Bomb proof: Terrorism is no longer much of a “black swan” event for markets. An interview with Francis Fukuyama on the challenge of positive freedom. It's taken more than 200 years, but finally a British prime minister has accepted that Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison and Washington were right. From Plenty, an interview with Joel Makower on the future of green business. Was the New Deal un-American? Eric Rauchway on the liberal roots of the imperial presidency. A review of Richard Milhous Nixon: the Invincible Quest by Conrad Black (and more and more). From Harper's, "Undoing Bush: how to repair eight years of sabotage, bungling, and neglect", Chris Mooney on science. Locks of controversy: Rumors that Angelina Jolie had cut off her adopted daughter's hair caused an outrage. Why is hair such a highly charged symbol in the black community? The Science of Success: James Surowiecki on prediction markets.
From Smithsonian, 100 Days That Shook the World: The all-but-forgotten story of the unlikely hero who ensured victory in the American Revolution. The new Nixon Library will host a ceremony celebrating its debut as an official presidential archives. Whatever is sighted there, we can be confident that Nixon's ghost is not coming back. Fire Foxman: Denying the Armenian Genocide should be the last atrocity perpetrated by the ADL chief. Hedges, Private Equity, and the Little Guy: What happens to corporate and government pension plans when the bottom falls out on hedge funds? Grapes from Greenland: Danish author Jorn Riel describes the beauty and horror of Greenland in his dreams. The Flag Project runs it up the pole: Ask people about the American flag and you'll get interesting answers. An excerpt from Total Capitalism: Market politics, market state.
A review of Chasing Kangaroos : A Continent, a Scientist, and a Search for the World's Most Extraordinary Creature by Tim Flannery. All bets are on: How a once dirt-poor American Indian tribe opened seven casinos on prime Florida real estate and bought the Hard Rock chain, catapulting itself to immense wealth in a single generation. Thanks to modern technology, the young can enjoy the dream of frictionless, effortless motion, but should the rest of us feel left out? The New Science of Parking: Big cities are turning to new technologies and theories to try to relieve an old problem: traffic congestion. The inaugural issue of Turbulence is out. Reason in Politics: A review of Al Gore's The Assault on Reason. From Economic Principals, an article on Everything You Wanted To Know (But Were Afraid To Ask) About Two-Sided Markets.
Form Cato Unbound, Brink Lindsey on The Libertarian Center (with reaction essays). Voice for a sick planet: Controversial scientist James Lovelock believes Earth will survive global warming. This “great moderation” was not anticipated when Alan Greenspan took office. America’s fiscal policy was then thoroughly deranged – much more so than it is now. A review of Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe’s America by Andrew Ferguson (and an interview). The Magic of Debt, or, Amortise This! Today we don’t feel guilty about incurring debts, just the opposite – indebtedness is the entry price of being a good citizen, pulling more and more of us into the global financial system. Here Brett Neilson offers some philosophical and political tools for disowning a debt which can never be repaid. A review of An Ocean of Air: A Natural History of the Atmosphere by Gabrielle Walker.
