The New York Review Of Books – September 19, 2024

The New York Review of Books (August 30, 2024)The latest issue features:

The Secret Agent

Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner

Rachel Kushner’s fourth novel tells the story of a spy-for-hire who infiltrates the ranks of a radical French commune.

Venture-Backed Trumpism

Why have right-wing ideas found such an eager audience among tech elites during Biden’s presidency?

Succumbing to Spectacle

During the last half-century, artists, curators, and scholars have been increasingly preoccupied with the idea of spectacle and with how to embrace, critique, or co-opt the power of work that envelops and overwhelms the viewer.

Jenny Holzer: Light Line – An exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City, May 17–September 29, 2024

Tricks of the Light: Essays on Art and Spectacle by Jonathan Crary

The Avant-Gardists: Artists in Revolt in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, 1917–1935 by Sjeng Scheijen

The Most Conservative Branch

Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism by Stephen Breyer

In his new book, Reading the Constitution, Stephen Breyer criticizes recent Supreme Court decisions on issues such as abortion and gun rights as the product of rigid and imperfect reasoning rather than of ideology, and he argues for a more pragmatic jurisprudence.

Politics: Harris Leads Trump In New WSJ Poll

The Wall Street Journal (August 29, 2024); A new Wall Street Journal poll shows Vice President Kamala Harris is one point ahead of former President Donald Trump.

Chapters: 0:00 WSJ poll 0:40 Harris’s visibility 1:42 Key issues 2:24 Favorability 3:15 What’s next?

While Trump still leads on key issues like the economy and immigration, Harris had 48% support to his 47% in a head-to-head test, claiming an advantage within the survey’s margin of error. WSJ breaks down the major takeaways from the poll.

#Harris#Trump#WSJ

News: Harris Gives First Major Interview, Hong Kong Sedition Charges

The Globalist Podcast (August 30, 2024): Kamala Harris and Tim Walz sit down for their first joint TV interview while Donald Trump reposts lewd comments.

Then: we discuss the state of the free press in Hong Kong as editors face sedition charges. Plus: we examine Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II’s unlikely relationship.

The New York Times — Friday, August 30, 2024

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At Arlington, Trump Returns to the Politics of the ‘Forever Wars’

The 2024 presidential race is the first in 24 years without a major American ground war, but Donald J. Trump continues to stoke division over the post-9/11 conflicts that helped give rise to his movement.

Postal Service Overhaul Runs Into Challenges

Louis DeJoy, the postmaster general, defended the 10-year plan to stabilize the agency’s finances, although he acknowledged that officials had faced initial challenges.

How a Real Estate Boom Drove Political Corruption in Los Angeles

Prosecutors say that corruption is rising in California cities as one-party rule, inattentive voters and weakened news media have reduced the traditional checks on power.

How Biden’s Senate Allies Helped Push Him From the Race

The president’s allies in the chamber he so revered feared he would drag them down and spoil his own legacy, and played a more assertive role than was previously known in his stepping aside.

Research Preview: Science Magazine – August 30, 2024

Current Issue Cover

Science Magazine – August 29, 2024: The new issue features ‘Micronuclear Collapse’ – Mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species disrupt micronuclear envelopes…

Sinking seaweed

An ambitious strategy aims to cool the planet by dumping farmed seaweed on the sea floor. Will it work?

Hot days or heat waves: A split over how to count heat deaths

Focusing on temperature extremes can galvanize policy changes but risks undercounting

Ancient monument’s builders knew their science

Building a Spanish megalith required sophisticated physics, geometry, and geology

The Economist Magazine – August 31, 2024 Preview

Sudan: Why its catastrophic war is the world’s problem

The Economist Magazine (August 29, 2024): The latest issue features

Sudan: Why its catastrophic war is the world’s problem

It could kill millions—and spread chaos across Africa and the Middle East

How to fix social care

Before reform and money comes courage

In praise of digital twins

Welcome to the mirror world

Nvidia envy

Two contradictions could stymie the AI chipmaker-in-chief

Time to pay for blood plasma

Shortages are hampering the production of essential medicines

Politics: The Guardian Weekly – August 30, 2024

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The Guardian Weekly (August 29, 2024) – The new issue features ‘Game Changers’ – Will the Paralympics make a difference for disabled people?

1
Spotlight | Families on the frontline of the mpox outbreak
Carlos Mureithi and Ruth Alonga report from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where 96% of Africa’s 17,000 reported cases of the viral disease this year have occurred.

2
Health | The quest to end the menopause
Women’s ovaries affect everything from metabolism to mood – so some scientists are trying to slow the way they age. But is it a good idea? Amy Fleming investigates.

3
Feature | The evolution of Kamala Harris
After Kamala Harris’s triumphant speech at last week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Janell Ross’s profile tells the story of the vice-president’s rapid rise to become a US presidential contender.

4
Opinion | Escaping Russia’s legacy
Ukraine marked its independence day last weekend with the country still facing an uncertain future. Olga Rudenko’s eloquent piece explains why it was a bittersweet celebration of a defiant nation that refuses to bow to a tyrant and his armies.

5
Culture | The podcast that made true crime truly popular
On the 10th anniversary of the streaming hit Serial, the show’s founder Sarah Koenig talks to Fiona Sturges about how it tapped into the amateur sleuth in us all.

News: Russian Air Strikes In Eastern Ukraine, Pacific Islands New Security Plan

The Globalist Podcast (August 29, 2024): Russia doubles down on its bombardments of eastern Ukraine following what president Zelensky called “one of the largest strikes” of Putin’s invasion. Where does that leave the hopes of peace talks?

Then: we break down a new regional policing plan put forward by Pacific leaders. Plus: the Venice Film Festival gets under way.

The New York Times — Thursday, Aug 29, 2024

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At Least 10 Killed as Israeli Military Steps Up West Bank Raids

Hundreds of troops entered cities in the occupied territory, targeting Palestinian militants. It was a significant escalation after months of raids that have unfolded alongside the war in Gaza.

Far From Presidential Battlegrounds, Blue States Could Decide Congress

New York and California have become unlikely focal points in the fight for control of the House, as Democrats toil to appeal to wary voters in districts won by President Biden.

Telegram Founder Charged With Wide Range of Crimes in France

Pavel Durov, who was arrested near Paris over the weekend as part of a broad investigation into criminal activity on the platform, was also barred from leaving the country.

The East Rises in Germany, and So Does Political Extremism

Closely watched elections in the former East Germany are likely to reveal a still-divided country and yield a worrying challenge to Berlin.

Research Preview: Nature Magazine – August 29, 2024

Volume 632 Issue 8027

Nature Magazine – August 28, 2024: The latest issue features ‘Space Omics’ – Biomedical atlas captures health effects of spaceflight…

Why record wildfires scorched Canada last year

Snows melted earlier than usual because of climate change, fuelling the unprecedented blazes.

These decoy ‘female’ fireflies lure males to their doom in a spider’s embrace

Certain spiders take advantage of the fact that a male firefly can flash even after being bitten and wrapped.

Gut microbes’ genomes are a trove of potential antibiotics

Newfound compound is as effective at treating infected skin wounds as is the antibiotic of last resort.

This unlucky star got mangled by a black hole — twice

Bursts of light hint that a star in a nearby galaxy was partially shredded in 2022 and 2024 and might be in for another round.

News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious