when they set out to redesign the microchip to make it even more efficient. The result is a microchip with a power consumption that is so low it can be recharged by your very own body heat.

Imagine the possibilities of bodyheat powered microchips: pacemakers could be powered by the body’s warmth, mobile phones by just moving them, and remote sensors could get energy just by the ambient energy around them.

So basically if you been thinking about picking up an expensive vibrator in the next few months: don't.