Giraffe Edition 2
Tony Blair, Swamp Creature
Sam Kriss | Idiot Joy Showland | 23rd June 2014
"Every time Tony Blair re-emerges there’s a shock. The shock of seeing a former lover going through your bins at night, a long-forgotten childhood toy waiting for you on your bed. He represents something that’s been repressed, and though the repressed always returns, it’s always a surprise. Who is this hideous figure? Why is he still alive? Why won’t he just leave us alone? Tony Blair was never alive. He’ll never leave us alone." (1,460 words)
Bailing Out Banks
Henry Farrell | Washington Post | 24th June 2014
Excellent interview, clear and intelligent, with Cornelia Woll, author of The Power of Inaction, comparing how different countries bailed out their banks in the 2008 financial crisis. The American policy of cheap money for everyone was better for stabilising the industry right away. The British policy of expensive money for those in dire need was better for changing future behaviour, and so improving future stability (1,970 words)
The Disruption FAQ
Horace Dediu | Asymco | 25th June 2014
Explanation of disruption theory, rebuttal of Jill Lepore's recent recent take-down (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2014/06/23/140623fa_fact_lepore?currentPage=all) . “Most asymmetric challenges are not taken seriously because they initially benefit the incumbent. The side-effect is that it lulls them into a sense of security resulting in a lack of response. Challengers have the child-like advantage of rapid growth and learning while incumbents are encumbered by their size and lack of flexibility" (2,014 words)
I Know Times Are Changing
Anil Dash | Medium | 25th June 2014
Revisiting Purple Rain, title track of the album that made Prince a superstar, 30 years on. Prince merges moods and motifs from other artists to create a song pretty much guaranteed to send a shiver down every spine. There's a flavour of Bob Seger in there; a big dose of Journey, an echo of J. Geils. Other stars have returned the compliment, with Alicia Keys and Maria Carey among those borrowing phrases from Purple Rain (3,630 words)
A Conversation With Ralph Nader
Tyler Cowen | American Interest | 25th June 2014
Rare example of an interview in which the questions are as informative as the answers, if not more so. Nader denounces crony capitalism — "this combination of Wall Street and Washington, the corporate powers and their political allies, converging across party lines to perfect this corporate government against the wishes of a majority of the American people". Cowen nudges him usefully to clarify and qualify (2,536 words)
Video of the day: Lookin' Out My Back Door"
What to expect: The Creedence song; gorgeous cartoon visuals. Bliss
Thought for the day
"Men are convinced of your sincerity only by your death"
— Albert Camus