Good Reads: From Putin's economic woes, to billionaire trusts, to gender equality
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently appeared to have the upper hand in his dealings with the Obama administration, advancing a diplomatic plan to prevent a threatened US attack on Syria and providing refuge to National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.
But argues that 鈥渂eneath Putin鈥檚 swagger lies weaknesses at the core of the economy that threaten Russia鈥檚 future 鈥� and with it, his power base.鈥� And, Mr. Bremner adds, 鈥渇or that he can blame a familiar nemesis: the U.S.鈥�
The threat to Mr. Putin comes from stiffer US competition for Russia鈥檚 key energy sector, which provides half of the revenue for Putin鈥檚 government. The prices Russia can get selling oil and gas have weakened as US energy production has soared. Key factors in the stronger US performance: growing use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing as well as projects slated to add 2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas to the nation鈥檚 annual production. The challenge for Putin,
Bremner writes, is to revive the energy sector while trying to reduce Russia鈥檚 dependence on hydrocarbon exports.
At the heart of NSA eavesdropping
Gen. Keith Alexander, the man at the center of the National Security Agency eavesdropping controversy, is profiled by . As NSA director, Alexander runs the nation鈥檚 largest intelligence organization, one that has been in the news for tracking Americans鈥� telephone calls and online activities. He also runs the US Cyber Command, which defends military computer networks and is charged with responding to hostile acts by potential enemies in cyberspace.
The profile describes Alexander as a patriot, introspective, self-effacing, and given to corny jokes. But critics cited in the lengthy piece also assert that he 鈥渉as become blinded by the power of technology.鈥澛�
Alexander鈥檚 approach is contrasted with that of his predecessor, Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden. 鈥淗ayden鈥檚 attitude was 鈥榊es, we have the technological capability, but should we use it?鈥� Keith鈥檚 was 鈥榃e have the capability, so let鈥檚 use it,鈥� 鈥� according to a former intelligence official who worked with both men.
Enemy inside Camp Bastion
Taliban fighters, dressed as American soldiers, sneaked into a massive US air base in Afghanistan on the night of Sept. 14, 2012. Armed only with rifles and bags of raisins and nuts, the 15 intruders killed two marines, and destroyed six Harrier jets and an Air Force C-130 worth $200 million. In the latest issue of examines the battle at Camp Bastion, where the United States suffered the largest loss of aircraft in combat since Vietnam.
A number of factors were behind the loss of American lives and aircraft, Mr. Aikins found. Marine leaders cut the number of troops patrolling outside the fence around the base as the US prepared to turn over combat operations to the Afghans. A key section of base perimeter was controlled by the British, who had, in turn, delegated guard-tower duty to a handful of soldiers from the small nation of Tonga who lacked night-vision gear and had sometimes been found sleeping on duty.
How to protect your billions
, a news organization founded by a billionaire, recently took an intriguing look at how America鈥檚 richest family 鈥� the heirs of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton 鈥� have arranged their affairs to dramatically minimize the effect of the estate tax on their $100 billion fortune.聽
鈥淭he Waltons鈥� example highlights how billionaires deftly bypass a tax intended to make sure that the nation鈥檚 wealthiest contribute their share to government rather than perpetuate dynastic wealth,鈥� Mr. Mider notes.
One tactic the Waltons use is a 鈥淛ackie O. trust,鈥� named for former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, whose will called for one. Jackie O. trusts 鈥渃an theoretically save so much tax that it leaves a family richer than if it hadn鈥檛 given a dime to charity,鈥� Mider writes. Of course, you have to have enough money so you don鈥檛 need to touch the trust for 20 years or more.
Fostering gender equity at Harvard
Harvard Business School鈥檚 effort to revamp its treatment of female students and faculty gets in-depth treatment in a piece. The stereotype is that all the students accepted at HBS are among the fortunate few destined for well-paid jobs in the executive suite. The reality, reporter Jodi Kantor found, was widely differing experiences based on a student鈥檚 gender and economic background.
鈥淗arvard was worse than any trading floor,鈥� according to students with a Wall Street background, with aggressive male students with strong finance backgrounds hazing both female students and teachers. Harvard set out to change that, spurred by the university鈥檚 female president, Drew Gilpin Faust. How did it turn out? 鈥淲e made progress on the first-level things, but what it鈥檚 permitting us to do is see, holy cow, how deep-seated the rest of this is,鈥� says Francis Frei, an HBS administrator.
