Newsletter 791
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)
Video of the Day
Errol Morris on Confirmation Bias
(http://thebrowser.com/videos/errol-morris-confirmation-bias)
"We see on the basis of what we believe, not the other way around" More videos (http://thebrowser.com/videos)
Quote of the Day
George Zabela, on being an army chaplain (http://www.larynandjanel.com/blog/69-general/136-remembering-hiroshima-nagasaki)
There is no way to conduct real war in conformity with the teachings of Jesus
More quotes (http://thebrowser.com/quotations)