Tuesday, April 20, 2004
World
Saigon And Saddam
The use and abuse of Vietnam analogies.
Tech & Science
Mathematics With A Moral
Who bestowed the magic kiss on the mathematical frog? There may have been two kisses, one from inside and the other from outside the world of mathematics.
Only In The Movies: Living A Life Unencumbered By Memory
People may still lose their own memories but, barring the magnetic pulse of a nuclear explosion, the data dust that accumulates under the radiators and behind the couches of modern life will be preserved.
Life
Studios Rush To Cash In On DVD Boom
Just as video caused a seismic shift two decades ago, the success of the DVD is altering priorities and the balance of power in the making of popular culture. And industry players, starting with the Writers Guild, are lining up to claim their share.
A Picture Is Worth 1,000 (Truthful?) Words
The notion that photos are authentic has become especially dubious in the digital age. Now they really can't be trusted. So without power or truth, do photos still wield authority?
A Passion For Poetry (And Profits)
John W. Barr has moved to Chicago from New York to become president of the Poetry Foundation, with a challenge perhaps unique in the history of literature: deciding how to make use of a gift worth more than $100 million.