From The Bulletin, as the plausible military rationales for nuclear weapons continue to deteriorate in the aftermath of the Cold War, political and psychological rationales for nuclear weapons — like providing reassurance to US allies — are increasingly viewed to be just as important as deterrence. Report Card: Can the International Atomic Energy Agency stop a war with Iran? Last Call: Tim Heffernan on how industry giants are threatening to swallow up America's carefully regulated alcohol industry, and remake America in the image of booze-soaked Britain. Prosperity isn't just a matter of wealth: Man does not live by GDP alone — an introduction to the Legatum Institute's latest Prosperity Index. The growing distance between Catalonia and the rest of Spain is becoming problematic, and could now be considered one of the most important tail risks facing the euro. Where does language come from? New science suggests we make meaning by creating mental simulations. Brittany A. Baumann reviews Odd Couple: International Trade and Labor Standards in History by Michael Huberman.
