sunday reads

"Fixers" are paid by journalists who can't fluidly navigate the foreign countries they're assigned to cover. They translate the local language and act as a general guide for reporters with the hope of providing some sort of institutional context. In a piece from the NYT Sunday Magazine, one former Iraqi fixer writes about his journey through the career. It's a worthwhile perspective on reporting in war zones and an nice addendum to a film like War Made Easy, which leaves the general audience with the impression that Iraq coverage is guided exclusively by the Pentagon's embed programs.

The magazine's On Language column (which I love despite the mulish prescription of William Safire, who is on vacation this week) has effectively delayed any plans I had for the afternoon with an introduction to the Oxford English Corpus. Another reference tool to throw down in a match with googling editors.

What girl hasn't wanted to make Jane Austen sexy? Revisionist fantasies of Austen's works helped me get high scores throughout my high school AP English course and the exam senior year. Today, revisionist filmmakers are playing up the sexy underpinnings of Austen's work and propose sexy fictions into Austen's own biography. "Let her have softcore!"

And here's Slate's review of The Simpsons Movie. Or, click on the San Diego CityBeat cover for an alt take on Lisa.