Several interesting pieces this time:
How the private sector could build railways again, and save neighborhood life in the USA in the process
Mark Bowden explains the Conficker worm and the threat it may represent to computers on and off the internet.
A piece on the revival of some centuries-old recipes for mixed drinks at fashionable bars in London. The “shrub” sounds alarming, but might be delicious.
There are lots of witchcraft trials in the Central African Republic; here‘s an attempt to see the bright side of that state of affairs.
Benjamin Schwarz isn’t impressed with the “New Urbanism,” and tries to dismiss the reading of Jane Jacobs’ works that has inspired many in that movement.
Michael Kinsley adds a column to the already enormous amount of coverage given to the political movement known as the “teabaggers.” This paragraph contributes something of value to the discussion:
“I like what they’re saying. It’s common sense,” a random man-in-the-crowd told a Los Angeles Times reporter at a big Tea Party rally. Then he added, “They’ve got to focus on issues like keeping jobs here and lowering the cost of prescription drugs.” These, of course, are projects that can be conducted only by Big Government. If the Tea Party Patriots ever developed a coherent platform or agenda, they would lose half their supporters.
I suspect Kinsley is right and “Big Government” is needed to keep jobs in the USA and lower the cost of prescription drugs, but the big government we actually have doesn’t seem to be geared to accomplishing either of these goals. Quite the contrary, in fact.
James Parker tries to find something interesting to say about pop star Lady Gaga. I don’t think he succeeds, but I do think that it’s a waste that someone who is not a drag queen has monopolized the name “Lady Gaga.”
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