1. The Kolmogorov Option. I've been meaning to link to this and write about it for some time. But all I really need to say is this: this is an interesting story in its own right; it raises interesting thoughts about how to live under oppressive regimes; and you should consider why a successful left-wing American academic would even be writing this kind of thing in the first place.
2. An interesting bit of history. "Notably, at the start of the sixth century, Aksumite armies invaded and installed a puppet ruler in the Kingdom of Himyar in south Arabia, which had recently undergone its own conversion to Judaism and become an ally of Sasanian Iran. These high-stakes rivalries shaped the world of Muhammad and the first Muslims: indeed, the Islamic tradition holds that the Prophet was born in 570, the “Year of the Elephant,” when an Aksumite viceroy famously marched a fleet of war elephants into Mecca with the goal of destroying the Kaaba." I'm not sure which bit of this is the most surprising. But here you can find more together with some glorious illustrated ancient Gospels.
3. Interesting people. "For instance, an employee who sexually identifies as ‘a yellow-scaled wingless dragonkin’ and ‘an expansive ornate building’ presented a talk entitled ‘Living as a Plural Being’ at an internal company event.”" That was at Google.
4. I'm feeling quite happy about my three recent predictions, what with North Korea talking to South Korea again (and entering the Olympics under a joint flag) and the current turmoil in UKIP. This is the sort of thing I had in mind as liable to persuade people that China might be more worth worrying about than Russia. "Some 18-20 informants may have been killed as part of China's attempts to dismantle the US intelligence operation on its soil. // But it's only the latest chapter in a long saga of espionage and counter-espionage between the US and China - one, say analysts, that should not be eclipsed by the focus on Russian covert activities." Listen to those 'analysts', guys - those informants were apparently killed, not just trolled on an internet forum.
5. An interesting bit of law. "This is a claim by Omodele Meadows for the additional costs of raising her son, Adejuwon, who suffers from both haemophilia and autism. It is admitted that, but for the defendant's negligence, Adejuwon would not have been born because his mother would have discovered during her pregnancy that he was afflicted by haemophilia and so would have undergone a termination. It is agreed that she can recover the additional costs associated with that condition. What is in dispute is whether she can also recover the additional costs associated with Adejuwon's autism." You might want to think how you would decide the case before you look at Yip J's decision here.
6. Technically this is more law, but it's really about interesting social distinctions. This is what happens when international architects from Foster + Partners have a client who first meets them in a semi-detached house in Hayes. (A semi? Ugh!) It's not pretty, but I get the feeling from the judgment that justice has been done. Worth a read.
3. Interesting people. "For instance, an employee who sexually identifies as ‘a yellow-scaled wingless dragonkin’ and ‘an expansive ornate building’ presented a talk entitled ‘Living as a Plural Being’ at an internal company event.”" That was at Google.
4. I'm feeling quite happy about my three recent predictions, what with North Korea talking to South Korea again (and entering the Olympics under a joint flag) and the current turmoil in UKIP. This is the sort of thing I had in mind as liable to persuade people that China might be more worth worrying about than Russia. "Some 18-20 informants may have been killed as part of China's attempts to dismantle the US intelligence operation on its soil. // But it's only the latest chapter in a long saga of espionage and counter-espionage between the US and China - one, say analysts, that should not be eclipsed by the focus on Russian covert activities." Listen to those 'analysts', guys - those informants were apparently killed, not just trolled on an internet forum.
5. An interesting bit of law. "This is a claim by Omodele Meadows for the additional costs of raising her son, Adejuwon, who suffers from both haemophilia and autism. It is admitted that, but for the defendant's negligence, Adejuwon would not have been born because his mother would have discovered during her pregnancy that he was afflicted by haemophilia and so would have undergone a termination. It is agreed that she can recover the additional costs associated with that condition. What is in dispute is whether she can also recover the additional costs associated with Adejuwon's autism." You might want to think how you would decide the case before you look at Yip J's decision here.
6. Technically this is more law, but it's really about interesting social distinctions. This is what happens when international architects from Foster + Partners have a client who first meets them in a semi-detached house in Hayes. (A semi? Ugh!) It's not pretty, but I get the feeling from the judgment that justice has been done. Worth a read.
7. Do I recommend annual letters to shareholders about investments? Not often. But this one is worth a read (not Buffett).
8. You know all the annoying/irritating/infuriating news/opinions/stuff going on? This is worth reading and keeping in mind. So when you read this about this (Margaret Atwood, Bad Feminist) or (I'm guessing) any reaction to this then you will have some idea of why people are saying what they are saying. (I suspect Caitlin Flanagan has time for the Gods of the Copybook Headings, a poem that Scott Alexander put me onto.)
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