From The Saturday Evening Post, a look at why America should care about the World Cup. From BBC Magazine, could America take to cricket? From the Navy Times, a look at the perils of being a pirate. An interview with Helen Nissenbaum, author of Privacy in Context: Technology, Policy, and the Integrity of Social Life. Beyond Comprehension: We know that genocide and famine are greater tragedies than a lost dog — at least, we think we do. Garry Kasparov reviews Chess Metaphors: Artificial Intelligence and the Human Mind by Diego Rasskin-Gutman. Martha Nussbaum on sexual orientation and religion. Schtuppin’ with the Stars: The celebrity sex video became a brand enhancer for the likes of Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, but the current crop, from an Eric Dane three-way to Colin Farrell’s talky romp, is just plain pathetic. The introduction to Show Sold Separately: Promos, Spoilers, and Other Media Paratexts by Jonathan Gray. A review of Out of Athens: The New Ancient Greeks by Page duBois. A review of On the Spartacus Road: A Spectacular Journey through Ancient Italy by Peter Stothard. Scientists are arguing that tedium is good for your brain, but some novelists argue that it’s good for your soul. Are we in danger of knowing too much?: Paul Parsons on the dangers of a high-information diet. "21st century syndrome"?: An intriguing diagnosis posits that we live in an age so stressful we can no longer cope. With the absurd, Bushian overreaction to the Christmas Day terrorist attempt, Tyler Brule has come up with a remedy for American stupidity that is altogether brilliant: Boycott the United States.
