Friday Delights #10
Yemen War, Cults, Nero, Iron Man, London Billionaire
The Yemen War
Situated right opposite Djibouti at the southern end of the Red Sea, Yemen has geopolitical importance and has drawn the attention of the Great Powers for the last two centuries. Like any other such place, it has been ruptured by an almost constant conflict which in times escalated into full-blown civil war. This article gives a pretty good overview of the situation there, what has been happening in the last hundred years and what led to the last war.
The Sheikh that Owns London
London is owned by rich people, a lot of them Russian. This is no secret to anyone. What used to be a secret, however, is that the biggest chunk of the city is owned by the UAE president himself — Sheiks Khalifa. This great feature by The Guardian looks at the extent of his real estate empire.
Fanatising Cults
Why do cults seem to become more cohesive and fanatical after encountering evidence of their belief’s mistakes? What do Einstein and physics have to do with it? Using a metaphor to explain how losing less radical members makes a cult more radical, this piece is a great short read.
Nero of Rome Was Not Such an Asshole
When we think of Nero, we tend to think of the psychopath who set fire to his own city and sang songs while the crowds while the people were burning alive. Brought to use with the help of Hollywood this vision of Nero seems to have little in terms of historic accuracy. A different perspective on the roman emperor we love to hate.
Dancing is More Than Just Moving to Music
What is dancing? What does it feel like from the perspective of a dancer? It seems to be more than just moving (solo, or with a partner) to a piece of music. It goes beyond oneself, letting the performer’s body become a channel for the artwork they are expressing. I loved reading this article
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Today’s bonus video is about 1MDB, the biggest financial scandal recently where more than $4 billion was stolen
