Lee Bob Black
In my twenties, I was confused with my “wings.” I was left wing on some things, right wing on others. How left was I? I wanted to reform capitalism democratically through state regulation. But I didn’t necessarily believe in a more equal distribution of wealth. How right was I? I advocated the ... Read More
Niccolò Machiavelli is the ultimate power maven. I've read books on him to learn how to gain power and to defend myself against it. Leslie Gelb's book "Power Rules: How Common Sense can Rescue American Policy" (HarperCollins, 2009) draws extensively on Machiavelli's cunning political treatise ... Read More
In the late nineteenth century, large-scale immigration dramatically increased the population of Buenos Aires. Most migrants were men; one figure even suggests a ratio of ten men for every woman. Which industries flourished? Prostitution, for one. Linked with that, the urban legend goes that, to ... Read More
In health care and medicine, mistakes are sometimes made. Unintentionally amputating the wrong foot; whoops. Erroneously injecting three times the proper dosage of penicillin; sorry about that. Incorrectly mailing Mr. Matoro a mammography appointment reminder; beg your pardon. Accidents happen ... Read More
I once asked a stranger at a busy café in Brussels, “What’s the one thing you could be doing right now that would inspire you more than anything in the world?” “I always wanted to buy a motorbike and ride around Africa,” he said. “My hero is some guy who motorcycled Africa for four years in the ... Read More
