Newsletter 791

24 Sep 2012 • 2 min read

Best of the Moment

President Obama: The Democrats' Ronald Reagan

Andrew Sullivan | Newsweek | 24 September 2012

"One thing that has so far been underestimated is the potential impact of a solid Obama win, and perhaps a Democratic retention of the Senate. It would be a transformational moment." Here, says Sullivan, is what it might mean Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/president-obama-democrats-ronald-reagan)

Beijing's Dangerous Game

Perry Link | NYRB | 20 September 2012

Anti-Japanese protests in China aren't about territorial claims or historical wrongs. "The protests have everything to do with the interests of China’s current rulers, at a moment when the top leadership in Beijing is in turmoil" Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/beijings-dangerous-game)

Mugglemarch

Ian Parker | New Yorker | 24 September 2012

Long profile of JK Rowling, creator of Harry Potter, soon to publish her first adult novel. Tries, but fails, to close the gap between the brilliance of Rowling's storytelling, and her ordinariness—even dullness—in real life Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/mugglemarch)

Fifty-Megaton Elephant In The Room

Jeffrey Lewis | Foreign Policy | 19 September 2012

America and China have edgy relations, and a lot of nuclear weapons that they don't like to talk about. Given bad luck and bad leadership, they could blunder into nuclear war. Shouldn't they try to discuss that problem? Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/fifty-megaton-elephant-room)

Vulnerable Road Users

Jon Sutton | Psychologist | 3 September 2012

Interview with Ian Walker, transport psychologist, about drivers' intolerance of cyclists. "Other road-users don’t know what it is like to be a cyclist. Compulsory cycling as part of driver training would be an ideal solution" Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/vulnerable-road-users)

National Geographic Photo Contest 2012

Various | Atlantic | 21 September 2012

There are 50 images in this photo gallery, drawn from the categories of people, places, and nature. Last two of those categories look the strongest. View on the biggest screen you've got. Just stunning Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/national-geographic-photo-contest-2012)
(http://www.amazon.com/Best-of-FiveBooks-2011-ebook/dp/B007GAM6RC?tag=thebro-21)

FiveBooks Interview

(http://thebrowser.com/interviews/jim-al-khalili-on-atom)

Jim Al-Khalili on The Atom

The professor of theoretical physics explains why Einstein and Feynman were great scientists, and tells us why studying atoms is fun Read on (http://thebrowser.com/interviews/jim-al-khalili-on-atom)

Featured Special Report

(http://thebrowser.com/reports/population-and-resources)

Population and Resources

Will humans run out of natural resources? Is population growth a danger to society? Or will human innovation conquer? You decide Read on (http://thebrowser.com/reports/population-and-resources)

Reader Recommendations

@VelaMag (http://twitter.com/VelaMag) "Touring the Revolution" - @SarahMenkedick (http://twitter.com/SarahMenkedick) reports from Chiapas t.co/8Awah4CN #longreads (http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=#longreads) #browsings (https://twitter.com/search?q=#browsings) #travelreads (http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=#travelreads) More like this (http://thebrowser.com/browsings)

Book of the Day

Book of the Day (http://thebrowser.com/recommended/nietzsche’s-system-by-john-richardson)

Nietzsche’s System by John Richardson

Brian Leiter says (http://thebrowser.com/interviews/brian-leiter-on-nietzsche) : “It’s a very compelling interpretation. Richardson takes the view that Nietzsche is the final point in the history of Western metaphysics” FiveBooks Archive (http://thebrowser.com/fivebooks/archive)