links for 2009-01-15

how have i never heard of "Provigil" before?

"Sabermetric analysis is used not just by a wide swath of baseball fans and chroniclers, but also in baseball front offices. It's relied heavily upon by, among others, the Boston Red Sox, who have been one of the most successful franchises in baseball this century, winning two of the last five World Series, and by the Rays, who beat the Sox on the way to the Series last year.

It's what's going on in the world we're covering. In what other profession do practitioners brag about their ignorance regarding current events and developments? In what other area of journalism is lack of awareness a mark of distinction?

Cut it out, fellow writers. Do your job. Engage with your material. Stay current. Learn about things you don't understand.

Ignorance isn't a virtue. It's not something to brag about. It's something to fix."