interesting things
Mitt Romney’s campaign has recruited professionals to manage his appearance at the Republican convention, hoping to overcome his image of being stiff and aloof.
via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/us/politics/romney-campaign-works-feverishly-to-project-relaxed-image.html
The director of such blockbusters as “Top Gun” and “Days of Thunder” jumped to his death from a Los Angeles bridge on Monday. He was 68.
via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/director-tony-scott-jumps-to-his-death-from-los-angeles-bridge/
Street protests and bellicose talk in China are increasing tensions between Beijing and Tokyo in their dispute over some barren, rocky islets. Chinese protesters smashed Japanese cars and attacked sushi restaurants. A Chinese general wants to mine the islands and use them for bombing practice.
via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/simmering-chinese-anger-at-japan-is-now-on-the-boil/
Critics are too mean. Except when they’re too nice. They stand in the way of art. Except when they’re irrelevant. A critic makes the case for the critic.
via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/magazine/a-critic-makes-the-case-for-critics.html
These days it’s the government, not media conglomerates, that has the true monopoly on information in Argentina.
via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/09/argentinas-government-has-a-monopoly-on-information/
Ri Sol-ju, the wife of Kim Jong-un, was pictured with what appeared to be a Christian Dior handbag. The bag’s going price in Seoul is $1,600, about 16 times the monthly wage of some of the country’s best-paid workers.
via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/09/world/asia/north-korea-is-that-a-dior-comrade.html
John O. Brennan called allegations by Mitt Romney and other Republicans “irresponsible,†and said there needed to be leeway for legitimate efforts to inform the public.
via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/09/us/politics/counterterrorism-adviser-john-brennan-rebukes-critics-of-leaks.html
The military contractor formerly known as Blackwater Worldwide has agreed to pay a $7.5 million fine to settle charges of arms-sales violations, the Justice Department said.
via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/08/us/blackwater-successor-to-pay-fine-to-settle-arms-charges.html
The floods that have swamped most of Manila, with at least 11 people dead and a quarter-million having fled their homes, seem to have caused little public outrage in the densely populated capital of more than 10 million. Instead, through a heavy use of social media and text messages, Filipinos shared practical information while encouraging each other to soldier on.
via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/08/amid-the-flooding-a-certain-buoyancy-in-the-philippines/
The Massachusetts-based battery manufacturer, once a supplier to the Swedish automaker’s E.V. program, announced a partnership with a Chinese automaker.
via NYT > Most Recent Headlines http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/08/after-saab-bankruptcy-boston-power-finds-a-foothold-in-china/