bySpong

Charles Dickens, who visited the United States in 1842, referred to Washington as "the headquarters of tobacco tinctured saliva" and described a trial at which the judge, defendant, jury, and spectators all had their own spittoons. He also observed signs at a medical college requesting that students expectorate into designated boxes so as not to "discolour the stairs."

From Slate, on chaw.

Richard Rodriguez in Harper's.

A much more interesting lament of the newspaper's demise that you'll read most places.

But it's very local-newspaper focused. Curious what Rodriguez (and Harper's) think about the Internet and magazines, or writing generally. (Though here's a hint: You must subscribe to the print mag to read the piece online.)

My pals Noel Waggoner and Charrisse Kelly, very sweet people, have started a record company, Heavy Light Records, and it's first full-length is by an old Dallas gospel-funk outfit called the Relatives. There'll be a release party tomorrow night at the Conitnental Club in Austin, at which the Relatives will perform live for the first time since 1980, and the Soul Happening DJ's--that's Noel's "day job"--will be spinning. Kind of a no-brainer, no?