December 2004
The progressive agenda
If the Democratic party is truly in the market for a big new idea, why not a big old idea? That, in the US, anyone can make it. It’s a powerful national myth, increasingly threadbare, and in need of reworking. A damning analysis in the Economist: Meritocracy in America.
An alternate New York
The Croton reservoir, looking more like a fort, on the site of present-day Bryant Park.
Praise be to internet advertising
Economist.com, website of the oh-so-smart British weekly, is now free again. For those willing to click through an interstitial ad.
And the winner is, pause, The Aviator
Oscar odds are now available at Intrade, the online spreadbetting shop. Favorites for the big awards: Bening, Foxx, Aviator, Scorsese.
Bizlit 2004
The Economist comes up with a delightfully spare list: Best business books. A particularly strong recommendation for The Modern Firm, by John Roberts.
Call me on Skype
A little experiment: if you know me, and use Skype, try clicking this: callto://nicknotned/.
New York's a hard town
Unless you’re outrageously talented, like Nikola Tamindzic, Gawker’s new party photographer.
Nikola’s Serbian, and a recent arrival in New York. He’s charming, which helps: partygoers make out with eachother, for Nikola’s camera. And he employs a super-secret Photoshop process to jazz up the images in post-production. Here’s some of Nikola’s work:...
A new breed of home insurance
The idea of a hedge against real-estate prices is an intriguing one.A home is most individuals’ biggest single investment, and risk. While one may have a view of a neighborhood, or a property, who can predict nationwide the real-estate market with any confidence. We insure ourselves against smaller risks the whole time; wouldn’t it make sense to take out insurance against a property...
Not just sushi, you know
New York Magazine’s Adam Platt, reviewing the city’s restaurants of the moment, provides a tour of Japan Chic.
If you couldn't get enough of Sky Captain
Steam Wars, a Victorian fantasy, maybe one day a movie, featuring eccentric walking battleships.
Home insurance
Finally, a way to capture the tax benefit of property ownership, and hedge against a collapse in the real estate market: HedgeStreet.
Gaudi in New York
Who knew that the Catalan architect once drew up plans for a gigantic bulbous hotel, in New York? American Hotel.
Tsunami animation
An animated gif, showing the waves racing across the Bay of Bengal.
Gawker Media traffic
Choire Sicha’s roundup