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Sunday, July 22, 2012

The Browser daily newsletter [22 July 2012]

22 July 2012
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 Best of the Moment

Bo Xilai: Power, Death And Politics

Jamil Anderlini | FT | 20 July 2012

Gripping, fullest account yet of rise and fall of one of China's most powerful politicians. On this telling, the corruption, criminality and murder could all have remained hidden were it not for a moment of arrogance Comments

Muddled Models

Buttonwood | Economist | 20 July 2012

Why economics fails as a science. Fails to foresee or solve basic problems. Riven by fundamental disagreements. Neglects non-financial motivations. Politicised. Relies on simplified models of world which is itself in constant flux Comments

Does Money Make Us Write Better?

Tim Parks | NYRB | 20 July 2012

"The key idea is that of a community of reference. Writers can deal with a modest income if they feel they are writing toward a body of readers who are aware of their work and buy enough of it to keep the publisher happy" Comments

Nokia's Bad Call On Smartphones

Anton Troianovski & Sven Grundberg | WSJ | 18 July 2012

Years before Apple, Nokia prototyped an iPhone precursor, and an iPad precursor. Never got either to market. Binged on R&D, couldn't execute. Took months to make decisions. Once a leader, now "in turnaround". Or dying Comments

I Really Resent You Using the Word 'Torture'

Amy Davidson | New Yorker | 19 July 2012

Jose Rodriguez, former director of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center, defends waterboarding, Guantanamo, black sites. "Making a few terrorists uncomfortable for a few days is worth it in order to save thousands of lives" Comments

Blowing Up The King David Hotel

Niv Elis | Tablet | 19 July 2012

July 1946 attack helped precipitate departure of British from Palestine. Niv Elis's 91-year-old grandfather explains how he helped carry out the bombing, and hide Irgun leader Menachem Begin afterwards (h/t @polit2k) Comments

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