Lauren K. Hal (RIT): A Classical-Liberal Response to the Crisis of Bioethics. Ronald Krebs (Minnesota): The False Promise of the Nobel Peace Prize. From The Pomegranate, a review of A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics and Pagans by Jeffrey B. Russell and Brooks Alexander; a review of Western Esotericism and Rituals of Initiation by Henrik Bogdan; and a review of Goddess As Nature: Towards a Philosophical Thealogy by Paul Reid-Bowen. Lauren Elkin reviews Parisians: An Adventure History of Paris by Graham Robb. The Agent Who Disappeared: One of the top literary agents in New York who represented Saul Bellow and others disappeared amid allegations of missing royalties — now her former client Ted Mooney has a new book out and is going it alone. The Better Business Bureau is worse than useless as a source of honest information for consumers. From h+, an interview with Eliezer Yudkowsky on simplified humanism, positive futurism and how to prevent the universe from being turned into paper clips. Board games have withstood the onslaught of PC consoles, still selling millions worldwide — and one country holds the key to their survival: Germany. The United States' defense-spending habit has been out of control for years — will it ever change? A review of Sweetness and Blood: How Surfing Spread from Hawaii and California to the Rest of the World, With Some Unexpected Results by Michael Scott Moore.
