Content tagged politics

Blog Entries

Since MPs are technically forbidden to resign (since they theoretically serve at the pleasure of their constituents), they need to “resign” via the … gulfstream/2412

Aryan Outfitters: photo essay (+ some audio snippets) on the maker of high quality KKK outfits. I both like and don’t like the extremely detached way … gulfstream/2426

Christopher Hitchens: “Why are we so scared of offending Muslims?” This may not be precisely right, but I think he’s saying that there’s no necessary … gulfstream/2317

Nice analysis of the Republican candidates and their debate. (By Peggy Noonan.) gulfstream/2325

Steven Pinker: Linguistic, historial and sociological aspects of swearing. Many good points in here, e.g. “To hear nigger is to try on, however briefly, … gulfstream/2339

Nice series by Tim Wu on some categories of laws that are not actively enforced (including copyright laws, immigration laws), and why. gulfstream/2342

There’s a lot to like about Barack Obama. (Long Larissa MacFarquhar profile.) gulfstream/2368

Barack Obama’s official LinkedIn profile. I hope he keeps this updated if he becomes President. That would be amusing. gulfstream/2392

The number one argument against national ID cards is that it will lead to more cops and judges being killed, and the number five is that it  … gulfstream/1752

gulfstream/1770

“Political insiders”—Democrats and Republicans—on whether Hillary Clinton can win the nomination/Presidency in 2008. 1. “One question: … gulfstream/1779

List of current international border disputes—given that just about every country has one or more, it’s a puzzle that anything gets done. gulfstream/1827

On black people “looting” and white people “finding.” gulfstream/1830

“Nobody dumbs down the finance pages. Imagine the fuss if I tried to stick the word ‘biophoton’ on a science page without explaining what … gulfstream/1833

Planned Parenthood Southeast Pennsylvania is asking people to pledge them some amount of money for each protestor that turns up outside their clinic … gulfstream/1841

“Why is Africa Still Poor?” (Book reviews.) gulfstream/1857

The different levels of diplomat, and their respective levels of privilege/immunity. (They can always be issued with traffic citations.) gulfstream/1879

Curious: you have to read this through a Wikipedia filter (i.e. take best guess when hit with inconsistent information), but as it turns out, it’s … gulfstream/1889

John Seigenthaler’s Wikipedia entry was wrong for 132 days, which makes him unhappy. gulfstream/1893

Fascinating: the Red Cross is trying to negotiate a third, “neutral” emblem. This calls for diplomats! Lots of them! gulfstream/1898

Flash games produced by the Nobel Prize’s education/outreach division, completely inexplicable in purpose and design. Michele puts it well: … gulfstream/1927

Interesting: an Iranian paper is holding a contest for Holocaust cartoons in “retaliation” (BBC’s word) for the cartoons depicting Muhammad. … gulfstream/1971

Malcolm Gladwell (in his new blog!) retracts almost everything he said in favour of the American healthcare system in a 2000 debate on the relative merits … gulfstream/1991

It’s seemingly very difficult to get hold of police complaint forms in South Florida. (Great transcripts.) gulfstream/1995

How to write about Africa: “Broad brushstrokes throughout are good. Avoid having the African characters laugh, or struggle to educate their kids, or … gulfstream/2000

Dick Cheney’s “Downtime Suite” requirements. All televisions are to be tuned to Fox News! Can’t the Secret Service leave the lights on after … gulfstream/2033

Measuring poverty: in the US, the poverty line for the last 40 years has been set at three times a (very minimal) food budget. This approach has many … gulfstream/2045

Andrew Sullivan wants to call the view that “religious faith is so important that it must also have a precise political agenda” Christianist (parallels … gulfstream/2085

“Israeli PM: 'One More Suicide Bombing And I'll Give Them Whatever They Want'” gulfstream/2097

Are cities the new countries? “The most important place to London is New York and to New York is London and Tokyo … London belongs to a country composed … gulfstream/2114

Why does China have a 900m x 700m scale model of a 450km x 350km area of the Indian/Chinese border? (speculation) gulfstream/2117

An article on the pastor of an evangelical megachurch who preaches that the church should stay out of politics has (predictably) got NY Times readers all … gulfstream/2128

Malcolm Gladwell: the success of a company (or country) is determined, to a great extent, by the ratio of workers to dependent non-workers. (GM has 453,000 … gulfstream/2141

“The researchers said Pluto failed to dominate its orbit around the Sun in the same way as the other planets.” WELL THEN TRY HARDER DAMMIT. gulfstream/2143

Journalists from The New Yorker, thoughtful individuals that they are, attempt to arrange a meeting with the famously reclusive mathematician Grigory Perelman: … gulfstream/2150

25,000 Jews live in Iran, and they seem largely happy there. (Or at least the ones who will speak to journalists.) Could there be something to Mahmoud … gulfstream/2158

Surprising: Fox News’s Bush approval rating poll is the least positive of three major polls (graph). gulfstream/2175

Map showing what a more equitable Middle East might look like if it were divided up along religious and ethnic lines (related discussion). This was apparently … gulfstream/2176

Iceland is about the only proper country on the list. gulfstream/2196

Kansas Outlaws Practice of Evolution: “Violators of the new law may face punishments that include jail time, stiff fines, and rehabilitative education … gulfstream/2197

The ATM (cash machine) at the DNA Lounge gives out receipts which are headed “SHOPPING IS NOT CREATING / YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU OWN”. gulfstream/2216

The unfortunately named “(RED)” campaign for the Global Fund has raised just $18 million; up to $100 million is estimated to have been spent advertising … gulfstream/2253

The New Yorker has redesigned! Some notes: overall, much cleaner, nicer and more modern (though it does feel a lot like New York Magazine) cartoons … gulfstream/2255

Reflections on the importance of race in your choice of online gaming character. gulfstream/2257

“Heroic Secret Service Agent Takes Question Intended For Bush.” gulfstream/2267

CIA account of two CIA operatives shot down over China on their first mission in 1952, and held captive for 20 years. gulfstream/2270

del.icio.us

The History Channel - Great Speeches: Politics & Government

Just Supposin' - In defense of hypothetical questions. By Michael Kinsley

BBC NEWS | UK | Hindus criticise Christmas stamp

Salon.com Books | America's unlikely defender

Hip to Be Square

"Health Care Forum" by Adam Gopnik and Malcolm Gladwell

Granta: 'How to write about Africa' by Binyavanga Wainaina

The Dark Side of China’s Rise
chinese economy about to do not so well?

The New York Review of Books: Their Master's Voice
So misplaced are many of his citations from Islamic scripture that in all likelihood, one of the best ways to diminish the al-Qaeda leader's stature would be to publish his words more widely in the Muslim world.

LA Weekly
the right still has fun, the left, not so much

PREVIEW: The Man Who Would Be <br><i>le Président</i>

American Petrocracy

The 10 Downing Street Door
oh, england: the "0" on 10 downing street is fixed at an angle, because the original had a badly-fixed "0" also.

COLOURlovers :: Blog / 11 Great Color Legends
why colours are associated with various things. most surprising is that until 2000, democrats and republicans didn't always have blue and red as their colours (is this right?)

How NASA Screwed Up (And Four Ways to Fix It)

Democracy index | Liberty and justice for some | Economist.com

Profiles: The Conciliator: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama on the Confirmation of Judge John Roberts | U.S. Senator Barack Obama