- 04 July 2008 |
- Site Map |
- Brijit Blog |
- Brijit for Facebook |
- FAQ
- The Economist
- | Time
- | The New Yorker
- | Fortune
- | ESPN The Magazine
- | Wired
- | Smithsonian
- | A.V. Club
in The New York Times 'Week in Review'
by
Daniel J. Wakin, 11 May 2008
Absentminded professors and artists have a reputation for being too much in their heads to pay attention to the mundane details of life, but forgetfulness takes on a new meaning when a $4 million Stradivarius violin is involved. Wakin gives an interesting inside look at the story of violinist Philippe Quint, who left his instrument (on loan from a benefactor) in a taxi while he removed his bags from the trunk. When he closed it, the cab sped away. Luckily, the valuable violin was returned, although its future with Quint is unclear. "When the violin has a chance to rest," its owners said, "we'll be better able to make a decision."
Posted 4:53, 12 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Amber Curtis
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times 'Week in Review'
by
Jack Bass, 11 May 2008
Since Barry Goldwater's Southern strategy, the South has been a bastion of conservative Republican politics, but discontent with the Bush administration and the nation's economic troubles have been pulling more and more white Southerners back into the Democratic Party. Bass identifies encouraging signs of a post-racial electoral map in the South, with whites proving willing to vote for black candidates for the first time in large numbers: "Race itself is receding as a divisive issue." Unfortunately, Bass devotes no attention to the Republicans' response to this development.
Posted 11:50, 12 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Alex Zimmerman
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times 'Week in Review'
by
Jad Mouawad, 11 May 2008
While many politicians have floated proposals to ease American oil issues, such as the gas tax holiday and "environmentally friendly" drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge, Mouawad insightfully argues that "not much" can be done about high gas prices. Despite the fact that America is the world's biggest consumer of oil, the market is "largely immune to Washington's machinations," and the increased consumption of China and India has just as significant an effect on prices. The only real solution lies in reducing demand or increasing supply, but American policies promote just the opposite, encouraging consumption by attempting to keep prices low.
Posted 10:17, 12 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times 'Week in Review'
by
Mark Leibovich, 11 May 2008
Leibovich takes on the "wiseguys" who believe Barack Obama's battle with Hillary Clinton has left him exhausted and diminished, providing six reasons why the opposite might be true. First, the prestige of slaying the giant Clinton machine will prove to strengthen the candidate. His fight with Clinton also vanquishes any perception of Obama being "soft." Third, he now knows he needs to work to win over blue-collar Dems. While Leibovich aptly contrasts Obama from last election's "unscathed" John Kerry, most of his arguments simply mirror those coming from the Clinton podium.
Posted 10:11, 12 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Jonathan Pinoli
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times 'Week in Review'
by
Frank Rich, 4 May 2008
John McCain took months to half-denounce Texas megachurch preacher John Hagee, who endorsed McCain, despite the preacher's assertion that God unleashed Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans as a punishment for gay pride. "A sonorous white preacher spouting venom just doesn't have the telegenic zing of a theatrical black man," Rich writes. And while McCain didn't spend 20 years listening to Hagee from the pews as Barack Obama did with Jeremiah Wright, he did seek out the preacher's endorsement. This far-reaching piece covers everything from rust-belt white voters to disaster relief to make a key point: candidates should not be judged by the actions of every person they associate with.
Posted 4:25, 5 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Beth Young
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times 'Week in Review'
by
Steve Coates, 4 May 2008
This fascinating conversation with Vladimir Nabokov's son Dmitri suffers only from its brevity. Dmitri is the executor of his father's literary estate, and he has decided to publish the author's final novel, The Original of Laura, which his father had only sketched out onto 138 note cards before his death and had asked be burned. "I had never imagined myself as a 'literary arsonist,'" Dmitri says. When asked if his motives for publication are financial, adds, "It's true that my wheelchair requires some costly modifications to fit into the trunk of a Maserati coupe." The novel, which is the tale of a corpulent scholar married to a wildly promiscuous woman, should prove to be fascinating.
Posted 4:09, 5 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Beth Young
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times 'Week in Review'
by
Vivian S. Toy, 4 May 2008
Toy's recent trip to China uncovered some of the country's odd social customs, and in this entertaining piece she relates the uneasiness elicited by the extra attention her mixed-race children received. Because China is "not like the melting pot that the United States is," (Han Chinese make up 93 percent of the population) diversity stands out quite a bit. In addition, Chinese society "emphasizes a collective mentality" in which everyone is part of a family -- which meant that strangers felt comfortable with touching, and asking to be photographed with, Toy's children. An interesting cross-cultural comparison.
Posted 3:33, 5 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times 'Week in Review'
by
Adam Liptak, 4 May 2008
The duty of lawyers to keep client confidentiality may be the base of our justice system, but does this obligation extend beyond a client's death? Some legal professionals say yes, including Judge Jack A. Thompson in Fayetteville, N.C., who reported a lawyer to the state bar for failing to do so. Even though attorney Staples Hughes was divulging information that cleared a wrongfully imprisoned man, Thompson felt the action was inappropriate, as his testimony violated the confidentiality of a client, now deceased. This interesting feature examines both sides of the controversy and explores the narrow exceptions the law provides.
Posted 2:51, 5 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times 'Week in Review'
by
Benedict Carey, 4 May 2008
When Albert Hofmann initially discovered the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD, by accidentally ingesting the substance in 1943, he hoped that it could be studied as a therapeutic agent. However, the circulation of the powerful mind-altering drug doomed this dream, as irresponsible abuse of LSD led the US government to outlaw its distribution in 1966. This also led to the near-halt of research into what Hofmann called his "problem child." This January, however, health officials in his native Switzerland approved the first known medical trial of LSD in more than three decades, a fitting final birthday gift for Hofmann, who died last week at 102. Carey writes a quick but adequate history of the drug.
Posted 11:11, 5 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.
in The New York Times 'Week in Review'
by
Michael Powell, 4 May 2008
Powell's intelligent primer gives some background on the controversial statements of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, exploring the origins of black liberation theology. Its founders in the 1960s intended to show blacks that the Christian Gospel was not "the white man's religion," but rather preached liberation and understanding for the oppressed. However, while the movement is loyal to Christian ideals, it draws on Malcolm X's "emphasis on blackness," prompting the anger of oppression to be expressed. And while Wright's anger may seem a bit extreme, Powell's historical information provides a needed sense of perspective.
Posted 9:55, 5 May 2008
This abstract was written by
Brian Willett
and edited by Brijit.