The Park51 mosque unmasks our irrationality
By Editor on October 15, 2010 5:38 am / Permalink
A majority of Americans are opposed to Park51, the proposed Islamic center at Ground Zero. Acknowledging the fears of critics of the center, writer and editor Parthiv Parekh explains why such a position goes against quintessential American ideals, widens the civilizational wedge between Islam and the U.S., and undermines our so-called fight against terrorism.
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Creative readings of neuroscience in Inception
By Editor on August 11, 2010 5:19 am / Permalink
Anirban Mahapatra considers whether the theories about the human mind in the film, Inception, are rooted in scientific knowledge of dreams and the architecture of the mind. Thought-provoking and beautifully shot, the film takes considerable creative license with the current state of neuroscience.
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‘Use a fountain pen to write’
By Editor on June 20, 2010 4:39 am / Permalink
Chandrahas Choudhury in conversation with Rohit Chopra. The writer, critic, and blogger talks about the inspiration for his novel Arzee the Dwarf, the reasons why writing dialogue is a real test of a writer’s skill, and the need for aspiring writers to be promiscuous in their reading habits.
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A Murdochian gamble
By Editor on December 17, 2009 1:02 pm / Permalink
Rupert Murdoch’s decision to charge users to access online news across his publications is his answer to the steep decline in advertising revenue this year. While it is appealing to try to turn millions of news surfers into paying customers, how realistic is that move? Angelica Jopson takes stock.
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An Indian under the Crown
By Editor on November 8, 2009 7:19 am / Permalink
An unfairly neglected figure, Dosebai Cowasjee Jessawalla has left a rich legacy in the form of an autobiography entitled The Story of My Life. Excavating this remarkable personal history from the Jessawalla family archives, Roshan G. Shahani illuminates the many dimensions of the text: as autobiography; as a history of the Parsi-British encounter during the Raj; as a fascinating travelogue; and as a recreation of nineteenth-century Bombay.
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“If you bake cookies for us, late fees magically disappear…”
By Editor on October 15, 2009 2:21 am / Permalink
Adam Pfahler in conversation with Rohit Chopra. The founder of Lost Weekend, a one-of-a-kind independent video rental store in San Francisco, talks about its history, the challenges of running an independent video rental store, and the store’s unique system of categorizing film.
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What women shouldn’t read
By Editor on September 14, 2009 8:04 pm / Permalink
Avoid the suggestions in most women’s magazines. Avoid books that promise to ‘empower’. Avoid writings that will help you ‘understand’ men. Mita Kapur argues a case for reading for your pleasure — not for that of the society.
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A Perfect Storm
By Editor on September 2, 2009 8:21 am / Permalink
Why is our news today a mile wide and an inch deep, on the face of it a huge offering but actually very shallow? Stephen Jukes, former global Head of News at Reuters, examines the shrinkage in traditional news in Britain and beyond.
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