Writing Worth Reading
Last updated 7 pm BST
Writing Worth Reading
"Unemployment represents a crisis of imagination, a failure to figure out how to make potential workers productive in the modern economy." Here's why America has too many Detroits and not enough Seattles – and what to do about it
Excellent read on what Europe means to Ireland. First it was the money. Then came equal pay for women, decriminalisation of homosexuality, a sense of connectness. Now it's back to the money. But this time it's flowing the other way
Terrific pull-together analysis of European and American economic strife, and a great read to boot. All the stories of protest and uncertainty are merging into one big story – the crisis of globalisation
We spend a lot of time considering our conscious mind. But what about our unconscious brain processes? How much of them do we really understand? Read on for a little history, some science and a surprising thought experiment
Another fast and furious tirade, this time aimed at New York mayor. Bloomberg's recent comments on OWS "allow us to see under his would-be hip centrist Halloween mask and look closely at the corrupt, arrogant aristocrat underneath"
Ever heard of Skylar Diggins? We won't say you will – but you might. She's leading the Notre Dame women's basketball team and, says ESPN, will be the athlete who finally makes men appreciate women's sport
The fruit, not the tech firm. Its long history starts on the slopes of the Tian Shan mountains, separating Kazakhstan from China. Nowadays it's one of the most widespread of fruits. This is how it got there
First thing to come to mind when one thinks of Apple is design. But actually “operations expertise is as big an asset for Apple as product innovation or marketing. They’ve taken operational excellence to a level never seen before"
Denunciation of Mitt Romney's foreign policy pronouncements. The Republican contender thinks there's ground to be gained here but his analysis of the Middle East, such as it is, is inconsistent, nonsensical, wrong
Super feature reveals "how a mechanical genius methodically tackles an abstract problem. And perhaps most of all, how power and capital — both literal and political — can be spent to maximise positive impact on the world"
Writer heads to remote area of Peru, stronghold of Shining Path. "Nobody seemed to know how long the bus trip was or how the roads were or how I would go about getting there. A few were horrified to learn I was planning to go alone"
Transcript of application letter from young Madonna to appear in erotic thriller A Certain Sacrifice. Revealing. "During high school, I became slightly schizophrenic as I couldn't choose between class virgin or the other kind"
At the same time. Impressive, you must admit
“The crowd is stupider than the averaging of its component minds"
Michael Lynch, on first principles
"Try giving a good argument for why logic is reliable, that doesn’t use logic"
Paul Mason, on national security
"If you ever wonder why serving politicians go grey so quickly, it is in part because they see the intelligence"
