An Arctic Odyssey and Scottish Isles

January 24, 2010Well Worth ReadingJames

Two articles remind me why I’m a National Geographic subscriber. 1,000 Days in the Ice is a gripping retelling of a turn-of-the-century expedition to the North Pole, with two explorers working their way across the ice to safety. Edge of the World is an overview of Scotland’s Hebrides Islands, offering the kind of breathtaking photos that make you want to set your life to exploring.

AV Club Interview with Loudon Wainwright III

January 21, 2010MusicJames

The AV Club has an interview with singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, who puts out witty, literate and heartbreaking songs, one after another. (He is also a Judd Apatow bit player, which has made for some funny moments.)

James Fallows Examines America

January 7, 2010PoliticsJames

That is the American tragedy of the early 21st century: a vital and self-renewing culture that attracts the world’s talent, and a governing system that increasingly looks like a joke. One thing I’ve never heard in my time overseas is “I wish we had a Senate like yours.”

In the most-recent issue of the Atlantic, James Fallows has an insightful examination of the strengths and flaws of the contemporary United States of America: How American Can Rise Again. He is largely optimistic, but as the quote suggests, he identifies our political system as unrepresentative, unable to engage major issues and perhaps irredeemably broken. An interesting read.