Let’s get to the news and the comments:

• Tim Burke talks about the real intersection of science fiction, the great convergence, and international governance [Easily Distracted]
• Surowiecki talks Boeing and outsourcing [The New Yorker]
• Have Malian rebels destroyed ancient texts? [The New Yorker]
• Maybe intercepting a Taepo-dong is illegal [The Diplomat]
• I like reading about Mongolia and I don’t think I have to justify it [The Diplomat]

And also:

• This profile of former NFL coach Bill Walsh’s quest for perfection mirrors many academics’ lives [ESPN: The Magazine]
• IRB Horror Stories [Institutional Review Blog]
• This new version of Courier looks awesome [John August]