Good Reads

The global economic crisis isn't about money - it's about power. How Wall Street insiders are using the bailout to stage a revolution.

What your cat is trying to tell you.

Harshvardhan Nawathe, the real "slumdog millionaire", won the grand prize on India's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" eight years ago. He now works to educate impoverished children.

Cast your vote for TIME's Most Influential People in 2009. It's going to be hard for anyone to overtake the founder of 4chan, currently at #1.

Plastic Surgery Confidential. A perfectly fine-looking author goes to different plastic surgeons for consultations to find what they want to change about her.

Iraqi Refugee Stories. One in five Iraqis are now without a permanent home, but individual stories are more meaningful than numbers. (via Metafilter)

What’s So Hot About Chili Peppers? The author travels Bolivia to find out why these plants developed hot and tasty fruits. (via Boing Boing)

How does the human brain run itself without any software? Recreating how the brain works may lead to amazing new computer technology.

So did the executive bonuses at AIG make you mad? Then hear this: the political action committees of five big TARP recipients doled out $85,300 to members in the first two months of this year—with most of the cash going to those who serves on committees who oversee the TARP program.