Newsletter 829

2 Nov 2012 • 2 min read

Best of the Moment

Why San Francisco Beat Detroit

Edward Glaeser | Bloomberg | 29 October 2012

In the World Series; also in the national economic stakes. As recently as 1970, the two cities seemed to be on a similar path. It looks very different now. Here's a short lesson in economic history and a few thoughts for the future Comments (https://thebrowser.com/articles/why-san-francisco-beat-detroit)

Anthropology Of Mid-Sized Startups

Kevin Simler | Ribbonfarm | 29 October 2012

Start-up companies show many sociological characteristics of tribes — even of religions. "Like a religion, a startup will care for its collective interest by defining certain things as sacred. Classic example: The company logo" Comments (https://thebrowser.com/articles/anthropology-mid-sized-startups)

India's Feckless Elite

Sadanand Dhume | Wilson Quarterly | 18 October 2012

Will India become the first "fallen angel" of the BRICs? The talented don't go into public service. Parties are family fiefdoms and personality cults. Nearly a third of state and national legislators have criminal charges pending Comments (https://thebrowser.com/articles/indias-feckless-elite)

World's Fastest Number Game Wows Spectators And Scientists

Alex Bellos | Guardian | 29 October 2012

The Japanese have stumbled upon an extraordinary way to do mental arithmetic very, very fast: Become proficient with an abacus, then discard it and do your calculations using a mental image of one. The results are mind-boggling Comments (https://thebrowser.com/articles/worlds-fastest-number-game-wows-spectators-and-scientists)

An Electric Cure For The Mind

Carl Zimmer | Discover | 25 October 2012

Patients with severe depression who don't respond to psychotherapy or antidepressant drugs may be helped by shock therapy. No one has really understood how or why it works. New experiments are getting close to an answer Comments (https://thebrowser.com/articles/electric-cure-mind)

Cycling In Yemen: An Uphill Struggle Against Insurgency And Ignorance

Joe Sheffer | Guardian | 31 October 2012

"The cyclists have been pedalling through the dusty outskirts of Yemen's capital, Sana'a, for just 30 seconds when the first rock comes hurtling at their wheels. A local shopkeeper shouts and waves an arm. 'You gays! Cover up!'" Comments (https://thebrowser.com/articles/cycling-yemen-uphill-struggle-against-insurgency-and-ignorance)
(http://www.amazon.com/Best-of-FiveBooks-2011-ebook/dp/B007GAM6RC?tag=thebro-21)

FiveBooks Interview

(https://thebrowser.com/interviews/professor-keith-jeffery-on-secret-service)

Keith Jeffery on the Secret Service

The author of a history of MI6 tells us about the evolution of the secret intelligence services, their representation in fiction, and the man Fleming may have had in mind when he created James Bond Read on (https://thebrowser.com/interviews/professor-keith-jeffery-on-secret-service)

Featured Special Report

(https://thebrowser.com/reports/epic-adventures)

Epic Adventures

Extreme tourism, unwise adventure and plain bad luck. Enjoy it all from the comfort of your armchair Read on (https://thebrowser.com/reports/epic-adventures)

Reader Recommendations

@rszbt (http://twitter.com/rszbt) The sea doesn't always return tender affection MT @ForeignPolicy (http://twitter.com/ForeignPolicy) : World cities that might not survive next.. t.co/e4LevMZa #browsings (http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=#browsings) More like this (http://thebrowser.com/browsings)

Book of the Day

Book of the Day (https://thebrowser.com/recommended/cradle-thought-by-peter-hobson)

The Cradle of Thought by Peter Hobson

Helene Guldberg says (http://thebrowser.com/interviews/helene-guldberg-on-man-and-ape) : "Hobson tries to make sense of how an infant becomes transformed from an instinctive being at birth into a social, conscious being and how this really powerful ability to learn from each other emerges in infants." FiveBooks Archive (http://thebrowser.com/fivebooks/archive)