July 31, 2018: Lewis ’82 Digs Into Government Bureaucracy; Holtz-Eakin *85 on Aid to Farmers

“Beach Landscape,” an acrylic on wood by Elise Rise ’15, is being sold in a Christie’s charity auction featuring about 100 works by the auction house’s employees. Rise, an art and archaeology concentrator at Princeton, is a sales coordinator for the world art department at Christie’s. Read more about the auction at Barrons.com.

Michael Lewis ’82’s new book, The Fifth Risk, showcases his ability to find a “fascinating narrative thread to suck readers in,” despite his subject — government bureaucracy. — The New York Times
 
Former Congressional Budget Office director Douglas Holtz-Eakin *85 calls President Trump’s $12 billion plan to aid to farmers affected by the current tariff standoff a misuse of programs meant to shield farmers from natural hazards. — The Washington Post
 
Continuing what she called “a sacred obligation,” New York City medical examiner Barbara Sampson ’88 and her colleagues identified the remains of a 9/11 victim nearly 17 years after his death. — The New York Times

“What was it that we had encountered? Was Gloria a spy, or were we made paranoid by the surreality of this moment? Or was it a bit of both?”

— Julia Ioffe ’05 on her experience at the Aspen Security Forum, where she and several other attendees met an inquisitive Uber driver some suspected was a spy. Read more at GQ.com.

Two newly discovered exoplanets studied by University of Colorado-Boulder astronomy professor Zachory Berta-Thompson ’07 and his graduate students are said to have the density of cotton candy. — Space.com
 
The debut novel of Lillian Li ’13, Number One Chinese Restaurant, was reviewed in The New York Times, which praised its relational complexity and assessment of Chinese immigrant culture in America. — The New York Times
 
Economics papers are getting longer — a lot longer. Stefano DellaVigna and David Card *83’s analysis of five top economics journals showed the average length of published papers rose from 16 pages in 1970 to 50 in 2017. — The Wall Street Journal
 
University of Missouri System president Mun Choi *92 declined a pay raise to accompany his new contract extension, reiterating his focus on increasing the salaries of underpaid faculty. — The Kansas City Star
 
At the 2018 Fencing Senior World Championships, Eliza Stone ’13 won bronze to become the first American woman in four years to win a saber medal… — USA Fencing
 
 …while Kat Holmes ’17 led Team USA to gold in women’s epee, its first world championship title in the event. — USA Fencing
 
Former Princeton women’s hockey standout-turned-triathlete Heather Jackson ’06 won the Lake Placid Ironman race. — NBC 5 Burlington
 
USGA Executive Committee member Stuart Francis ’74 is helping to sponsor an American Junior Golf Association event at Princeton’s Springdale Golf Club. — Town Topics
 
Former GE executive Pamela Daley ’74 joined the board of BP as a non-executive director. — EnergyVoice