the atlantic – Jonathan Frei

Selfie sticks stick

Jonathan Frei — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 20:16:09 +0000

When the selfie stick burst on the scene a couple of years ago, I assumed it was an elaborate Internet hoax. It seemed like one of those fake products that was a social commentary on narcissism, consumerism, or some such thing. It turned out that they’re real and becoming more popular.

National Geographic photo contest winners

Jonathan Frei — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 18:25:54 +0000

Alan Taylor from the Atlantic posted the winning pictures from the 2015 Traveler’s photo contest.

Police Clash with protesters in Hong Kong

Jonathan Frei — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 18:23:42 +0000

For weeks now, pro-democracy protest groups have occupied parts of central Hong Kong, calling for open elections and the resignation of Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. Local police have been urging the demonstrators to leave for days, and have recently stepped up efforts to dismantle barricades on several major roads – only to have many of them rebuilt hours later. Tensions boiled over last night, leading to a violent clash between police and protesters.

Alan Taylor at the Atlantic has a stunning collection of photos from the scene.

Fall is in the air

Jonathan Frei — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 20:24:10 +0000

One down side of living in South Florida is that even when the Fall months arrive, it is never this kind of Fall.

50 Years Ago: The World in 1963

Jonathan Frei — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:07:01 +0000

50 Years Ago: The World in 1963

History.

The Cheapest Generation

Jonathan Frei — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 19:07:48 +0000

The Cheapest Generation

Derek Thompson and Jordan Weissmann writing in The Atlantic:

[T]he shift away from traditional suburbs toward denser, urban-light living could have major economic-growth implications on its own. Economic research shows that doubling a community’s population density tends to increase productivity by anywhere between 6 percent and 28 percent. Economists have found that more than half of the variation in output per worker across U.S. states can be explained by density. Our wealth, after all, is determined not only by our own skills and talents, but by our ability to access the ideas of those around us; there’s a lot to be gained by increasing the odds that smart people might bump against each other.