...holds lessons that we need to learn, although we refuse to even see the warning.    The legacy of Chernobyl --- Cross-posted to Random Fate. … [Read more...] about A forgotten disaster…

In a stimulating article in the Washington Post, Daniel Drezner outlines the challenge of creating a modern conception for US Foreign Affairs. He surveys classic policies such as Kennan's containment of Communism and newer attempts, such as the Princeton Project, to account for a flatter and more competitive world. What is needed he says, in essence, is a unified theory of … [Read more...] about A Theory of Everything

Unless there's a change, TMV will make a brief appeareance on KUSI TV's morning show sometime between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. in San Diego. He'll be on in his other incarnation to talk about his New Year's Eve performances at First Night® Escondido. … [Read more...] about TMV On San Diego TV Monday Morning

Hardliners fail to sweep Iran vote, Candidates allied to Ahmadinejad have failed to sweep the pollsCandidates allied to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's president, have failed to score a resounding victory over moderate forces in twin Iranian elections, according to initial results. Voting for the Assembly of Experts, the body that chooses the supreme leader, and the Tehran city … [Read more...] about Moderate Forces Advance in Iran?

Jonah Goldberg mocks Ted Kennedy for claiming that 36 million Americans suffer from hunger. Too bad Kennedy was right. … [Read more...] about Reality Bites

Today's quote is from Nathaniel Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown:“My Faith is gone!â€? cried he, after one stupefied moment. “There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil! for to thee is this world given.â€?As always, leave a comment or drop one of your own favorite quotes in the comment section of this post. … [Read more...] about Literary Quote of the Day: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Some extra attention to a few Centrist blogs. AmbivaBlog's Amba has had it with Time magazine. Want to find out why? Read Amba's post on the Person of the Year. Meanwhile, Taylor Owen wonders at Oxblog "why can’t Time pick an unpleasant character as person of the year?"... Brad DeLong. Brad takes on Alan Reynolds and it ain't nice. GriftDrift... not on politics but on an … [Read more...] about Center of Attention

From fellow co-blogger Michael J. Stickings' own blog: They're back:Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Saturday Iraqi army officers of all ranks sacked after the U.S. invasion in 2003 would be allowed to reapply for their posts in the new army.A little late, no? This should have happened in 2003, not 2006. But Paul Bremer (and his overlords) made the terrible decision … [Read more...] about The Return of Saddam’s Officers

Are Democrats ready to embrace the center in the Culture War? by Bruce Wilson This article reflects my observation that the Democrats, with the leadership of Rahm Emanuel and Charles Schumer, have strategically moved towards the center to capture the support of Middle America. "...In many cases it was the first time in decades that voters could vote for a Democrat who was … [Read more...] about Competing for the Vital Center

Glenn Reynolds on whether America needs a bigger army, part 2 (and, of course, thanks for the link to Shaun's post of today, Glenn). … [Read more...] about A Bigger Army?

The Times Online: "Russia defies West and goes ahead with nuclear fuel sale to Iran" RUSSIA is to begin supplying Iran with nuclear fuel early next year despite mounting concern in the West that this could accelerate Tehran's plans to build a nuclear bomb. Sergei Shmatko, head of Atomstroyexport, Russia's state nuclear fuel exporter, has said preparations to send fuel to Iran … [Read more...] about More Moscow Insanity

The Observer reports about an interesting research carried out by economists:The US uses its aid budget to bribe those countries which have a vote in the United Nations security council, giving them 59 per cent more cash in years when they have a seat, according to research by economists... Anti-poverty campaigners reacted angrily to the findings. 'Aid should go to the people … [Read more...] about The U.S. Acting In Own Interest… Unacceptable!

...and doesn't resort to legalisms to keep a name used first by a prominent blogger. The fascinating details and a copy of its letter ARE HERE. … [Read more...] about A Big Corporation Reconsiders

It ain't all fun and games at the Episcopal Church anymore. UPDATE Fixed link, h/t Gray. … [Read more...] about What Will the Future Bring the Episcopal Church?

Time has announced the person of the year (2006). The "Great Man" theory of history is usually attributed to the Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle, who wrote that "the history of the world is but the biography of great men." He believed that it is the few, the powerful and the famous who shape our collective destiny as a species. That theory took a serious beating this … [Read more...] about You’re the Person of the Year

What happens when editors run out of ideas or try to be cute? This. … [Read more...] about Indecision Or Being (Unsuccessfully) Cute?

The debate over whether the U.S. Army should be larger is beside the point. The real question is what kind of an Army the United States should have five years after the 9/11 attacks dramatically changed the global military equation.* Do we want an Army that still is largely unprepared to fight counterinsurgency warfare? * Do we want an Army without enough of the right tools … [Read more...] about Iraq & The Debate Over the Size of the Army

Yesterday Holly and I were having an e-mail exchange about the Dutch and German languages. She told me that she would like to learn both languages (since they are closely related to each other). The conversation changed from the Dutch language to the Frisian language. The Frisian language is the language of my father. I am not 'just' Dutch, I am Frisian. Most foreigners, … [Read more...] about Fryslan

Is it flawed? … [Read more...] about The Media’s Coverage Of Murdered Women In The UK

What you just heard if you were listening to business news is the sound of the other shoe dropping. Loudly. Abruptly. Judith Regan, the Regan Books publisher behind the widely reviled — and ultimately withdrawn — now-it-can-be-told theoretical story of how O.J. Simpson WOULD have killed his wife IF he had ACTUALLY killed her, has been fired by HarperCollins, part … [Read more...] about The Rise And Fall Of Judith Regan And Corporate Patience (UPDATED)