Monday Poem: Restricted Fragile Materials
It should be easy, I tell my son,to dispose of the possessions keptin these rooms. I’ve left some things on a shelf for him, see?These coupons might still be valid,the
What is More Important for a Democracy: Elections or Rights?
Samuel Moyn, a law professor at Yale University, prefers voters to judges Damir Marusic and Osita Nwanevu at Wisdom of Crowds: Last December, the highest court in the State of
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The New York Case Against Trump Relies on a ‘Twisty’ Legal Theory That Reeks of Desperation
Jacob Sullum at Reason: Jurors in Donald Trump’s trial at the New York County Criminal Courthouse in Manhattan have heard a lot about paying people to keep their mouths shut. The
How ‘Feelings About Thinking’ Help Us Navigate Our World
A key idea here is that our brains are constantly riding the ups and downs of the uncertainty that surrounds us. Part of this uncertainty has to do with our
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Mother Trees and Socialist Forests: Is the ‘Wood-Wide Web’ a Fantasy?
Daniel Immerwahr in The Guardian: The German forester Peter Wohlleben’s surprise bestseller, The Hidden Life of Trees (published in English in 2016), has inaugurated a new tree discourse, which sees
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Why the Moon is Getting a New Time Zone
The US plans to land astronauts on the Moon in 2026, the first time since 1972. By Richard Windsor at The Week: The US federal government has asked Nasa to
Amir Timur and the Battle of Stalingrad
Habib Khan from Quetta: Amir Timur (aka Tamerlane) allegedly learned perseverance from an ant. According to legends, and the school curriculum, Timur observed an ant repeatedly trying to climb a
Sunday Poem: The Forgotten Madmen
Do not look sadly at days gone bydays below days like a river running under the starsDo not listen to the bluesor speak often with priestsDo not think the rich
Yan Lianke Wants You to Stop Describing Him As China’s Most Censored Author
Yan Lianke at Literary Hub: In China we have a saying that reading a banned book on a snowy night is one of the true joys of life. From this,
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The Fall and Rise of ‘Scarface’
Sonny Bunch at The Bulwark: This week, I’m rejoined by Glenn Kenny to discuss his new book The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface. Among the topics discussed: What
Deepfake Politicians May Have a Big Influence on India’s Elections
Jeremy Hsu in New Scientist: Artificial intelligence is enabling India’s politicians to be everywhere at once in the world’s largest election by cloning their voices and digital likenesses. Even dead
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Cartoons This Week: No One is Above the Law
Selected cartoons this week: Summer Getaway Plans; Columbia Univ. Yearbook, Today’s Specials, Etc.