Earnest NYT columnist Nick Kristof is refreshingly honest about his job! He admits that his columns often have no impact; that he is "easily bored"; that he makes mistakes sometimes when he writes about things he doesn't know all that much about; and that his ignorance is widespread. He tells the truth, and he writes about things that are actually important! Nick Kristof, we want so bad to love you! If only you made a few more dick jokes or something, you could be perfect.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.The New York Times has published an editor's note confirming that Edgar Martins' photos of abandoned construction project were in fact digitally altered: "A reader, however, discovered on close examination that one of the pictures was digitally altered, apparently for aesthetic reasons. Editors later confronted the photographer and determined that most of the images did not wholly reflect the reality they purported to show." Shame, because the flicks would have been fine without it.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.One part of the art of journalism space-filling is to be able to run stories that actually reveal themselves to be totally pointless. USA Today accomplishes this today, with a story (with obvious scandalous undertones) about how federal aid dollars are going "overwhelmingly to places that supported President Obama in last year's presidential election." Oh, and in the last paragraph they mention: "From 2005 through 2007, the counties that later voted for Obama collected about 50% more government aid than those that supported McCain, according to spending reports from the U.S. Census Bureau." But by then you already read the story, and they successfully filled that space, so everyone wins!

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Ballplayer-turned-stock-picker-turned-mini-magazine-mogul Lenny Dykstra has reached the final stage of his career evolution: filing for bankruptcy.

Facing a string of lawsuits, unpaid bills and a long list of people he's accused of stiffing, the 46-year-old former outfielder said in his court papers in Los Angeles that he owes as much as $50 million but has only about $50,000 in assets.

Time for a comeback, Lenny. The Mets can always use extra pinch-hitting.

"The September Issue," directed by R.J. Cutler, which follows Vogue editor Anna Wintour and her staff for nine months leading up to the publication of the September 2007 issue.

"Reporter," directed by Eric Daniel Metzgar, which illustrates how journalist Nicholas Kristof brought the horrors of Darfur to the public eye.

"Shouting Fire: Stories From the Edge of Free Speech," directed by Liz Garbus, in which the filmmaker’s father, First Amendment attorney Martin Garbus, considers the history and current status of free speech in America.

[Variety; pic via]

[Pic via Cornell Chronicle]

Leading off, we've got grizzled Baghdad bureau chief John Burns and his wife, who conveniently enough manages the Baghdad bureau. In Los Angeles, there's bureau chief Jennifer Steinhauer and her husband, TV and Tour de France reporter Edward Wyatt.

Over the other way, in Africa, there's South Africa bureau chief Michael Wines and his wife, southern Africa reporter Sharon LaFraneiere. Reporter Barry Bearak recently returned to Afghanistan; his wife, Celia Duggar, does a lot of health-related reporting about Africa. Also in Africa is East Africa bureau chief Jeffrey Gettleman (pictured); his byline was on that Styles story recently about wedding planners; could his wedding to Times video producer Courtenay Morris not have gone as smoothly as he would have liked?

Closer to home, there's Times loyalist Jennifer Preston—who manages the Regionals sections—is married to Week In Review-er Chris Conway.

Last on our list is Op-Ed columnist and essay contest-runner Nick Kristof, who's married to former Times business editor Sheryl WuDunn, who left the paper recently to work on a book. (With him.)

Whew! And those are just the ones who are married. We'd also love to hear about anyone who's dating, or you know, just sleeping around. Or, you know, gay-married. Because that's fun!

[Ed. Note: A incorrect characterization of Jennifer Preston's job, not germane to the subject of this item, has been removed from this post—July 20, 2007.]

Win a Trip: Will's Reflections [NYT]

Much like fellow columnist Tom Friedman's taxi driver assessment system, Kristof believes that a good way to gauge the state of play on the ground in Afghanistan is by monitoring the fluctuation in price of a street-side haircare.

This time, Kristof's shearing set him back a whopping forty cents. That's thirty cents more than on his last visit. (Keep an eye out on the expense report, Times accounting department; we bet he tries to fuck you out of another dime at least.)

The video quality is grainy and intermittent (this is what we're getting for our fifty Times-fucking-Selecting bucks?) but it's a valuable insight into Afghanistan's outdoor grooming industry.

Oh, and! WARNING: Kristof's voice is so irritating that it may make you want to commit genocide. —balk

Haircut in Kabul [NYT]