|
James Fallows |
|
James Fallows :: The Atlantic
|
-
The Heartbreak of History, Philippine Dept.
Twenty-three years ago, shortly after Corazon Aquino had replaced Ferdinand Marcos as president of the Philippines, I traveled through the country and wrote an Atlantic article called "A Damaged Culture." Mrs. Aquino was then still in the late stages of being perceived as a world hero. Her husband, Benigno, had become the martyred symbol of the anti-Marcos resistance after he was murdered by government goons as he got off a plane on his return to Manila. (His body on the tarmac, below.) Mrs. Aquino was the living symbol of the "EDSA revolution" of 1986, which with relatively little...
-
Placeholder for later news: Google-China, RMB-China, "cyber war," etc
In a different world -- specifically, one in which I was going to be near a computer more than hurriedly today -- I would try to say something about the apparently-impending next crisis point in the Google-China showdown, about a similar intensifying disagreement over China's currency policies, and about the coming health care vote -- and of course about the final outcome of migrating all my email files from Outlook to Gmail. In the world I actually inhabit, here are quick links on two important topics:
1) Cyber threat (true) versus "cyber war" (false): As...
-
Proud to Be a Californian, Part 1,386
My home state may be falling apart and going to hell, but on the other hand.... Great beer!
On the next NorCal trip, I'll finally get to the highly touted Monk's Kettle beer-nirvana in the Mission district of San Francisco. This time I had to content myself some Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA from an "ordinary" grocery store -- and a glass of Pliny the Elder IPA in a neighborhood bistro. (To think that 1.3 billion people must still drink waterish REEB, Snow, or Yanjing! Life definitely...
-
Corny but Droll
Do Not Disturb sign, Shattuck Plaza Hotel, Berkeley, CA this week:
Always good to see hospitality-industry facilities that are in touch with local history and heritage.
In its previous incarnation, as the mere Shattuck Hotel, this venerable establishment had become somewhat seedy. This is the first time I had seen it since its re-opening and re-branding last year. You can still tell that it was built in 1910, but (mainly) in a good way. Peace!
![]()
-
Good News About Flying, in Four Parts
1) For those so inclined: a functioning personal jet pack, from New Zealand.
In-flight video at the site. Place your order here. Expected cost "will be about the same as a high-end motorcycle or car," according to the FAQs. I know this routine! When rationalizing buying a small airplane to my family, I avoided referring to "dollars" and instead tried to get away with the luxury-car counting-unit too. The FAQ list also includes, What happens if the engine stops? The answer involves a parachute.
2)...
|
|
James Fallows 
