From the latest issue of Variant, Eleonora Belfiore on bullshit in cultural policy practice & research; and Femi Folorunso remembers Brian Barry. From American Scientist, Cosma Shalizi on how statisticians can reuse their data to quantify the uncertainty of complex models; and a review of First Peoples in a New World: Colonizing Ice Age America by David J. Meltzer. The Elegant Jeep: The marvelous "sardine tin" on wheels prospers still as one of the most influential designs in automotive history. An interview with Michael Walzer: "Not a good time for philosophy". From The Daily Beast, a look at why the Tea Party isn't touching financial reform; Tunku Varadarajan on the irrefutable moral case against Goldman (and more); and here's a primer on the Goldman Sachs scandal. Every poem an epitaph: An article on the Protestant cemetery in Rome. Everything Is Illuminated: Inexpensive, handheld Raman scanners will soon enable anyone to identify just about anything. Karen Karbo reviews A Happy Marriage by Rafael Yglesias. A review of Social Conventions: From Language to Law by Andrei Marmor. An interview with David C. Engerman, author of Know Your Enemy: The Rise and Fall of America's Soviet Experts. Fewer Americans are getting married, yet the institution itself has only become more fascinating; Emily Gould considers some recent books on women and marriage. The Sound and the Fuhrer: What makes Hitler an Internet phenomenon? From Utne Reader, a look at what we risk by being so unfocused and how to start paying better attention; if all the world’s a stage, where should you shine your spotlight? Cassette tapes are the new vinyl: Tapes blast a sound that’s just as warm as the crackle and pop of vinyl. A review of Max Weber: A Biography by Joachim Radkau.
