From LiveScience, a look at the top ten disruptive technologies. Here are six ways that the Obama administration can improve the political appointment process (and more). From TNR, John McWhorter on how it wasn't just what Obama said — it's how he said it, like a black man; and a look at how Harvard beat Yale in the Democratic Party. Why are so many oligarchs, royal families, and special-interest groups giving money to the Clinton Foundation? A review of Bush v. Gore: Exposing the Hidden Crisis in American Democracy by Charles L. Zelden. A review of Sarah Palin: the Rise of a Political Star by Kaylene Johnson. Flying Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: How did Marxist class warriors end up fighting for the bosses’ right to fly?  A review of The Case for Big Government by Jeff Madrick. People in Africa, India

… full text available to registered users