If you only sometimes read the Sunday New York Times, read it today, especially these six articles. (1) Start with Todd Purdman’s nice primer on the debate over the "right to privacy" that is dominating the Roberts hearings. On the same topic, (2) check out some of the funny excerpts from Senate – on what it means to be an umpire and not a batter or whether being dead is indeed the opposite of being alive. Or when Senator Schumer said: "It’s as if I asked you: What kind of movies do you like? Tell me two or three good movies. And you say, I like movies with good acting. I like movies with good directing. I like movies with good cinematography. And I ask you, No, give me an example of a good movie. You don’t name one. I say, Give me an example of a bad movie. You won’t name one. Then I ask you if you like "Casablanca," and you respond by saying, Lots of people like "Casablanca." You tell me it’s widely settled that "Casablanca" is one of the great movies."
Next read (3) Frank Rich’s excellent book review of Zadie Smith’s On Beauty, in particular his well-phrased opening paragraph. Then (4) skim a lengthy but interesting profile of Bono and his work against poverty in the Magazine. He is definitely in the Sachs camp on aid to Africa. Don’t miss (5) Tina Rosenberg’s op/ed on how American companies like Yahoo are helping build the great firewall of China. And finish up (6) with my man David Brooks who offers an astute take on where Bush’s vision for a small but energetic governments fits in in a post Katrina world.