Weekly newsletter 44


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

[1]A selection of our best article links of the week, plus featured
  FiveBooks interviews, videos, quotations and more.
    Links:
      1. http://thebrowser.com

Weekly Newsletter

Best of the Week

[5]Attack Dog
    Links:
      5. http://b.rw/xPD9Au

Jane Mayer | New Yorker | 6 February 2012

A very nice guy who makes very nasty ads. This is Larry McCarthy,
  master of the negative TV ad, now working for Romney Super PAC.
  Shredded Dukakis. Did for Gingrich in Iowa. What counts is what works,
  not what's true [6]Comments
    Links:
      6. http://thebrowser.com/articles/attack-dog

[7]Atheism In America
    Links:
      7. http://b.rw/AuHoS2

Julian Baggini | FT | 3 February 2012

Fascinating investigation into discrimination, isolation of atheists in
  the US. “I’d rather have a big ‘L’ or ‘lesbian’ written across my shirt
  than a big ‘A’ or ‘atheist’, because people are going to handle it
  better” [8]Comments
    Links:
      8. http://thebrowser.com/articles/atheism-america

[9]Zap Your Brain Into The Zone
    Links:
      9. http://b.rw/wKqbHH

Sally Adee | New Scientist | 6 February 2012

Journalist tries virtual reality weapons training: "I am failing
  miserably. I'm so demoralised that I'm tempted to put down the rifle
  and leave." But then they bring out the electrodes, and wire her brain
  to a nine-volt battery [10]Comments
    Links:
      10. http://thebrowser.com/articles/zap-your-brain-zone

[11]18 Tigers, 17 Lions, 8 Bears, 3 Cougars, 2 Wolves, 1 Baboon, 1 Macaque,
and 1 Man Dead in Ohio
    Links:
      11. http://b.rw/zyS8VN

Chris Heath | GQ | 6 February 2012

"Deputy Jonathan Merry was two hours into his shift in Zanesville when
  the call came through about a lion and a bear on the loose." When he
  arrived on scene he found a tiger, a black bear, two lionesses. And
  then it got weirder [12]Comments
    Links:
      12. http://thebrowser.com/articles/18-tigers-17-lions-8-bears-3-cougars-2-wolves-1-baboon-1-macaque-and-1-man-dead-ohio

[13]Spinoza’s Vision Of Freedom, And Ours
    Links:
      13. http://b.rw/y2BHw5

Steven Nadler | NYT | 5 February 2012

"Well before John Stuart Mill, Spinoza had the acuity to recognize that
  the unfettered freedom of expression is in the state’s own best
  interest." And in our post 9/11 world, there is every reason to revisit
  the Dutch philosopher [14]Comments
    Links:
      14. http://thebrowser.com/articles/spinoza’s-vision-freedom-and-ours

[15]Man In Full
    Links:
      15. http://b.rw/zXhhkk

Chris Ballard | Sports Illustrated | 6 February 2012

A story about wrestling and wrestlers. So far, so unpromising. And then
  there's the unattractive frat boy violence on page one. But it develops
  into the most moving account of confronting adversity you'll read in a
  long time [16]Comments
    Links:
      16. http://thebrowser.com/articles/man-full

[17]DIY Science: Splitting The Atom
    Links:
      17. http://b.rw/w1O2yJ

Jon Ronson | Guardian | 3 February 2012

Interview with Richard Handl, who did try it at home. "First, he got a
  saucepan. Into it he put his radioactive elements—the americium and
  radium. He mixed them up with sulphuric acid and beryllium, and turned
  on the stove" [18]Comments
    Links:
      18. http://thebrowser.com/articles/diy-science-splitting-atom

[19]Much Ado About Nothing
    Links:
      19. http://b.rw/yUlXwR

SL Price | Vanity Fair | 10 February 2012

Barry Levinson's 1982 comedy Diner had no special effects or stars, was
  about nothing much. But Price makes the bold claim that no movie from
  that decade was more influential. Would Seinfeld have happened without
  it? [20]Comments
    Links:
      20. http://thebrowser.com/articles/much-ado-about-nothing

FiveBooks Interview

[21]Philip Plait on the Wonders of the Universe
    Links:
      21. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/philip-plait-on-wonders-universe

The astronomer and author of the acclaimed Bad Astronomy blog gives us
  a superbly informative beginner’s guide to the galaxy, taking in the
  birthdate of the universe, solar flares and much, much more [22]Read on
    Links:
      22. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/philip-plait-on-wonders-universe

Featured Topic

[23]Human Modification
    Links:
      23. http://thebrowser.com/reports/human-modification

Scientists are experimenting with different ways to enhance humans.
  What's possible? And what may be possible in the future? Does messing
  with Mother Nature raise ethical questions? [24]Read on
    Links:
      24. http://thebrowser.com/reports/human-modification

Reader Recommendations

@maisonneuvemag Men who cuddle with mountain lions: inside Canada's
  bizarre exotic-animal trade [25]t.co/zv8n6sah by @klaidlaw #longreads
  [26]#browsings [27]More like this
    Links:
      25. http://t.co/zv8n6sah
      26. https://twitter.com/search?q=#browsings
      27. http://thebrowser.com/browsings

Book of the Week

[28]Book of the Day
    Links:
      28. http://thebrowser.com/recommended/great-war-and-modern-memory-by-paul-fussell

[29]The Great War and Modern Memory by Paul Fussell
    Links:
      29. http://thebrowser.com/recommended/great-war-and-modern-memory-by-paul-fussell

[30]Wade Davis says: “To understand the sociological impact of the war,
  not just in arts but in politics and the entire shift of the centuries,
  this is the greatest source” [31]FiveBooks Archive
    Links:
      30. http://thebrowser.com/interviews/wade-davis-on-legacies-world-war-one
      31. http://thebrowser.com/fivebooks

Video of the Week

[32]The Strangest Village In Britain
    Links:
      32. http://thebrowser.com/videos/strangest-village-britain

2005 documentary looks at social experiment of Botton, half of whose
  inhabitants have learning difficulties
  [33]More videos
    Links:
      33. http://thebrowser.com/videos

Quote of the Week

[34]Kenan Malik, on belief
    Links:
      34. http://kenanmalik.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/who-needs-god

"No one comes to believe in God because they have been convinced by
    the arguments for God’s existence"

[35]More quotes
    Links:
      35. http://thebrowser.com/quotations

| [36]Homepage | [37]Mobile Apps | [38]RSS Feeds | [39]Twitter |
  [40]Facebook | [41]Privacy Policy | [42]Contact Us |
  Having trouble reading this email? [43]View it in your browser.
  You are receiving this email because you signed up for the Best of the
  Week newsletter on [44]thebrowser.com. [45]Click here to unsubscribe
    Links:
      36. http://thebrowser.com
      37. http://thebrowser.com/app
      38. http://thebrowser.com/feeds
      39. http://twitter.com/thebrowser
      40. http://www.facebook.com/Thebrowser
      41. http://thebrowser.com/privacy-policy
      42. http://thebrowser.com/contact
      43. *|ARCHIVE|*
      44. http://thebrowser.com/newsletters
      45. *|UNSUB|*

Join 150,000+ curious readers who grow with us every day

No spam. No nonsense. Unsubscribe anytime.

Great! Check your inbox and click the link to confirm your subscription
Please enter a valid email address!
You've successfully subscribed to The Browser
Welcome back! You've successfully signed in
Could not sign in! Login link expired. Click here to retry
Cookies must be enabled in your browser to sign in
search