Best of the Moment
europe
Kristin Ohlson | Smithsonian | 27 July 2010
Studying ancient graffiti leads to some surprising discoveries, among them that Nero was more popular than generally supposed. Walls also used to display wit, declarations of love and appreciative remarks by visitors
Various | Boston.com | 26 July 2010
Stunning photo essay from the world's greatest cycle race. Wonderful combination of landscape and action, with much to appreciate even for non-cycling fans
Charles Crawford | Blogoir | 22 July 2010
International Court of Justice was asked to rule on the wrong question, perhaps intentionally. Kosovo remains in the all-too-difficult box, at centre of jurisprudential, political, moral earthquake zone
Richard Williams | Guardian | 22 July 2010
Enjoyable anecdotal history, recalling 100 years of the Col du Tourmalet, the first mountain to be included in the Tour de France. Perfectly practicable, said the original route planner, after falling down a ravine and having to be rescued
Landon Thomas | NYT | 20 July 2010
Jaw-dropping account of public-sector profligacy, illuminates broader Greek crisis. Railway system pays drivers $130,000 a year to run empty trains. Debt-servicing charges amount to three times revenues
Tim Judah | Economist | 19 July 2010
"In theory they have 78 locomotives, but only 18 to 20 actually work, and the rest are cannibalised to keep the others going." Total ticket sales per year: €346,153
Alain de Botton | New Statesman | 19 July 2010
Wonderful short essay on Auguste Comte, and his attempt to create a new godless religion which could "console sceptical, secular minds facing the irritations of communal life or the terrors of finite existence"
Jane Kramer | New Yorker | 15 July 2010
Concise account of historical, political perspective. Thousands of French Muslim women wear burka daily, symbol of widening cultural divide. Big social repercussions if ban goes ahead
Suzanne Daley | NYT | 15 July 2010
Inspired. Zooms in on small town of Wemmel, near Brussels, to show craziness of Belgium's language laws. Most residents speak French, but officialdom speaks only Flemish
Steven Zipperstein | Jewish Review Of Books | Summer 2010
Amazing life of Mark Zborowski: anthropologist, Soviet spy, author of standard work on Jewish life in pre-Holocaust Europe. Jailed in US, made final career shift into experimental medicine