Mental_Floss mag

Written by Eric Olsen
Published September 14, 2002

There's a "quirky" new mag started by recent Duke graduates called mental_floss. One reviewer called it a "liberal arts education in installments." Available only in print, check out their site for more info. Here's a rundown of their latest issue:

    The SAINTS & SINNERS Issue The best pairs are always the opposites. Yin just ain't as sweet without its yang. Black? It's embarrassingly plain without white. And what fun would good be without a nice dash of evil? So, why Saints and Sinners? Because pairs make sense. Because two really are better than one. And because, quite frankly, the Saints and Sinners issue sounds so much better than the Saints and People Who Were Pretty Good, But Not Really Good Enough To Be Called Saints issue.

    WEARING THEIR ART ON THEIR SLEEVES: 25 ALBUM COVERS THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING By Chris Smith Somewhere along the way, records translated into more than just the music. Somewhere along the way, elaborate cover art and glamorous packaging, bizarre photography and trippy liner notes began to eclipse the lure of the songs themselves. So dig in as Chris Smith scours the decades for the album covers that really mattered.

    WILLIAM HOGARTH, THE SINFUL SAINT OF ENGLISH ART By Robert Cumming A full-force satirist and keen observer of human nature, William Hogarth made his name by establishing England's artistic tradition. And while he's wholly revered today, he ticked off plenty of people on his ascent to glory. Steady on as art historian Robert Cumming whisks you through the world according to Hogarth.

    SAINTS & SINNERS By John Green When Santa Claus is the patron saint of beer and bikers are working to protect kids, you know something's a little screwy. Or is it? John Green tears through saints, sinners, saintly sinners, sinful saints, and basically everything in between on his romp between heaven and hell. Learning right from wrong has never been this much fun before.

    MAD SCIENTIST OF THE MONTH: JAMES WATSON By Peter Leese Good old James stands on hallowed ground. He won the Nobel, discovered the double helix, and helped unravel our genetic code. And yet, that's all he's remembered for? What about the near fistfights (with women), the bad hair, the terrible British outings, and his attempts to use his sister as sexual bait? Oh, we love James Watson, and we think you should too!

    6 IDEAS THAT COULD SAVE THE PLANET Overpopulation, rapid expansion, and industrial pollution are obviously taking their toll on the environment. And while fewer and fewer politicians seem to be heeding the earth's "handle with care" tag, a few scientists are taking measures to set things right. Here are six ideas that might just save our planet.

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Career media professional Eric Olsen is honored to be the founder and publisher of Blogcritics.org, which, quite frankly, rules - as do his wife and four children.
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Mental_Floss mag
Published: September 14, 2002
Type:
Section: Culture
Writer: Eric Olsen
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