The Broken Bones of Mona Eltahawy

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As Mona Eltahawy points out in this essay for the Guardian, her first extended article since the beating she suffered on Nov. 23, “Bashar al-Assad’s henchmen stomped on the hands of famed Syrian cartoonist Ali Farzat. Our dictators tailor wounds to suit their victims’ occupations.” In one of her first tweets after Mona was freed she wrote, “The whole time I was thinking about article I would write; just you fuckers wait”. Here it is then. I urge you to read Ms. Eltahawy’s essay and follow her on Twitter. Hers is a brilliant, brave voice. // more . . .

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#Fridayreads/Dec. 23

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#fridayreads Just finished reading one of Archer Mayor’s great Joe Gunther mysteries, ‘The Ragman’s Memory’ and listening to compelling audiobook of ‘The Psychopath Test: Inside the Madness Industry’ voiced by author Jon Ronson. Now moving on to read his ‘Men Who Stare at Goats.’ Ronson’s a great reporter w/obsessive interests that mirror my own.

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Why Did NYC Let Time Run Out on the Old Penn Station?

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How did New York ever countenance the demolition of this splendid building? As an urbanite and a train enthusiast, it hurts my heart to view these photos and contemplate what we lost when the old Penn Station was pulled down for a miserable modern building. H/t to Dina Spector for publishing her article with these beautiful photographs.

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