A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, how to save the supreme court from itself, how wearable technology promises to revolutionise health care (10:29) and our Bartleby columnist on why working from anywhere isn’t realistic (18:29).
All posts by Intellicurious
Lake Views: Sisikon In Central Switzerland (4K)
Sisikon, Switzerland, the gateway to Canton Uri, lies on the delta of the Riemenstalderbach stream on the eastern shore of the Urnersee, the southernmost arm of the Vierwaldstättersee. The village is dominated by characteristic pre-Alpine peaks: the Fronalpstock to the northeast and the Kaiserstock chain to the southwest, from there you can see incredible scenes of Switzerland.
The view to the opposite shore opens out to the glacier pyramids of the Urirotstock. Sisikon’s mild lakeside climate means that even figs and kiwis can grow here. Sisikon has several history-steeped spots: on the lake shore three kilometres south of the village is the Tell Chapel. At the place where William Tell is reputed to have saved himself by leaping from the boat of Gessler, the provincial governor.
The chapel, which is adorned with four frescoes by Basel artist Ernst Stückelberg, was built in 1879/80. Switzerland’s largest glockenspiel, which plays a melody every hour, has been located above the Tell Chapel since 2001. The Tell Chapel can be reached on foot or by boat. A short aerial cableway runs from the Tellsplatte up to the Axen.
Morning News: Military Aid To Ukraine, Philippines Vote, Sri Lanka PM Resigns
Voters in the Philippines go to the polls. Plus: the resignation of Sri Lanka’s prime minister, dock workers blockading Russian cargo and an interview with the Swiss entry to this year’s Eurovision.
Front Page View: The New York Times – May 10, 2022
Engineering: Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City, Kuwait
In this city almost every resident has their own beach access on a lagoon that leads directly into the sea. But constructing such a city meant overcoming tremendous engineering problems.
Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City is a city in Khiran Kuwait built with canals forming 200 kilometres (120 mi) of artificial shoreline. The city houses up to 250,000 residents.[1][2] The city was inaugurated in mid 2016.[3][4] The artificial islands that make up the area are unusual because they were built excavating large channels in desert land rather than using reclaimed land. The city is considered a pioneering project in the region due to its environmentally sustainable construction techniques.[5][6]
The first phase of the project was opened to the sea in 2004.[5] The multi-billion dollar development is within a 25 year construction period with ten phases.[1] Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City is the first urban area in Kuwait built entirely by the private sector.
Literary Interviews: ‘The Magnolia Palace’ Author Fiona Davis (Frick Museum)
Fiona Davis, author of THE MAGNOLIA PALACE, discusses art, history, and writing with Xavier F. Salomon, Deputy Director and Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator at The Frick Collection.
They speak in the Fragonard room at Frick Madison, the temporary home of The Frick Collection.
About THE MAGNOLIA PALACE Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal, and murder within one of New York City’s most impressive Gilded Age mansions.
Get the book: https://bit.ly/3LEA7kU
The Magnolia Palace
An Instant New York Times Bestseller
A Book of the Month Pick • Apple Books’ Best Books of January • January LibraryReads Hall of Fame
Architecture: CASA SAN PABLO DEL LAGO In Ecuador
Bernardo Bustamante Arquitectos realizes this ‘Casa San Pablo del Lago’ SPL house as a retreat to inspire a connection with the landscape of Ecuador. Emerging from the slopes of San Pablo Lake, the dwelling overlooks the community of Pijal — a place populated primarily by indigenous Otavaleña people. From its sloping site, the mountains and volcanoes which make up the North Ecuadorian Andes stand in full view, creating a grand frame around the scenic lake below.
Covers: World Literature Today – May/June 2022
World Literature Today Magazine to Launch Art-Inspired 400th Issue
The May/June issue of World Literature Today, the University of Oklahoma’s award-winning magazine of international literature and culture, will celebrate the magazine’s 400th issue. The edition, which will feature writers and visual artists, will be launched in Oklahoma City’s Paseo Arts District’s Studio Six, from 6-8 p.m., Friday, May 6.
The cover feature, “Muses,” showcases the work of writers, visual artists and their inspirations. The issue will contain essays, poems and creative nonfiction inspired by Rembrandt, Wassily Kandinsky, Andrew Wyeth, David Hockney, André Leon Talley, French artist Ghislaine Lejard, American artist Todd Anderson as well as Hong Kong street artists, plus an interview with novelist, journalist and artist Amitava Kumar, who is based in both India and the United States.
Views: The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (4K)
The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, known locally as the Bay Bridge, is a complex of bridges spanning San Francisco Bay in California. As part of Interstate 80 and the direct road between San Francisco and Oakland, it carries about 260,000 vehicles a day on its two decks.
Previews: The New Yorker Magazine – May 16, 2022
The Magazine – May 16, 2022
This week’s cover, by the designer Frank Viva, is a colorful, lyrical springtime ode to the pleasures of biking. We spoke to Viva about his love affair with cycling, his island retreat, and learning to prioritize what matters.
