Will Russell Crowe as Noah help Egypt Separate Religion and State?
(By Juan Cole) Darren Aronofski’s biblical epic “Noah” is already provoking controversy in the Muslim world,…
(By Juan Cole) Darren Aronofski’s biblical epic “Noah” is already provoking controversy in the Muslim world,…
(By Juan Cole) Bill O’Reilly maintains that one downside of having a woman president is that…
(By Juan Cole) President Abdullah Gul has rejected a suggestion by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan that…
Court Upholds Making fun of NSA, DHS, slaps Down their Nuisance Suit
VOA reports, ‘The U.S. National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security suffered a legal defeat Tuesday as a feisty T-shirt designer reaffirmed the right to ridicule these large and powerful…
A Bridge to Nowhere: Up to 75% more Deadly Methane emitted by Natural Gas Drilling than Estimated
(By Andrea Germanos) The amount of methane leaking from natural gas emissions is far higher than previously estimated, a new study shows, more evidence, as one expert says, that urgent action must…
Manufactured Wars, Manufactured Military History
(By Nick Turse) It’s 2053 — 20 years since you needed a computer, tablet, or smart phone to go online. At least, that’s true in the developed world: you know, China, India,…
Bill Nye Science Guy to Debate GOP Rep Gohmert on Gravity
(By Juan Cole) Satire David Gregory’s Meet the Press today hosted a debate between Bill Nye the Science Guy and Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) on whether gravity is just a theory.…
Palestinian Children Arrested by Israeli Troops Face Abusive Violence
Palestinian Children in Israeli Military Custody Face Physical Violence (via YubaNet.com) By: Defense for Children International Palestine RAMALLAH, January 30, 2014 – Three in four Palestinian children detained by the Israeli military…
Three Years Later: Can the Libyan Revolution Succeed?
Libyans on Monday celebrated the third anniversary of the beginning of their popular revolution against the dictatorship of Muammar Gaddafi. The commemoration was bittersweet, since although personal freedoms have much expanded, 3,000…
The Fall of the New Year Throne 8:2
(By Juan Cole) The Fall of the New Year Throne (To read this sword and sorcery novel as it has unfolded before this installment, click here) Chapter Eight 2. Jamshid lounged on…
Kerry Blasts Climate Denialists, equates Climate Change with Terrorism, WMDs
(By Juan Cole) Secretary of State John Kerry was in Asia this weekend, and one of his emphases in China and Indonesia was the urgency of dealing with the climate disruption caused…
Is Israel imposing Sanctions on Palestinian Universities? Repeated Incursions at al-Quds U Raise Concerns at Brandeis, Bard
(By Matt Rocheleau) Clashes between Israeli forces, students at Palestinian university sparks concern at Brandeis (via boston.com) (Al-Quds Educational TV / YouTube) By Matt Rocheleau, Boston.com Staff An alleged clash between Israeli…
The Day the 5th Amendment was Droned to Death
(By Peter van Buren via Tomdispatch) Terrorism (ter-ror-ism; see also terror) n. 1. When a foreign organization kills an American for political reasons. Justice (jus-tice) n. 1. When the United States Government…
Taliban jump Shark, Kidnap alleged Spy Dog (Colbert Report)
The Colbert Report on the Taliban Dognappers
The Fall of the New Year Throne 8:1
(By Juan Cole) The Fall of the New Year Throne (To read this sword and sorcery novel as it has unfolded before this installment, click here) Chapter Eight 1. Roxanna awaited her…
Dear GOP: Top 5 Biblical Marriage Moments far worse than Gay Marriage
David Edwards at Raw Story quotes Mitt Romney from Meet the Press as saying “But I think marriage should be defined in the way that it has been defined for several thousand…
How Iraq Vets against War & Peace Groups stopped Senate bid to derail Iran Talks
(By Robert Clack) In 2013, an unprecedented diplomatic breakthrough happened when the United States and Iran, along with other world powers, reached an interim agreement to lift sanctions over a long-standing dispute…
The Koch Brothers’ Dark Money Man: How Sean Noble got Rich undermining Democracy
(By Kim Barker and Theodoric Meyer via ProPublica) For a brief, giddy moment, Sean Noble—a little-known former aide to an Arizona congressman—became one of the most important people in American politics. Plucked…
Fisticuffs in Parliament as Turkish Gov’t undermines Independence of Judges
(Via AFP) Lawmakers brawl as Turkey tightens grip on judiciary (via AFP) Turkey’s parliament passed a contested bill Saturday tightening the government’s grip on the judiciary, sparking a fist-fight that left one…
Race Inequality in America by Graph, from Crime Sentencing to Income
(By Juan Cole) Most death sentences are handed out for killing white people, even though African-Americans make up 50% of murder victims (they are only 12% of the population). So if an…
Saudi Valentines elude Puritan Morals Police
(Via AFP) Saudi Valentines defy the love police (via AFP) Red roses lurk hidden in flower shop back rooms and heart-shaped chocolates are sold under the counter, but Saudis still manage to…
Beyond the disappointment of Marines: What’s Really going on in Fallujah?
(By Mustafa Habib) NIQASH visits Fallujah and finds a city in flux. While armed militias control the city and the Iraqi army stands guard outside, markets and shops are still open and…
Descent into Bigotry: 21st Century Americans increasingly negative toward Muslims, Minorities
(By Charles Kurzman via IslamiCommentary) Islamic terrorism has proved to be a relatively small threat to public safety in America since 9/11. Isolated individuals have engaged in sporadic violence such as the…