WONKS IN THE NEWS

WONK mentions since May 2010

AU WONKS IN THE NEWS

Washington Post: Saudi Arabia’s Watchful Eye Looms over Bahrain Unrest
"Saudi Arabia fears a constitutional monarchy in Bahrain. It’s about empowerment of the Shia and what that might mean for Shia in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia,” said Kristin Diwan, assistant professor of international service, on the impact Bahrain uprisings could have on its neighbor. (2/23/11)

C-SPAN’s Washington Journal: Presidential Leadership and Economic Crisis
James Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, “I think the president always has the upper-hand because budgets are incremental.” Thurber observed on how presidents Reagan, Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama approached fiscal matters when faced with a divided Congress. (2/22/11)

PBS’s Newshour: For Egypt’s Women, Harassment Remains Part of Daily Life
Diane Singerman, professor of government, discussed Egyptian women’s routine experience of sexual harassment. “A lot of it is verbal abuse . . . looks . . . catcalls. But there is groping. [and] people touching you when you don't want to be touched.” (2/21/11)

NPR’s Tell Me More: White House, Black History
The notion of slaves in the White House shouldn’t surprise people, but it does said Clarence Lusane, professor of international service. “There may have been some sense [among the American public because] Jefferson and Washington were pretty well known to have had slaves. What’s significant is that compromise and that engagement then shaped the country’s policies around slavery and race.” (2/21/11)

Edge New York: Has Political Correctness Gone Too Far?
William Leap, professor of anthropology, opines on why GLAAD and other advocacy groups should hold comedians and other media figures accountable for LGBT depictions that are more hurtful than humorous. "[An insulting LGBT media narrative] does seem to show up more in times of economic crisis. People need a foil and a vocal point of anger, and that, I think is frankly serious." (2/19/11)

Foreign Policy: Winning the Battle, Losing the War (Op-ed)
Gordon Adams, professor of international service speaks out the military’s share of Obama’s 2011 federal budget: “Even if the Pentagon were to trim its projected budget by 15 percent over the next ten years, the U.S. military would still be the only force in the world capable of deploying ground forces globally, sailing all of the world's oceans, and flying all of the world's skies.” (2/15/11)

NPR’s Tell Me More: Study Finds Link Between Working Moms, Overweight Kids
“We can improve access to healthy foods, improve information about children’s sleep habits. We can help inform policies and working moms and dads, to promote healthy weight,” urged Taryn Morrissey, professor of public administration, while discussing her study that links working mothers to a rise in children’s body mass indexes. (2/14/11)

Sacramento Bee: United States Lags in Women Political Leaders
Jennifer Lawless, director of the Women & Politics Institute cites political kingmakers such as parties, labor unions, and business groups for being slow to promote female candidates "The majority of the electoral gatekeepers who are finding candidates are men. They recruit from the networks they circulate in, and as a result, women are often left out." (2/14/11)

WONK MENTIONS IN OTHER NEWS

NPR Health Blog: The New “New Thing” in Healthcare—Accountable Care Organizations
Health wonks are rejoicing as the Obama administration released proposed rules to increase collaboration between hospitals and doctors, improving quality and saving money. (3/31/11)

MediaBistro: Ezra Discovers a New Meaning to Wonk
Ezra Klein, blogger for the Washington Post, recently tweeted: “A reader emailed to inform me that ‘wonk’ spelled backwards is ‘know.’ I like that.” (3/31/11)

Democrat and Chronicle.com: Message to Urban Planners
Blogger Patti Singer proposes, as corporate wonks would call it, a “win-win,” to urban planners, to try and create affordable housing within walking distance to basic services. (3/29/11)

Journal Star.com: Hal Daub Proposes Social Security Reform Plan
Former mayor of Omaha and policy wonk Hal Daub has come up with a five step plan to reform social security. (3/27/11))

Yahoo! News: Media Mayhem on Capitol Hill
The number of reporters allowed to cover Congress is growing and will exceed 6,000 this year. Editors of Columbia Journalism Review suggest this is welcome news for job-starved journalists, especially those with wonk credentials. (3/26/11)

The Hoya: Blog Gives First Looks at Middle East
Georgetown alumnus David Dietz has been covering first-hand accounts of the events in Tunisia in his blog, “The MidEaster” offering informative and fresh perspectives that differ from those of policy wonks, government officials, and more established news sources. (3/25/11)

CBC News: U.S. Fed Takes Stab at Openness
Here’s something that monetary-policy wonks won’t want to miss—on April 27 Ben Bernanke will hold a press conference in efforts to create a more open and transparent U.S. Federal Reserve. (3/25/11)

MetroWeekly: Face Time—From Cyberbullying to Public Policy, Andrew Noyes is on the Job at Facebook
Andrew Noyes, part tech enthusiast, part policy wonk, is the head of public policy communications division for Facebook. An alumnus of American University, as well as an adjunct staff member, Noyes is a self described Washingtonian. (3/24/11)

Vancouver Westender: On the PlatePerfect Pairings for Wine Fest
The annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is more than just a meet-and-greet for food and wine wonks, there are seminars and special winemakers dinners. (3/23/11)

US News and World Report: Why Blogs Beat Facebook and Twitter
Whereas Facebook and Twitter provide conversations between average Joes, blogs are a way to see and even contribute to meaningful discussions between wonks, writers, academics, critics, etc. (3/23/11)

American Spectator: Barbour out on the Hustings
Haley Barbour, potential presidential candidate, is viewed as being politically savvy and good on camera, but really is a policy wonk at heart. (3/22/11)

U.S. News and World Report: Tragic Flaws Could Sink Newt Gingrich in 2012 Race
While Newt Gingrich, a “wonk’s wonk,” can intellectually out perform any opponent, his gruff personality and adulterous past may keep him from winning the 2012 presidential race. (3/17/11)

Forbes: Obamacare’s Problem: The Rich Don’t Have Enough Money
Some health care wonks, including Obama, believe the solution to healthcare policy issues is to spend more money, however the rich don’t have enough money to pay off the higher taxes expected. (3/15/11)

Washington Post: President Calls Out Two Arlington Students during Visit
While mainly addressing education wonks and lawmakers in a speech at a middle school, Obama took the time to address two students who aspire to become future presidents. (3/14/11)

PBS Online: Obama Pushes Overhaul of No Child Left Behind Law, but Testing will Remain Central
As Obama continues to focus on No Child Left Behind, some education wonks are concerned there is too much emphasis on testing rather than learning. (3/14/11)

NBC New York: Home Video Review: “Inside Job” Relives the Economic Meltdown
Documentary filmmaker Charles Ferguson’s “Inside Job” won best documentary for the 2011 Oscars. Ferguson was commended for his equal criticism of both the left and the right, as well as his impressive array of interviews with wonks, economists, bankers, and politicians. (3/8/11)

TIME: The 25 Best Financial Blogs: Ezra Klein
Ezra Klein's the morning “Wonkbook,” a daily summary of the substantive issues on the front burner is a must read blog. (3/7/11)

San Diego Tribune: Mapping Bike Commuters Across the Country
An American Community Survey provides rich data about commuters who bike to work, allowing data wonks like John Boyle to create maps that demonstrate how many, or how few, bike to work the U.S. (3/4/11)

Atlantic Wire: Hollywood’s Crush on Obama Cools
Some political wonks believe Obama would be able to raise $1 billion for his 2012 campaign after raising $750 million in 2008.

Algemeiner: To be a Leader or a Friend?
Even foreign policy wonks are occasionally surprised by President Obama’s decisions as he struggles with the question of whether it is better to be feared or to be loved in the international arena. (3/02/11)

Vancouver WestEnder: On the Plate: Vancouver’s first Neapolitan pizzeria a slice of heaven
Pizzeria Libretto in Vancouver leaves pizza wonks entirely satisfied with their authentic margherita slices. (3/02/11)

The Austin Chronicle: A Sobering Look at Criminal Justice
Criminal justice wonk Tony Fabelo warns that prison capacity in Texas is reaching its limits. Still, the need for investment in programming and treatment programs is paramount. (3/01/11)

National Review Online: America’s Technological Plateau
Tyler Cohen, author whose books are acclaimed by economics wonks, predicts a slow economic recovery in the U.S. (2/28/11)

Telegraph: Child of Eden hands-on preview
Sci-fi literature wonks consider the influence of sci-fi author William Gibson new rhythm action game—Child of Eden. (2/28/11)

Foreign Policy in Focus: Leveraging its Latest Nuclear Setback to Further Tighten the Screws on Iran
Arms Control Wonk is a site about arms control nonproliferation and disarmament and offers a network of blogs about the latest security issues. (2/28/11)

AOL Business and Money: Greek Outcry over Kraft’s Athenos Ads: Hummus and Hookers, Oh My!
Marketing wonk Martin Lindstrom predicts the consequences of Kraft’s new controversial Athenos ads. (2/27/11)

New York Post: Wonking Class Hero
The best places to turn for all the details of recent events including protests in Egypt, economic downturns, and computer development—“sure to impress the wonks” (2/27/11)

Baron’s: Slow Go on High Speed Curves
Two stock traders investigate the high-speed machines that math and physics wonks have programmed to buy and sell stocks almost as quickly as the speed of light. (2/26/11)

Wall Street Journal (Blog): Libyan Oil How Sweet it Is
A brief excerpt from economist Carl Weinberg gives oil wonks a new perspective on the crisis in Libya. (2/25/11)

Information Week: Motorola Xoom Teardown: What’s under the Covers
The sophisticated components that make up the new Motorola Xoom impress not only engineers but gadget wonks too. (2/25/11)

The Register: Mozilla confirms Firefox 4 beta 12 is FINAL test build
The new Firefox 4 is one beta test away from release. Mozilla wonks are working hard to make the final adjustments to the browser. (2/25/11)

Forbes: Why Repealing Obamacare Will Reduce the Deficit
Health policy wonks debate about the actual fiscal impact of “Obamacare” on the United States budget and whether or not repealing it would be detrimental. (2/22/11)

The Washington Post: Wine Wonk-Fest Yields Good Tips for East Coast Vintners
East Coast winemakers taste wines and pose their production questions to top California instructors. (2/22/11)

The Economist: Climate Change: Piecemeal Possibilities
Policy wonks and the politicians they advise, are investigating ways to control climate change. (2/18/11)

The Christian Science Monitor: Federal budget fine print: $85 million to inspect eggs, more for OMB
Buried in the appendix of the federal budget plan budget wonks find the real skinny on how the government aims to spend your money – from clearing brush in national forests to US Army payroll. (2/18/11)

Financial Times: Lunch with the FT: Kevin Rudd
A close up conversation with policy wonk Australia prime minister Kevin Rudd (2/18/11)

The Wall Street Journal: Single Asian President Seeks Soul Mate for Very Public Romance
In the wake of Philippine President Benigno Aquino's split with his girlfriend, the policy wonk wishes the public would pay more attention to the bigger issues not his love life. (2/17/11)

Washington Post: Can the White House Tackle the Budget?
Reporter Ezra Klein says Obama’s 2012 budget plan isn’t bold enough, a disappointment to policy wonks. (2/15/11)

The Huffington Post: The Tea Party Man
Dubbed a wonk and geek, freshman senator from Kentucky Rand Paul, has a radical budget plan with $500 billion in cuts. While his plan may not get past committee, don’t take it lightly. (2/15/11)

New York Times: Mumford and Sons Get Big “Grammy Lift”
Several artists who performed at the Grammy awards are enjoying what music industry wonks call the “Grammy Lift.” (2/16/11)

PRweb: Veteran Journalist Launches the Wonk Salon
Veteran columnist, policy blogger, and magazine editor James A. Bacon launched the Wonk Salon, a blog offering a daily roundup of public policy research from the nation's top think tanks. (2/11/11)

NPR-Online: Intellectual Backer of Insurance Mandate Faults Alternatives
While some lawmakers and wonks are busy cooking up alternatives to the controversial federal mandate requiring people to have health insurance starting in 2014, MIT’s Jonathan Gruber insists it remains the best way to get more people covered at the lowest cost. ( 2/9/11)

International Business Times: Credit Card Usage Expands for the First Time in 28 Months
In interesting news for economic wonks: the Federal Reserve said credit card debt increased last December for the first time in 28 months. Is this a sign that people are regaining fiscal confidence despite the poor economy? (2/8/11)

New York Times: In a Graying Population, Business Opportunity
Health policy wonk Eric Dishman, global director of innovation at Intel, foresees products that promote health and independence for aging baby boomers. (2/5/11)

TIME: Can Exports Save the Economy?
President Obama and many other policy wonks believe exports are the solution to America’s job crisis. (2/2/11)

PCmag.com: Microsoft Pulls a Fast One on Google
Attention all search wonks: Google is accusing Microsoft of stealing its search results on Bing. (2/2/11)

New York Times: A Top Architect Settles into a New Niche
Architect wonk Michael Graves as spent the majority of his life dedicated to designing homes. However, now he has turned to paintings as his new medium of art. (1/28/11)

New York Times: A Guy as Keeper of the National Guest List?
The White House is looking for a new candidate for fill the position of social secretary, and is keen on taking a male candidate. One of the men up for consideration, Steve Clemons, is a Washington policy wonk and social butterfly. (1/30/11)

Washington Post: Theater conference seeks a common development pipeline for new plays
Arena Stage brought together 100 writers, directors and artistic managers. The event featured a talk by “the nation’s theater-wonk in chief,” Rocco Landesman, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. (1/28/11)

Wall Street Journal: Cap and Trade Returns from the Grave
Obama didn’t mention global warming, climate change, or carbon regulation in his recent State of the Union address. Instead, he mentioned what policy wonks refer to as “renewable portfolio standard.” (1/27/11)

Washington Post: Obama’s State of the Union feels uncomfortably traditional in the age of info overload
Obama managed to maintain a captivating and traditional State of the Union speech by plainly addressing immigration, the wars and taxes, and for the wonks among us, the shameful infrastructural state of the nation. (1/26/11)

Yahoo! News: Possible Source of Palestine Papers Leak
“A tiny agency staffed by young policy wonks” who advise the Palestinian leadership on talks with Israel is under suspicion for leaking details to Al Jazeera. (1/25/11)

New York Times: Paul Ryan to Deliver State of the Union Response
Representative Paul Ryan is set to deliver the Republican Party’s official response to Obama’s State of the Union. Known as a numbers wonk, Ryan has already outlined a “roadmap” to fiscal health. (1/21/11)

Boston.com: Less yawn, more brainstorm: UK host edgier summit
British Prime Minister David Cameron invited an intriguing mix of tech types, green activists, and wonks to an international summit on economic and social policy. (1/20/11)

The Wall Street Journal: Giffords Shows Encouraging Responses
Colleagues say Representative Gabrielle Giffords delves deeply into issues she cares about, such as solar energy. “She&rsquos a proud wonk,” said C.J. Karamargin, the Congresswoman’s communications director. (1/11/11)

USA Today: Obama Names Gene Sperling to Top Economic Post
Gene Sperling is returning to the White House to head the National Economic Council, as he did in 1997-2001 under the Clinton administration. Sperling’s characteristics as a workaholic with an incredible economic advising record to show for it have earned him the title of “policy wonk.” (1/7/11)

The Post Chronicle: Education is Not King Along the Texas-Mexico Border
The media and Washington’s liberal wonks posit that Texas could solve the its under-education problem by “investing” more in the educational process. (1/1/11)

Arizona Republic: Longtime Chamber Chief Leaves a Lasting Mark on Mesa
Charlie Deaton, the longtime Chamber of Commerce Chief at Mesa, is known for his series of measures to support communities, schools, and voters. The policy wonk is retiring to further his knowledge in his second passionbronze sculpting. (12/31/10)

The Washington Post: With Health-Care Overhaul Plan, Wyden and Brown Become Senate's Odd Couple
Senator Ron Wyden, the “King of Policy Wonks,” and “brainy democrat,” has joined forces with Scott Brown, the “brawny Republican,” to propose to let states decide whether or not to adopt the federal health plan. (12/29/10)

Boston Globe: A First Course Gets High Grades
Swooning food wonks scattered to sign up for Harvard’s latest unique course offeringScience and Cooking. The public lecture series, featuring top chefs from around the world, combines science principles with real life cooking. (12/29/10)

Washington Post: D.C. Student with Dad in Jail Starts College Scholarship for Kids Like Her
A local D.C. student, and budding social-policy wonk, used her personal experience to start a nonprofit organization to fund college scholarships for children who have incarcerated parents. (12/28/10)

Irish Times: Christmas Time, Mistletoe and Wine (and Seasonal TV)
It seems TV wonks prepared this years Christmas schedule with an ode to the 70s in mind, including the revival of a 70s television show called “Upstairs Downstairs.” (12/25/10)

Forbes: The Physics of Kindness and Lessons for Business
Business wonks will love Tom Peters most recent book, The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence, that discusses the role of kindness in business. (12/21/10)

Comcast SportsNet Philly: NFL Notebook: Jaguars Jones-Drew for MVP?
You don’t have to be Vince Lombardi to be informed and entertained by football wonk Ron Jaworski’s book on pigskin strategy. (12/20/10)

The Calgary Herald: Vitals
Have a beer wonk on your holiday list? You might want to buy him or her the BeerNutz phone applicationperfect for a beer nerd in the know. (12/20/10)

Los Angeles Times: Events Happening Monday
The beloved local band Shadow Shadow Shade Forged is bringing “Kinks-ish wry pop with operatic arrangements and a studio wonk’s ear for incredible sounds” to The Echo on Sunset Boulevard. (12/20/10)

The Arizona Republic: All Arizonians Hold Stake in Budget Fray
Arizona residents will all be affected by the upcoming budget-balancing decisions. As a result, the average citizen is becoming more informed. “The budget isn’t just for wonks anymore.” (12/19/10)

The Atlantic Wire: Jaws Drop at Google’s New Research Tool
Google’s new research project, which allows users to search centuries of books, has impressed all. But grammar wonk Kevin Drum has one concernthe use of “data is” and “data are” within the project. (12/18/10)

Boulder Weekly: Terrorist or Freedom Fighter?
Most of the world is weighing in on the virtues and faults of Wikileaks founder Julian Assangeeven “Nixon wonk” G. Gordon Liddy. (12/17/10)

Houston Chronicle: Census Bureau Releases 11.1 Billion Bits of Data
Data wonks devour new census information about the socioeconomic status of the population. (12/15/10)

Internet Evolution: The Coolest Microsoft Tool You May Never See
The new PivotViewer data organization tool from Microsoft is a smooth, intuitive, and easy to learn program for newbies and wonks alike. (12/14/10)

Reason: Everyone Hates Ethanol Subsidies. Why Cant We Get Rid of Them?
Wonks of all typesresearch, environmental, and free market wonksoppose the use of ethanol subsidies. (12/14/10)

The Economist: The Miliband Brothers Part I
Policy wonk David Miliband speaks for the first time about his loss in the recent election for leadership of the British Labour Party to his younger brother. (12/14/10)

Sacramento Bee: The Conversation: No Ceremonial First Lady
Soon-to-be California First Lady Anne Gust proves that wonks can be first ladies too. (12/13/10)

Washington Post: TEDWomen Conference Draws the Powerful to Washington
TEDWomen Conference works to bring all types of wonks, from mammogram technology wonks to film wonks, together to exchange information and form networks. (12/11/10)

Washington Post: John Lennon vs. Bono: The death of the Celebrity Activist
Lennon was a celebrity dissident. Bono is a celebrity wonk. The Post compares the two icons on the anniversary of John Lennon’s death. (12/9/2010)

Wired: North Koreas Newest Weapon: Nuke Torpedo?
China’s strategy is simply to have us negotiate with North Korea and Iran until its nuclear weapons start to kill us, says defense wonk Richard Fisher. (12/9/2010)

POPSCI: You Are Here: How Digital Maps Are Changing the Landscape of the 21st Century
Geopolicy wonks are struggling to comprehend the role and impact of Google, Bing, and other digital maps in geopolitical disputes. (12/9/2010)

Washington Post: At Climate Summit, The Real Action is Behind the Scenes
Carbon wonks and government functionaries gather in Cancun to discuss climate-change. (12/8/2010)

New York Observer: The Tortoise and the M42: Crosstown Buses Still Slower Than Walking [Video]
The M42 bus in Manhattan inches its way across the city at an average of 3.6 miles per hour. Transit wonks offer solutions in a video. (12/7/2010)

Popular Mechanics: America’s Secret Space Plane Lands
Defense wonks say a secret spy plane completed its 220-day mission testing the plane’s ability to “be launched quickly and move around space to make its snooping more unpredictable.” (12/5/2010)

Portsmouth Herald: Patriot’s Fueled by Brady’s Brilliance
The New England Patriot’s superstar quarterback Tom Brady has three Super Bowl rings and a supermodel wife, but it’s his football wonk status driving the team this season. (12/5/2010)

Express Night Out: Truly, Wonkily, Nerdily: Comedy Show at DC Improv Hosted by Comedian Will Durst
Durts, host of DC’s Funniest Celebrity Contest, says it won’t be a complete wonk fest, though he expects a governmental crowd. “I’m a big fan of D.C. because it’s a company town and I speak of the company.” (12/2/10)

Los Angeles Times: An Equipment Bonanza for Kitchen Geeks
Professional cooking tools, once the purview of master chefs, are appetizing gifts for the average kitchen wonk who has everything. (12/2/10)

Los Angeles Times: A Wikileaks Wakeup Call
Washington is reeling from the latest WikiLeaks document dump. Yet, foreign policy and political wonks claim there are few, if any, major surprises revealed in the Wikileaks cables. (11/30/10)

Washington Post: Mexico Seeks Leading Role in Climate Policy
Mexican President and climate wonk Felipe Calderon pushes Mexico to the forefront of economic and climate change issues. (11/29/10)

Forbes: How Did We Get From Mao to Now?
The Asia Society’s Web site, China Boom, explores the question “Why did China boom?” by recording the collective wisdom of the moment, from business titans, academic heavies, government wonks, journalists, artists, a heavy metal rockstar, even a migrant worker. (11/29/10)

Irish Independent: Classics That Eclipse the Potter Magic
Harry Potter didn’t make the Irish Independent’s list of the top ten children’s film classics. But Pixar’s Finding Nemo is No. 10 because “Only the wonks at Pixar could dream up a film in which a lost clownfish is the star.” (11/27/10)

Water Blogged: No Easy Fix for Lake Mead Levels
Self-professed water wonks Shaun McKinnon and John Fleck are closely following the receding water levels at Lake Mead, which recently hit its lowest level since the Hoover Dam was built in 1930. (11/9/10)

The Faster Times: Vitamin D in Kids: How much is enough?
With ever-changing Vitamin D recommendations, nutrition wonks are analyzing the debate over optimum Vitamin D levels. (11/5/2010)

Washington Post: Rhee still mum on wedding to Kevin Johnson
Washington, D.C. is being denied the “East Coast-West Coast wonk royal wedding” of schools chancellor Michelle Rhee and her fiancée, Sacramento mayor and former NBA star Kevin Johnson. (11/4/2010)

LA Weekly: 2Pac and Walt Whitman
In their book, The Anthology of Rap, two professors create a list of the 300 best rap songs that will satisfy both hard-core heads and horn-rimmed wonks. (11/4/10)

The New York Observer: Why Is There a Huge, Half-Built Subway Station in Williamsburg Covered in Graffiti?
Transit Wonks discover a hidden underground subway station taken over by creative street artists. (11/03/2010)

Christian Science Monitor: The ‘Rally to Restore Sanity’ is coming! Send in the wonks
President Barack Obama and chief economist Austan Goolsbe were among the wonks who stopped to chat with Jon Stewart at Saturday’s ‘The Daily Show’ on the mall.(10/26/10)

The Spokesman-Review: Ballot Stats: Turn-in Jumps on Tuesday
Numbers geeks and political wonks are debating: is voter turnout in Spokane County tending up? Tuesday’s ballot count is the highest so far in this election. (10/26/10)

Daily Progress: Enjoy a ride on the Meadow Creek Parkway...while you can
The beauty of the Meadow Creek Parkway in Virginia, 44 years in the planning, was breathtaking enough to leave a local legal and politics wonk speechlessmomentarily forgetting the policy fight over the road. (10/23/10)

New York Times: D.I.Y. Foreign-Aid Revolution
Elizabeth Scharpf, a “mild-mannered policy wonk,” recruited a team of like-minded wonks and consulted villagers, agriculture experts and professors of textile engineering to create a feminine hygiene product that's more affordable for women in developing countries. (10/20/10)

The Globe and Mail: Zaun waiting for broadcast booth call-up
Catcher Gregg Zaun‘s insider baseball knowledge and quirky ease in the broadcast booth make him a baseball wonks dream. (10/17/10)

San Francisco Chronicle: Sunken Delta Islands and Rose Bowls
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta islands are natural treasures that sit like bowls of land surrounded by water. “For water wonks out therethe depth of sunken space[in the Delta islands] is equivalent to 7,691 Rose Bowls.”(10/16/10)

Houston Chronicle: Harris County judge's office likened to CEO
The race to be judge of Harris County is between a transportation wonk and an immigration lawyer, both pledging to boost the region's prosperity through their specialties. (10/16/10)

Washington Post: Federal bookstore rebrands itself for policy wonks in and out of Beltway
The Government Printing Office’s new bookstore was designed to serve the American people. (10/11/10)

Miami Herald: Tarpon book covers all angles for anglers
For fishing wonks, this new book includes chapters on the history of fly-fishing for tarpon and the biology, ecology and management of the species. (10/10/10)

The Atlantic: President Loses ‘Iron Hand,’ Gains Donilon
President Obama‘s new National Security Advisory is a civilian policy wonk who has been involved in every facet of foreign policy. (10/8/10)

MediaBistro: D and R Wonks Agree: Youth Vote Up for Grabs
Wonks from both sides of the aisle gathered to discuss the youth vote and elections. (10/8/10)

Hattiesburg American: New website will impact elections
The new Seethespending.org website is to public policy wonks as the Madden 2010 video game is to football fans. (10/7/10)

Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel: Books go deep inside football, find fresh insights
New books go beyond the field to show that football is a game of strategy, with wonks studying hours of film to gain an edge on opponents. (10/6/10)

Golf.com: Europe’s Saturday comeback showcased the madness of match play
Rankings wonks predict that Lee Westwood will move past Tiger Woods and take the top spot in Golf by month's end. (10/4/10)

San Francisco Chronicle: David Coffaro vineyard specializes in varietals
The coldest summer in more than 30 years has made grape growing difficult, but one wine wonk’s weather updates help winemakers track growing conditions. (10/3/10)

Pioneer Press: Charge of the austerity brigade
The soul of the Republic Party can be found in statehouse around the country where uber wonks are the budget balancers. (10/2/10)

CNN.com: The Kagan factor: Will she be a reliable liberal on the bench?
As a White House lawyer and policy wonk, the newest Supreme Court Justice was involved in number of hot-button issues like late-term abortion, gun rights, affirmative action, and tobacco regulation. (9/30/10)

OregonLive.com: Mother PAC pushes parents' issues
Andrea Paluso, a mother, policy wonk and activist, knows exactly when passion for her work solidified into resolution. (9/30/10)

Rolling Stone: Mark Ronson and the Business Intl
Mark Ronson, producer for Amy Winehouse, has proven to be a music wonk, bringing encyclopedic pop knowledge to geeked-out party music. (9/28/10)

Washington Post: American University, now home to the ‘American Wonk’
NY has finance, Washington has wonks. American University is now home of the wonks. (9/24/10)

Times Union: Beer hubbub is reason for club
Beer wonks debate the merits of hops & diacetyl at a meeting of the Saratoga Thoroughbrews beer club. (9/23/10)

New York Times: Bill Clinton Stumps for Obama
Wonks in the White House. Bill Clinton on Obama: “If you’re an earnest policy wonk like Obama is and I was, it’s hard to believe there are people who really don’t want you to do your job.” (9/20/10)

Washington Examiner: GQ calls Schwarzenegger a ‘wonk’
“The guy is a wonk,” writes GQ Washington Correspondent Ana Marie Cox in a piece that looks at the Gubernator’s tenure and his disdain for gerrymandering. (9/20/10)

Physorg.com: Engineer shrinks ‘U’ logo
A technology wonk displays school spirit by crafting his school logo smaller than the width of an average human hair. (9/17/10)

Newsweek: Summers Leaving Obama’s Economic Team
Economics policy wonk Lawrence Summers headed back to Harvard after November elections. (8/21/10)

Washington Post, GOG Blog: The Great GameAfghanistan
You need not be a history wonk to know that the history of Afghanistan is a complicated series of conflicts, so much so that Tricycle Theatre's history play is three plays, each focusing on a different tumultuous era. (9/16/10)

Time: Election Road Trip, Day 9: Hubdizzle Votes
A Wisconsin voter is a big fan of Paul Ryan, a young Republican budget wonk. Ryan will speak be at AU in late October. (9/14/10)

Newsday: Nadal shows an ability to adjust in winning title
The U.S. Open finals provided tennis wonks with the usual esoteric clues to the inside source of a “champion’s edge.” (9/13/10)

New York Times: Daimler to Launch the Twitter of Ride Sharing
Transportation wonks dub Daimlers car sharing program “mobility on demand.” (9/7/10)

Time: Will Shipping Water from Alaska to India Help Solve the Water Crisis?
It’s World Water Week, that time of year when water wonks who spend their worthy careers thinking about how to get more people access to clean H20, convene in Stockholm. (9/6/10)

New York Post: For the GOP: David Malpass
Some call David Malpass, Senate candidate from New York, a policy wonk. He follows the intellectual tradition of the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, one of the most fertile minds ever to sit in the Senate. (9/1/10)

Boston Globe: Pension chief is all about results
The new chief of the Massachusetts State Pension Fund, is more deep-in-the weeds investment wonk than political creature; somebody the board can hold responsible for financial performance. (8/31/10)

The Eagle: Is there a rock star in your class?
Years from now AU wonks may be the next president of the United States, a network news anchor or even a rock star. (8/30/10)

Slate: Glamour Underground, MoMA's exhibition of smart, stylish London transit posters
Two museum exhibitions in London and at MoMA with a focus on transportation made it a good summer for design transport wonks. (8/25/10)

Forbes: Is It Time to Listen to Rep. Paul Ryan's Economic Prescription?
Paul Ryan, a professional policy wonk from Wisconsin, wants the government to change the way it does business. (8/25/10)

The Christian Science Monitor: Which cities are most willing to tackle education reform?
Education reform wonks please note the cities that are most open to charter schools and innovative ways to attract talented teachers. (8/24/10)

The New York Times: A Wonk’s Guide to Andrew Cuomo
A “Get to Know” profile piece for one of the Guberatorial candidates. (8/23/10)

The Jerusalem Post: Stellar Start-ups: Feed your e-reader
One day, a wonk will publish a price/cost spreadsheet that will make it very clear that e-books are far more economical than print books. (8/23/10)

The Washington Post: In Copycats vs. Copyright, the Knock-off Wins
Want a cheap copy of Chelsea Clinton’s Vera Wang wedding gown? NY Senator Charles Schumer introduced legislation to prevent knock-offs. Calling himself a wonk with no fashion sense, Ezra Klein still thinks Schumer is wrong—you should have the knock-off. (8/22/10)

Field & Stream: Fly Casting at 500 Frames a Second
Brad Pitt’s casting double in a River Runs Through It, Jason Borger, shows the multiple parts of the cast in super slow-mo in an amazing new video, and there’s plenty more to fuel casting wonks’ passion. (8/18/10)

Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Meeting of Local Officials Will Focus on Cooperation
A Pittsburgh hotel will be a wonderland for wonks as municipal officials and academic experts gather for the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities conference. (8/21/10)

The Economist: The Likeable Wonk
Its easy to see why Hoosiers like Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. (8/20/10)

Network World: Intel Buys McAfeeMy Two Cents
Financial wonks were stunned when Intel announced it wanted to by McAfee. (8/19/10)

Newsweek: Predicting Innovation Winners and Losers
Business works often invoke the term “disruptive technology,” (upending an industry) when discussing the future of economics. (8/18/10)

Boston Globe: After Google-Verizon Fizzle, FCC Should Force Net Neutrality
Industry-affiliated wonks are closely watching the debate about regulating the Internet. (8/17/10)

Washington Post: The Live with Chris Cillizza
A reader is impressed with brainiac wonks Paul Ryan and Eric Cantor and asks if they are the future of conservatism. (8/16/10)

Psychology Today: Did You See the Gorilla?
Two researchers created an experiment that will be known beyond psych wonks. (8/15/10)

News-Record: Endorsements for Bruce Davis
The wonk in him, finds competitive political races quite interesting. (8/14/10)

The Register: Hotmail Fix Coming Soon to a Browser Near You
Microsoft says that its development wonks are working hard to fix the bugs in the latest version to hotmail. (8/12/10)

Dallas Morning News: Scrabble Masters Won't Play Around at National Championship
At the National Scrabble Championship, Scrabble word wonks make top plays just as athletes do. (8/7/10)

USA Today: A Science Wonk Covers Tech
Blogger Chris Mooney writes about the intersection of science and politics. (8/4/10)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Shoppers show signs of slowly loosening purse strings
WARNING: The next paragraph contains the word sustainability. Wonk word. Please stick around. (8/3/10)

The Chronicle of Higher Education: Beach Reading 2010: Education Economists Go Global
A new University of Chicago Press book discusses universities in a global market that should be required beach reading for higher ed wonks. (8/2/10)

Fox Business Network: An Interview with Neil Cavuto
Don Imus asks Fox News Anchor Neil Cavuto, AU, MA ‘82 about Fortune 500 CEOs he's interviewed: “Computer wonks didn’t believe Nabisco’s Louis Gerstner could lead IBM, but he was probably one of the most brilliant leaders of the last century.” (8/2/10)

The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa): Ranking the 2010 Big Ten football non-conference schedules
This is for college football wonks. Whatever a wonk is. I just like the word "wonk," writes sports blogger Mike Hlas. (7/26/2010)

washingtonpost.com: COMIC-CON 2010: ALEX ALBRECHT talks comics fandom, Hall H perils — & his 'awesome' work history with BP
Or is that "wonk" history? Albrecht just might be the coolest person in the country ever to have worked for BP. (7/25/2010)

New York Times: Oakland Schools Struggle, but Emeryville May Point a Way Up
Tony Smith, came to Oakland California's school system, a year ago as a self-described education wonk. The leader now has a five year plan to turn around low performing schools. (7/22/2010)

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Rick Steves' Blog Gone Europe–Rail Wonk
Travel writer Rick Steves recently stopped by Germany to meet a rail wonk who for twenty years, has been passionately helping travelers, one by one, catch the right train for the right price. (7/19/2010)

Huffington Post.com: Goddard's Political Dictionary
Speaking of nebulous politicospeak, Taegan Goddard's new wonk-tastic Political Dictionary is now available. Check it out: http://bit.ly/cibQep. (7/13/2010)

Seeking Alpha: Forget BP Fundamentals, Its All About News
An investing wonk keeps close tabs on the news to gauge BP's stock value. (6/30/2010)

Fast Company: What Women Want: The Global Marketplace Turns Female Friendly
Eagle-eyed retail wonk says women like stores as they like their wine—light, bright, and white. (6/30/2010)

Forbes: A Financial Advice Wonk Falls For The iPad
Learning to use the new Apple iPad is a two-part adventure for this financial advice wonk. (6/23/2010)

The Santa Barbara Independent: Ever Musically Onward
After graduating from high school, even devoted music wonks may find their listening habits are a bit calcified. (6/20/2010)

Newsreview.com: Green Teamwork
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, says hes not an environmental wonk, but he and U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui are teaming to make their city the greenest in the nation. (6/19/2010)

The Power Vertical
A blog written for Russia wonks covers emerging and developing trends in Russian politics. (6/18/2010)

Washington Post: Silverdocs documentary festival offers a few lighthearted choices
In a wonk haven like Washington, we like our documentaries filled with talking heads sharing important observations about public policy issues that leave us feeling compelled to make a difference. (6/20/2010)

The Wall Street Journal: Iwry Is Scholar of Savings
J. Mark Iwry, a uniquely powerful Washington wonk is quietly guiding the nation’s approach to retirement accounts and policy. (61/9/2010)

Thetyee.ca (British Columbia): Ideal Summer Reads
Ideal Summer Reading suggests a collection of smart essays assembled by a couple of populist philosophers for "planning wonks and citizen anthropologists.” (6/18/2010)

Los Angeles Times: How to Buy the Perfect Shoe, on Sale, Thanks to Shop It To Me
This article divulges that a computer wonk started the popular sale site. (6/19/2010)

Dcist.com: Top Chef D.C. Premieres Tonight
On Top Chef D.C. will the city gain the foodie recognition it deserves? Will we be shown as more than just a town of wonks? (6/16/2010)

Telegraph Journal (Canada): Who's on first, Mr. Ignatieff?
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is a bit of a hockey wonk. The sport’s big fan regularly attends NHL games with his son and is, reportedly, writing a book on the history of hockey. (6/11/2010)

Denton Record: Keys, riffs and surround sound
The concert should have something for the headbangers and air guitarists as well as a buffet of sound for the music wonks. (6/10/2010)

New York Times: The Historian Knows, and Walks, About Queens
Mr. Schweiger is a bit of a Brooklyn wonk, who as the new Queens as borough historian is about to tackle that turf. (6/9/2010)

Dayton Daily News: Holy Toledo! Art lovers, history buffs and families will find plenty to do in northwest Ohio
Baseball wonks can see upcoming stars for the Indians, Reds and Yankees, and families can soak up the atmosphere at a Toledo Mud Hens game. (5/21/2010)

CustomerThink.com: B2B Marketers Need Big-Picture Thinking
Author of article about B2B marketing admits she's a content wonk, consuming as much information as she can about marketing in a given month. (5/18/2010)

Politico: A Wonk's Guide to Tampa
Planning is underway for the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa. Reporter Patrick Gavin provides a Wonk's Guide to the city where the convention will be held. (5/14/2010)

Staten Island Advance: Life in the fast lane: A lesson in marketing
The marketing wonks at NASCAR determined that students have little interest in stock car racing so they developed a competition to educate college students to the NASCAR brand. (5/13/2010)

Consumer Reports: Buzzword: Building Information Modeling
Engineering and Architecture wonks use Building Information Modeling to simplify the building process. (5/12/2010)

San Francisco Chronicle: White House Geek is Chic
With the election of Barack Obama. Manly, macho, masculine men were out and geek was chic. The Nerd-in-Chief is more policy wonk than saber rattler. (5/12/2010)

Washington Post: When origami meets rocket science
Robert J. Lang had a good career as a laser physicist. In 2001, he gave it all up. To fold paper. Lang isn't the only math and science wonk enchanted by paper folding. (5/11/2010)

The Telegraph (UK): Springwatch takes us on an unlikely urban safari, review
The television programming wonks in the United Kingdom say Springwatch is a TV phenomenon. (5/9/2010)