Newsletter 816

19 Oct 2012 • 2 min read

Best of the Moment

The Coming Confession

Seth Davidson | Cycling In The South Bay | 17 October 2012

"Lance Armstrong is getting ready to confess. He’ll make the announcement in the next few days, or he’ll wait until the UCI strips him of his titles and announce it then." And this is what he will, and won't, say Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/coming-confession)

Game, Set And Match

Anonymous | Economist | 18 October 2012

On the work that won a Nobel. "A man who would not donate a kidney in other circumstances may do so if his wife needs one. If their blood types do not match, they can be paired with a couple in the mirror-image position" Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/game-set-and-match)

More Speech Is Better

David Cole | NYRB | 16 October 2012

In defence of free speech, even hate speech. Hate speech may be harmful, but suppression is worse still. "The last thing we need in a democracy is the government—or the majority—defining what is or is not a permissible message" Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/more-speech-better)

China's Other Power Struggle

Charlie Zhu & David Lague | Reuters | 16 October 2012

Not the one for political leadership. But whether monopolies enjoyed by huge state-owned enterprises should be broken up. Corruption of rail presents the case of break-up. Power industry argues for extending already vast role Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/chinas-other-power-struggle)

Brains Plus Brawn

Daniel Lieberman | Edge | 17 October 2012

Reflections on the human body and mind. A gem in every sentence. Average sheep can run twice as fast as Usain Bolt. Human brain burns 600 calories a day. Chimpanzee can rip your arm off. No other primate can pick its nose Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/brains-plus-brawn)

A Taste Of The Divine

Julian Baggini | Aeon | 17 October 2012

Foodie philosopher goes to very expensive restaurant with questions in mind. Can one justify the cost of very fine dining? To what extent, if any, is serious cooking analogous to art? And is it worth it? Comments (http://thebrowser.com/articles/taste-divine)
(http://www.amazon.com/Best-of-FiveBooks-2011-ebook/dp/B007GAM6RC?tag=thebro-21)

FiveBooks Interview

(http://thebrowser.com/interviews/gary-taubes-on-dieting)

Gary Taubes on Dieting

Struggling to hold yourself to a calorie-counting regimen? Ignore the conventional advice on losing weight, says the science writer – what constitutes a healthy diet needs to be drastically re-evaluated Read on (http://thebrowser.com/interviews/gary-taubes-on-dieting)

Featured Special Report

(http://thebrowser.com/reports/air-travel)

Air Travel

Airlines opened to us a world of thrilling possibility. But, for many, flying is still a terrifying prospect. Crashes, though rare, do happen. And then there are the security procedures bequeathed to us by 9/11 Read on (http://thebrowser.com/reports/air-travel)

Reader Recommendations

@joespring Checking in on a oceanic Eden, where hell lies just below the surface. "Paradise with An Asterisk" #longform #browsings t.co/TcchSI3R #browsings (https://twitter.com/search?q=#browsings) More like this (http://thebrowser.com/browsings)

Book of the Day

Book of the Day (http://thebrowser.com/recommended/house-leaves-by-mark-z-danielewski)

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

Jessica Pressman says (http://thebrowser.com/interviews/jessica-pressman-on-electronic-literature) : “Enigmatic, unputdownable, genre-busting contemporary cult classic. It appeals to people who read for entertainment but also to literary critics and teachers, readers of Derrida and deconstruction. This is a book that can rule your universe for a good few weeks – and terrify you.” FiveBooks Archive (http://thebrowser.com/fivebooks/archive)