2014-01-05 (Sunday)

Photos

1. My Last.fm Artists chart for 2013

   
   • 2014-01-05

2. My Last.fm Tracks chart for 2013

   
   • 2014-01-05

3. My Last.fm Albums chart for 2013

   
   • 2014-01-05

Links

1. Diary by Peter Pomerantsev (London Review of Books)

   Starts as a fascinating brief description of sistema, the pervasive Russian corruption, ends up starting to show how London is now a place where this is legitimised. Laundering crookedness.

2. Diary by Lynn Visson (London Review of Books)

   A shortish piece on being an interpreter at the UN.

3. Success by Benjamin Markovits (London Review of Books)

   I’m not into sport but love articles like this, which ponders why England/GB has been successful in recent years at some sports. Business, statistics, culture, etc.

4. The Logic of Nuremberg by Mahmood Mamdani (London Review of Books)

   On the differences between the Nuremberg Trials and the Convention for a Democratic South Africa, and how they compare to the International Criminal Court. Which isn’t really selling it, but I hadn’t thought about these fundamental differences. (Subscribers only)

5. Sold Out by Stefan Collini (London Review of Books)

   On how the UK’s universities have changed over recent decades, becoming bigger, more beholden to private interests, more expensive for students… the LRB’s best current affairs articles are all so depressing.

6. Counter-Counter-Revolution by David Runciman (London Review of Books)

   On whether 1979 was the most significant year of the 20th century. Either way, an interesting look at a handful of people and occasions that had a profound effect. Suggests we don’t know yet who our current era’s most impactful people will be.

7. Forms of Delirium by Peter Pomerantsev (London Review of Books)

   Russia’s an odd place. Nationalist, Christian biker gangs etc.

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