What the world is reading

We cannot intimidate others into behaving well when we ourselves are misbehaving. Yet that is precisely what nations armed with nuclear weapons hope to do by censuring North Korea for its nuclear tests and sounding alarm bells over Irans pursuit of enriched uranium,writes South African social rights activist Desmond Tutu. Nuclear weapons are still seen as legitimate in the hands of some,he thinks. Today nine nations still consider it their prerogative to possess these ghastly bombs,each capable of obliterating many thousands of innocent civilians,including children,in a flash. They appear to think that nuclear weapons afford them prestige in the international arena. But nothing could be further from the truth. Any nuclear-armed state,big or small,whatever its stripes,ought to be condemned in the strongest terms, he writes.

Vanity Fair

A tale of two actresses

FOR centuries,public-relations historians will recount how the 2013 awards season produced two Oscar-winning actresses who,despite being voted best in their field by their colleagues,were not treated the best by the press,begins Julie Miller. Defying conventional Hollywood wisdom,Jennifer Lawrence has become a media darling by showing seemingly little interest in modifying herself for the media,discussing everything from being uneducated to her desire to be so unburdened by work that she does not have to change her pants for days on end. But in any other awards run-up,Anne Hathaways respectfully delivered acceptance speeches and air of earnestness may well have come across as charming and dignified. But,perhaps in contrast to Lawrences candidness,the once widely-beloved Hathaway has somehow struck the wrong chord,says Miller. Recently,the New York Daily News wondered Why is Anne Hathaway so unlikeable?

The Daily Beast

The absurd backlash

Lean In,which Sandberg describes as sort of a feminist manifesto about the need for more women in powerful positions,doesnt come out for another 10 days,but a strange,sour backlash has already begun,aimed less at what the book says than at who Sandberg is,writes Michelle Goldberg. She gives several examples of how publications have lumped Sandberg in with Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer,accusing both of launching the latest salvo in the war on moms. For someone who lacks Sandbergs ambition and wants reassurance about leaning back rather than advice about moving ever upward,her exhortations could feel like an insult. Thats unfortunate,but its not the fault of the book. Her message isnt that all women need to be corporate executives or high-powered lawyers or political leaders. Its that wed be better off if more corporate executives,high-powered lawyers,and political leaders were women. Dont pretend that Sandberg isnt doing all she can to make it happen,concludes Goldberg.

Forbes

Google glass

Is the future of mobiles becoming a little clearer? Is it in fact settling down into a pattern that will persist over the next few years,one in which Apple and Samsung share the spoils while the rest try,vainly,to wrest from them that elusive commodity called profit,are some of the questions Haydn Shaughnessy asks in his article. Google Glass looks like the only disruption in town,according to him,but adds that he considers it as too static. Information needs to be as pervasive as our lifestyle needs. It wont be stuck to our heads. But it might be in our ears,on our wrists,on the objects we observe or all three together and more,Shaughnessy concludes.