…or pre-emptive spin control? It is so difficult to determine these days.

…it’s not just for graphite pencil lead and diamond engagement rings any more. There is a discussion of recent developments in carbon-based chemistry, specifically involving carbon nanotubes, at my weblog Random Fate that those curious about the future direction of technology may be interested in reading.

The 25th anniversary of the founding of Solidarity in Poland is approaching. Spiegel Online (the web site of a German magazine) has an interview with a French sociologist who was the confidante of many of the early leaders of the movement that resulted in the formation of Solidarity. It can be argued that the Solidarity movement in Poland was the first crack in the Iron Curtain that ultimately resulted in the disintegration of the Soviet empire. As that age fades into history, it is important that...

Perhaps before those who enjoy the full benefits of freedom of expression in the United States cry that there is a “hostile” environment towards Christianity in the United States, they should take a lesson from the Chinese.

…outside of politics, there have been recent developments showing how lasers are still tripping the light fantastic. In other realms outside of politics can be found photos from a day-trip to Lucerne, Switzerland. After that breather, we now return you to your regularly scheduled political firestorm du jour.

A refreshing change in the typical priorities: BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) — Monks at a Belgian abbey have been forced to stop selling their famous beer after it was voted the best in the world and was promptly sold out. The abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in western Belgium is home to some 30 Cistercian and Trappist monks who lead a life of seclusion, prayer, manual labour — and beer-brewing. A survey of thousands of beer enthusiasts from 65 countries on the RateBeer Web site (www.ratebeer.com)...

…in a move that would have been unthinkable four decades ago, when they were the “bad boys” of rock and roll, now issue a statement: Stones deny song attacks Bush By Michael Rowland in Washington Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger denies one of the band’s new songs, Sweet Neo-con, is an attack on US President George W Bush. The ageing rock group is about to start an extensive US tour. The song takes aim at the staunch conservatives in the Bush administration who were the...

…it is of small comfort to understand that the know-how to make an atomic bomb isn’t exactly secret (and you should know that this commentary comes from someone who has known the basics of how to construct a nuclear weapon for over 17 years). It’s the separation of isotopes that’s damn hard, and our only salvation, for now…

Cross-posted to Random Fate. — When I was in graduate school, on an exam in my Classical Electrodynamics class, we were asked to re-derive the Maxwell Equations assuming that in addition to the existence of electric charge, magnetic charge also was present in the universe (aka magnetic monopoles, of the north and south variety, analogous to positive and negative charge, and magnetic monopoles definitely do NOT exist, by the way). The details of the theory are not important, but the implications...

…where there exists blood and tears and death, and we may neglect the other locations to our ultimate regret in the judgment of history. When I was young, I wondered how could the Holocaust have happened, why was it not stopped by those who saw how wrong it was. Now, I see first-hand how it could have happened, and how it might have continued if the insanity of Adolf Hitler had not led to invading Poland. Darfur is merely the latest in the six-decade long legacy where we neglected the cry of...

In times of disaster, Americans are known for their generosity, even to nations hostile to us, such as Iran. Are we allowing politics to change that admirable trait? At Slate, Christopher Hitchens asked: Question: Why have several large American cities not already announced that they are going to become sister cities with Baghdad and help raise money and awareness to aid Dr. Tamimi? When I put this question to a number of serious anti-war friends, their answer was to the effect that it’s the...

The Commissar of The Politburo Diktat illustrates how jumping on the latest hot news to score partisan points is not necessarily the best way to help “your side” in its credibility.

Yesterday, I attempted to explain how using a too-simple model in a complex conflict could lead to disaster. In that post, I used some examples from history, and in doing so, I have been misinterpreted as making moral-equivalency arguments. I have written a clarification contending that in the current war, however you name it, a War on Terror or a Great Struggle Against Violent Extremism, we must remove the “moral” implications in order to win.

…an interesting question arises. Stephen Green, at The Vodka Pundit, attempts to puzzle out the true motives underpinning the joint military exercises to be held by Russia and China later in August. In his musings (with much before and after the quoted passage below that is well worth reading in entirety), Green writes: A quick look around the map shows that China and Russia don’t share many goals in common. Taiwan? There’s nothing to benefit Russia in reunification. Post-Soviet...

Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.    -William Shakespeare, “Hamlet“, Act 1 scene 5 At my weblog, Random Fate, I advocate looking deeper than our Cold War/bipolar world bent minds would lead us to believe is sufficient.

…from outside the United States, Spiegel Online, the English language, Internet edition of the German magazine Der Spiegel, is a useful source: On Monday, US President George W. Bush bypassed Congress and installed the pugnacious John Bolton as UN Ambassador. While diplomats are trying to smile graciously, academics and European specialists insist the appointment is a direct slap in the face to Europe and to the UN. To put it in other words, Europe is reacting to this appointment exactly as...

The new development using nanotechnology to combat cancer, or rather, observing the reporting on the breakthrough, may reveal some interesting points in human nature. I briefly examine the slants in the reporting of this non-political topic at Random Fate.

Cross-posted to Random Fate. — Joe Gandelman, of The Moderate Voice, who is kind enough to allow me to post here, has written of his opposition to the apparent rebranding by the current Administration of President George W. Bush of the so-called “Global War on Terror”. Gandelman writes: The idea that this battle is more than just military, is a sound one. But I thought that just a few months ago conservative commentators were up in arms about the BBC and Reuters refusing to use...

…by needless patisan attacks can be found at my weblog Random Fate.

…may yet have larger ramifications, and not only for those affected.

James Wolcott, at his eponymous weblog, discusses in his wry and close-to if not over-the-top fashion the diverging spousal messages of the leaders of the US and the UK. Interesting. He is likely making a foothill (not quite a mountain) out of an ant-mound (not quite a mole-hill), but it is an odd contrast none the less.

At BoingBoing is a brief post titled “Shoot someone? Not Smith & Wesson’s fault. Copy a movie? Grokster’s fault“. The post at BoingBoing makes the point far better than the linked post at The Daily Kos does. An interesting contrast, both in terms of inconsistency in the law and in terms of how the point is made.

Some thoughts on the US flag, its use as a fashion accessory, and the meaning of the victories of Americans in sports can be found at my weblog, Random Fate.

Sometimes, the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) misses the larger point in their quest to preserve fundamental liberties. While their goal is noble, on occasion they are misguided. — For additional information on the difficulties involved in this balance, see this recent article at The Christian Science Monitor.

In a recent post at my weblog Random Fate, I stated that President George W. Bush has not been showing leadership but instead has been playing politics at the expense of doing what is right for the nation, but he has an opportunity to do so by turning away from short-term political gain at any cost towards doing what is right for the nation, even if there is a political price to be paid. The Democratic Party now has a similar opportunity to turn away from short-term political gain at any cost towards...