Linkfest 2017-06-16

Is Islam the rock on which the liberal order broke?

Razib Khan's Brown Pundits post on whether liberalism broadly construed can stand against the intransigence of Islam.

Think wine connoisseurship is nonsense? Blind-tasting data suggest otherwise

It is easy to make fun of the expensive culture of wine tasting, but I'm always willing to follow the data.

John Betjeman on Greece (but really on England)

A beautiful poem about the Church.

We Could Have Had Cellphones Four Decades Earlier

I like to poke fun at libertarianism, but this seems like an example where a libertarian critique is warranted. A variety of vested interests created by law defended their prerogatives to the detriment of the public interest. In this case, rather than anti-competitive practices by AT&T, we seem to have a case of neglect.

The Best Movies of the 21st Century

Ross Douthat ponders what movies deserve attention since 2001. Also see Steve Sailer's response.

How Pasteur’s Artistic Insight Changed Chemistry

Arguing that Louis Pasteur's abortive art career helped him discover chirality.

Status in the Iliad

Gabriel Rossman does a network analysis of battles in the Iliad.

That Time an Algorithm Whisperer Took Me to the Heart of Darkness

Joel Stein is a funny, funny guy.