Assortment

• Susan Schulten on how maps exposed the inefficiency of slavery.
• Matt Glassman makes some extremely important points about what democracy is and isn't.
• Could Chris Christie lose votes because of his weight? Just the opposite, actually.
• Quit saying that Obama has lost support among [subgroup] because of [stances you disagree with]. He's lost support among all subgroups.
• The GOP "power outsiders" are warming to Romney and cooling to Perry.
• Doctor Glitter remembers Magic Johnson's last game 20 years ago, when Magic dominated the interregnum between Kareem and Kobe.
• Springsteen's new sci-fi concept album.
• My brief review of the new TV season: "Pan Am"? Meh. "Terra Nova"? Feh. But "New Girl" is funny.