Great articles from the last few months
The Day The Movies Dies - Mark Harris for GQ Magazine
Excellent article about the reasons for declining movie quality, why Hollywood works the way it does and why, ultimately, you just have yourself to blame.
The Someone You’re Not - Mike Sager for Esquire
You cannot possibly imagine what it feels like to be falsely imprisoned for nearly 30 years for a rape you haven’t committed. Ray Towler tolerated it all and got exonerated - and deals with it in a way that is so worthy of the utmost respect, you’re left speechless.
The TED videos are a source of great inspiration and I’ve watched dozens of them. Alas, the conference seems to be just another mingling of the elite with distinct attention being paid to who is deemed ‘worthy’ and who’s not. TED will probably go the way of the WEF, Aspen Ideas Festival et al.: A mingling-opportunity for the elite, where everyone postures actually giving a shit about the general well-being of the world, despite the festivities having no measurable impact whatsoever. Alas, that’s what it takes to provide the means to post the great videos online.
Monitoring America - Dana Priest and William M. Arkin for the Washington Post
A great team effort by the Washington Post, not normally perceived as being the government’s most fervent critic. The US domestic intelligence apparatus and what it’s doing behind all your backs to you and your data is one of the most overlooked topics in the US. Shows how inefficient and/or ridiculous and/or intrusive most government initiatives, especially in the security field, are.
Diseases of Affluence - Kevin Patterson for Maisonneuve
“Everywhere Western ideas touch down, people get fatter. Urbanization is literally making us sick.” Urbanization is inevitable, given population growth. So educate yourself about possible trappings.
