For most art history students, the days of Dadaism and Surrealism seem like ancient history—two “-isms” buried beneath the quick succession of newer and newer “-isms” reigning ever since. Illustrator […]
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Imagine being a soldier in Afghanistan today. Your platoon is attacked by a group of insurgents who set your outpost on fire. In the chaos and confusion, you step into a pile […]
Americans want change. The Republican victors in Tuesday’s election can certainly say they have a mandate to do what they said they would do. But it’s not at all clear […]
Guess what? Eating cheese isn’t just a mindblowing sensual pleasure, it’s also a patriotic duty. God bless America! The U.S. Department of Agriculture is spending millions of tax dollars to […]
Not a lot of time for me today, but needless to say, there is still a lot of action at Merapi. I’ve opened this thread after seeing the 637 comments […]
Aggressive campaigns by colleges to boost their number of applicants gives the impression of exclusivity, but is this statistical allure harmful to education? Many say, ‘Yes’.
Author on economic sustainability Adam Werbach says environmentalists must embrace emerging technologies and engage corporations as part of its strategy.
The digital world and real world are becoming increasingly complimentary. A more efficient world with new social services is emerging, but is it a good idea?
The European Union is considering introducing legislation that would enable people to request that all personal information stored about them online be permanently deleted.
Germany’s finance minister has sharply criticized the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to pump a further $600 billion into the country’s ailing economy.
America’s inadequate welfare safety net has forced its leaders to take gambles to tackle unemployment, says Will Hutton at The Guardian.
Having relationships used to be easy, says Susan Orlean at The New Yorker. Online networks have created new and complex folds in our social fabric.
Environmentalism is all the rage, but which of our green dispositions really work? The Christian Science Monitor invites you to match environmental wits with Al Gore.
While popular culture emphasizes the role of scientific evidence in the criminal justice system, the role of forensic evidence still plays a minor role in the court room.
“Big Banker is watching you—more closely than ever.” Karen Blumenthal explains new techniques used by financial institutions to asses a person’s credit.
It is Kafka-esque, the Letter from Krasnokamensk Jail, circa 2010: The New York Times has run the Russian oligarch’s statement, the statement he delivered in front of his judge, and […]
With the 600+ comments over on yesterday’s post about Merapi, I thought it would be a good idea to open a new thread. A couple brief updates on the state […]
There are a couple brief articles that an eruption has occurred near the border region of Cameroon and Nigeria – in the state of Benue, which is midway along of […]
“The American dream is the ideology of the housing bubble.” Christopher Caldwell says the American Dream has virtually disappeared since the housing crisis.
Following reports that performers in ‘Spider-Man’ had sustained injuries while using the production’s complex flying equipment, the Broadway musical has been postponed.
“What has become of the rule of law in the U.S.?” Rewritten bankruptcy provisions reduce indebted homeowners to servitude, says Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz.
Forget about 3-D movies and television, says the Christian Science Monitor. 3-D holograms, once seen only in science-fiction movies like Star Wars, are swiftly becoming a reality.
The city that kept out the Republicans and banned Happy Meals has a long history of doing things its own way. The Independent on the history of San Fran.
Research into the possibility of engineering a better climate is progressing at an impressive rate—and meeting strong opposition. The Economist reports.
Award wining Picasso biographer John Richardson examines the painter’s alleged support of communism. Picasso remained sympathetic to Catholicism, Richardson says.
“Ridiculing Tea Party shenanigans is a serious error.” Noam Chomsky says we must first understand why justly angry citizens have been drawn to the right.
The world is lousy with aspiring novelists who will probably never be published. Intelligent Life Magazine offers insight into what keeps them writing.
What can be said of revelatory moments in life whose meaning seems beyond the reach of words? Should anything be said at all? Philosopher Roger Scruton on the ineffable.
Apparently you can teach some old dogs new tricks. In a piece by Digital Planet producer Colin Grant, artist David Hockney discusses his love affair with his iPhone and iPad […]
Jill Lepore, in her New Yorker piece on Ron Chernow’s Washington: A Life (and on, more broadly, biography), put it beautifully: “There is no humility in monumental biography. But there […]