Newsletter 299


Hic sunt camelopardus: this historical edition of The Browser is presented for archaeological purposes; links and formatting may be broken.

[1]Half A Miracle
    Links:
      1. http://b.rw/kPmNfp

Francis Fukuyama & Seth Colby | Foreign Policy | 25 April 2011

Remarkable story of how Medellín, Colombia's drug capital, became as safe as
  Washington. Unexpected victory for urban planning - placing beautiful
  architecture in poorest, crime-ridden areas - and social reintegration
  programmes [2]Comments
    Links:
      2. http://thebrowser.com/articles/half-miracle

[3]Obituary: Osama Bin Laden
    Links:
      3. http://b.rw/kRXhTE

Jason Burke & Lawrence Joffe | Guardian | 2 May 2011

"Raised in a palace in Jeddah, Osama grew up polite, diligent and pious.
  Though he graduated in civil engineering and spent a short period in the
  family company, his interests lay elsewhere. He leaves four wives and 19
  children" [4]Comments
    Links:
      4. http://thebrowser.com/articles/obituary-osama-bin-laden

[5]The Last Prisoner
    Links:
      5. http://b.rw/j0ikmh

Ekaterina Loushnikova | OD Russia | 28 April 2011

Conversation with Pavel Galitsky, recently turned 100, who survived 15 years
  in Kolyma, the worst of the Soviet arctic labour camps. It was "Auschwitz
  without the ovens". Two-thirds of arriving prisoners died within three
  months [6]Comments
    Links:
      6. http://thebrowser.com/articles/last-prisoner

[7]How Writers Build The Brand
    Links:
      7. http://b.rw/ldkynT

Tony Perrotet | NYT | 29 April 2011

Writing the book is the easy part. It’s when publication looms that the real
  work begins: rabid self-promotion. But despite what authors think, that's
  nothing new. Herodotus recited his Histories to the crowd at the Olympic
  Games [8]Comments
    Links:
      8. http://thebrowser.com/articles/how-writers-build-brand

[9]The Destruction Of Economic Facts
    Links:
      9. http://b.rw/lOD16A

Hernando de Soto | Businessweek | 28 April 2011

Acclaimed Peruvian economist with helpful backgrounder on financial crisis.
  Confused by all the recent analysis? No problem, this clear and detailed
  feature should help you grasp the underlying causes and evaluate continuing
  risks [10]Comments
    Links:
      10. http://thebrowser.com/articles/destruction-economic-facts

[11]No Life Is Good
    Links:
      11. http://b.rw/l1WbuI

David Benatar | Philosophers' Magazine | 1 May 2011

Some lives are better than others. But is any life good, in absolute terms?
  Probably not. Pains far outweigh pleasures. Not much we can do about that.
  But we should stop creating more children, who will have more not-good lives
  [12]Comments
    Links:
      12. http://thebrowser.com/articles/no-life-good

FiveBooks Interview

[13]Donald S Lopez Jr on Buddhism
    Links:
      13. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/donald-s-lopez-jr-on-buddhism

The Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at the University of Michigan
  discusses  the Dalai Lama stepping down as the political leader of the
  Tibetan government in exile and Europe’s links to Buddhism

Featured Topic

[14]Terrorism
    Links:
      14. http://thebrowser.com/topics/terrorism

Dive into our experts' reading list. Jessica Stern, Simon Conway and other
  internationally recognised authorities talk about terrorism, and recommend
  which books and articles to read

Reader Recommendations

_@TheAmScho_:  On  being a Yankee fan and being American- [15]All Points
  [16]#browsings
    Links:
      15. http://www.theamericanscholar.org/yankees
      16. https://twitter.com/search?q=#browsings

Book of the Day

[17]Rabbit at Rest by John Updike
    Links:
      17. http://thebrowser.com/recommended/rabbit-rest-by-john-updike

_[18]Ian McEwan_ says: “Updike has been a very important writer for me, the
  one I’ve admired most and returned to most often”
    Links:
      18. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/ian-mcewan-on-five-books-have-influenced-my-novels

Video of the Day

[19]Obama: Bin Laden Is Dead
    Links:
      19. http://thebrowser.com/videos/obama-bin-laden-dead

White  House  announcement,  broadcast on Sunday evening, interrupting
  "Celebrity Apprentice"

Quote of the Day

[20]David Benatar, on well-being
    Links:
      20. http://www.philosophypress.co.uk/?p=1902

"Chronic  pain is common, whereas there is no such thing as chronic
    pleasure"

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