Christy Chapin (Virginia): Meeting the 1950s Consumer Ideal in Health Care. Our world of diversity and microfame owes Michael Jackson, the Last Celebrity, the tribute of old-fashioned immortality. Before you gossip, ask yourself this: "Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?" The Democrats are doomed — what better time to tackle climate change? Mark Miodownik packs Materials Library with the world’s strangest substances — the blackest black created, a metal that screams — to instil a sense of wonder in visitors. A review of And Then There’s This: How Stories Live and Die in Viral Culture by Bill Wasik. I'm Feeling Unlucky: An essay on independent culture in the Google Era. Why do Americans only give when they see the drama unfold on TV? Matthew Bishop and Michael Green, authors of Philanthrocapitalism, on the nature of sympathy. A history of the world in 100 objects: A new BBC radio series shows how the things that man made can be even more compelling witnesses to the past than the events he witnessed. A look at ten psychology studies from 2009 worth knowing about. A review of The Posthuman Dada Guide: Tzara and Lenin Play Chess by Andrei Codrescu. Joseph Pugliese (Macquarie): Apostrophe of Empire: Guantanamo Bay, Disneyland. Locally produced food is best, but we also want oranges in August and an end to world famine — what's a locavore to do? Sometimes the most obscure news article reveals significant processes that have the potential to reshape global geography. Got a working time machine you can use? Might be a good idea to take along this handy map to make sense of where you find yourself.
