Assorted links

1. The lost art of the cutaway.

2. On net, will these trends make the country more or less libertarian?  And Sarah Binder on whether we have gridlock.

3. Peter Thiel’s graph of the year is about student debt.

4. By Neil Shah, the evolution of heavy metal drumming.  And can a computer enter Tokyo University?  Can robots better spot terrorists at airports?

5. Cities should diversify, not specialize.

6. Is fusion going to end up working?  That’s nuclear fusion, not Asian fusion cuisine.

7. Scott Winship and David Schneider on mobility and inequality.

8. Economics books for 2014.