Sunday, October 07, 2018

Taking Risks and Identifying Weakest Links

Does Ian Buruma's abrupt departurefrom the New York Review of Books mean that editors will be reluctant to take risks? Laura Kipnis is concerned Taking Risques  


How did a man endowed with unremarkable attributes become the most dangerous person in the world? The odd saga of personality-typing Hit L E R'


Analysis: Chinese reporter's outburst in the UK could be a sign of things to come

The incident where a Chinese state media reporter disrupted an event at the Conservative Party conference in the UK, slapping a volunteer, comes as China is more forcefully asserting its world view on the global stage, writes Bill Birtles.


Lou Isabel David Veronica Jan etc Soprano Montserrat Caballé, 85

"Ms. Caballé's exalted status was won by virtue of the vast number of roles at her command; the length of her performing life; and the lather of adoration into which her fans routinely whipped themselves. ... But above all — and this is what moved her fans to ardor in the first place — there was the voice itself. For sheer vocal glory, reviewers wrote, few voices, if any, could rival Ms. Caballé's." … [Read More]

The years-old mystery of what’s in President Donald Trump’s tax returns will likely quickly unravel if Democrats win control of at least one chamber of Congress.

Democrats, especially in the House, are quietly planning on using an obscure law that will enable them to examine the president’s tax filings without his permission.

The president has long sold himself as a self-made billionaire, but a Times investigation found that he received at least $413 million in today’s dollars from his father’s real estate empire, much of it through tax dodges in the 1990s.

Jacqui Curtis' recent story on risk Engaging with risk: our appetite for change


R.T.’s Commonplace Blog: Nathaniel Hawthorne on Death.
As a Catholic, I was taught to remind myself that each day could be my last. So thinking about death isn't new to me. But an experience I had last year, during an unexpected dustup with the Grim Reaper, has led me to think I have some idea of what happens when the curtain falls.


Why the office isn't dead yet
Both co-working and hot-desking take the ideas of flexible, remote and home working, and blend them with offices offering community and interaction, trying to combine the cost savings of smaller, flexible workspaces without downsides such as isolation and irritation. Does that mean the death of traditional offices? Or are we merely outsourcing our desks to specialists? The answer is simple: ask your employees.


Better budgeting: public participation is Australia's 'weakest link'
POLICY DECISIONS: The federal government should open up the budget process to greater transparency and public participation, says tax expert Professor Miranda Stewart. Other countries offer plenty of innovative ideas.
Budget honesty should mean incorporating distributional analysis


Can politics build, rather than divide?
LEADERSHIP AWARDS: Dennis Richardson has joined a non-partisan prize that embraces the question: what are the qualities of real political leadership?

DIRDC secretary’s thoughts on the role of the APS
STEVEN KENNEDY: "Institutions are not without fault ‒ their greatest strength is their biggest weakness, from expertise and uniqueness of role can arise inflexibility, arrogance and insularity."

Our fast-growing cities and people prove to be remarkably adaptable
CASE STUDY: Urban growth has had much less impact on commuting distances and times than media reports would suggest.
Cutting the commute: the benefits of working remotely
‘The 30-minute city’ and reimagining the role of agencies













When Your Bookstore Has A Tough Time, Why Not Combine Forces With The Butcher Shop And The Bakery?

In this town of 8,500 people in Germany, both bakeries closed, and the bookshop was having a hard time – so it was time for a combination of Brötchen and Bücher. (The Wurst came a little later.)






How Do You Make Both Characters In A Terrifying Thriller Somewhat Sympathetic?

It’s writing craft, of course – and making sure to have two points of view. Author Zoje Stage: “A lot of the tension in the book comes from the dual perspective of seeing how these two characters interpret the same event differently, which makes people question if one of them is more right than the other.” And then there’s the “European cinema” house setting …








Ian Buruma Explains Why He Resigned From New York Review Of Books After Ghomeshi Essay

No, [the publisher] did not fire me. But he made clear to me that university publishers … were threatening a boycott. They are afraid of the reactions on the campuses, where this is an inflammatory topic. Because of this, I feel forced to resign — in fact it is a capitulation to social media and university presses.” Even so, he says, “I still stand behind my decision to publish.”

New York Times Book Critics Dish About The Nobel Lit Prize That’s Not Being Given This Year








Reading Is Good For Your Health, Especially If You’re Older: Research

Studies released over the past decade indicate that reading regularly can increase the odds of longevity, bolster blood flow to the brain, maintain vocabulary and critical thinking skills, and even hold off dementia. What’s more, books provide more benefit than even long-form newspaper or magazine articles.

We Acknowledge Our Failures’: New York Review Of Books Issues Statement On Jian Ghomeshi Essay


Does The Perfect Sentence Exist?

What can celebrated writers teach the rest of us about the art of writing a great sentence? A common piece of writing advice is to make your sentences plain, unadorned and invisible. George Orwell gave this piece of advice its epigram: “Good prose is like a windowpane.” A reader should notice the words no more than someone looking through glass notices the glass. Except that you do notice the glass.

Firms warned on tax data inconsistency
Australian companies facing their second year of reporting under new anti-tax avoidance laws are being warned to avoid inconsistencies with publicly available business information. The measures refer to the tax planning strategies used by multinationals to exploit gaps and inconsistencies across jurisdictions, including efforts to artificially shift profits to low or no-tax jurisdictions despite having little or no economic activity there.