A well-executed animated argument for how factors not appearing on the books can inflate the original estimate of the war by as many as fifty times. As an example of how information graphics, especially when cleverly designed and animated, can make a case for a particular point of view, this is a good one. As an example of how information graphics, even when cleverly designed and animated, can give the mistaken appearance of an unbiased point of view, this is also a good one.

Extensive and really wonderful collection of end titles from old movies. Among my favorites: “Strangers on a Train,” “Grand Hotel” and this unidentified film.

Exactly like the name says.

I intend to root for the Rays in the World Series, but I think it’s highly inappropriate for them — or any athletes, for that matter — to go on the stump for any political candidate, Republican, Democrat or what have you. Especially when the team is from a swing state. Tampa Bay fans of every political persuasion have the right to root for their team without the messy encumbrances of politics.

Of course I’m partial to this campaign, but these two new commercials — especially the one called “Bean Counter” — are really quite funny. As a response to Microsoft’s unimaginative “I’m a PC” rejoinders, these are not only smarter, but they play by Apple’s rules. Which is to say, they continue to play offense, while Microsoft’s campaign is clearly playing defense.

“Typetweets displays the last 100 tweets from Twitter that mentioned a typographic related term for your viewing pleasure.” It’s sort of like distilling the most esoteric from the trivial.

The latest installment in the Times’ “If Elected” series, examining how the two presidential candidates would handle the issues. This one is a truly excellent look at how choosing a President directly impacts the American technological landscape — meaning, for me and many readers, our jobs.

“For decades, the United States dominated the technological revolution sweeping the globe… Today, the dominance is eroding. In 2002, the nation’s high-technology balance of trade went south, and it never came back… There is wide agreement among economists and other experts that the capacity to innovate is central to growth, quality of life and success in the global marketplace — a point on which the candidates agree.

“‘If we don’t have an innovation agenda, if we don’t invest in science research, if we don’t provide encouragement for our kids to pursue careers in math and science, I don’t see where our country can go economically in the future,’ said John Edward Porter, a Republican former congressman who is the board chairman of Research!America, an advocacy group.”

“Every week I’ll take a popular and known website and reconstruct it by removing all words and images, replacing them with blocks.” An interesting visual exercise, but one gets the idea pretty quickly.

“It says nothing new or insightful about the president, his triumphs and calamities. (As if anyone goes to an Oliver Stone movie for a reality check.) But it does something most journalism and even documentaries can’t or won’t do: it reminds us what a long, strange trip it’s been to the Bush White House.” On a side note, it’s amusing to me that, with this movie, the Brolin family has now cornered the market for liberal actors playing Republican presidents.

For no apparent reason, I thought to myself this afternoon, “I bet there are some pretty good galleries of wrecked cars to be found on the Internet.” And there are, apparently. Here’s another one that specializes in wrecked exotic cars. Sorry folks, these ideas just come into my head sometimes.