online archive
5:00PM
AUG 5 2008
We are all Communists now
Charles Thorpe (UCSD) and Ian Welsh (Cardiff): Beyond Primitivism: Towards a Twenty-first Century Anarchist Theory and Praxis for Science and Technology. From PUP, the introduction to After Anarchy: Legitimacy and Power in the United Nations Security Council by Ian Hurd; and the first chapter from Punishing the Prince: A Theory of Interstate Relations, Political Institutions, and Leader Change by Fiona McGillivray and Alastair Smith. From Ephemera, Jason Del Gandio (Temple): Global Justice Rhetoric: Observations and Suggestions; a review of The Dictionary of Alternatives by Martin Parker, Valerie Fournier and Patrick Reedy (and more); a review of The Resources of Critique by Alex Callinicos; and we are all Communists now: A review of The Beginning of History: Value Struggles and Global Capital by Massimo De Angelis. Strange Maps on a world government plan: Aliens to police USA. Three books from a century ago suggest that then — as now — fear, paranoia and concern over new technology ruled the day. From Prospect, the idea of "good character" sounds old-fashioned and patronising, but it may be the key to some of our most entrenched social problems. Nice day, isn't it: What's the best way to talk to a stranger? From Slate, an slideshow on industrial-strength art: The photographers who found beauty in the factory.
1:00PM
AUG 5 2008
Experimentalists are the heavy users
From FP, an interview with Karim Sadjadpour on what Iran wants. Tom Engelhardt on why the US (probably) won't attack Iran. Max Mosely's barrister claims S & M is "harmless and private, and even funny": Is Britain turning into an sadomasochism nation? (and more) Jeffrey Rosen on why a President Obama would need the help of John Roberts to push a progressive agenda. A review of The Cult of Statistical Significance: How the Standard Error Costs Us Jobs, Justice and Lives by Stephen T. Ziliak and Dierdre N. McCloskey. Edge writers react to Chris Anderson's "The End of Theory". From Seed, computers have been responsible for immeasurable progress in physics, but contrary to assumptions, experimentalists are the heavy users. A review of Stuffed & Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System by Raj Patel. Food for Thought: Renewing the culinary culture should be a conservative cause. Praying for health: Religious diversity may be caused by disease. Does anyone know how much oil there is in the world? From Fortune, Brian Hunter brought down Amaranth with disastrous trades on gas; accused of manipulating the markets and called the "destroyer of all worlds" — but is he such a bad guy? More on Amis & Son: Two Literary Generations by Neil Powell. A review of Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body by Jennifer Ackerman
9:00AM
AUG 5 2008
Gunning for the prize
From H-Net, a review of Culture and Redemption: Religion, the Secular, and American Literature by Tracy Fessenden; a review of The Forging of Races: Race and Scripture in the Protestant Atlantic World, 1600-2000 by Colin Kidd; and a review of The Deepest South: The United States, Brazil, and the African Slave Trade by Gerald Horne. From Vanity Fair, long before the arrival of Martha Stewart, Ira Rennert, and Lizzie Grubman, the far shores of Long Island represented a certain lifestyle. A review of books on consumer culture. From In These Times, gunning for the prize: An interview with Noam Chomsky. Simon Blackburn reviews Moral Clarity: A Guide for Grown-Up Idealists by Susan Neiman. A review of In Praise of the Whip: A Cultural History of Arousal by Niklaus Largier. A review of The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes — and Why by Amanda Ripley (and more and an excerpt). What lies beneath: Why fewer Americans believe in hell than in heaven. Does the invisible hand need a helping hand? Samuel Bowles explores the interaction of moral sentiments and self-interest. More on Matt Taibbi’s The Great Derangement. From Business Week, a look at why India will beat China. From Psychology Today, we are quick to judge, fear and even hate the unknown; we may not admit it, but we are all plagued with xenophobic tendencies.
