Sanjeev Bhaskar and the Ministry of Silly Walks bring you the daily India-Pakistan border closing ceremony: Here is the video:
Egypt’s Morsi Provokes Anger, Astonishment with appointment of Governor from former Terrorist Group
As Egyptians demonstrated against him again on Friday, in preparation for big rallies on June 30, President Muhammad Morsi has shot himself in the foot with a series of ill advised appointments of provincial governors. Morsi continues to demonstrate that he is politically tone deaf and that his decision-making takes place in a small circle […]
Asia will Drown, Africa will Starve in 30 years: World Bank Report on Global Warming
The World Bank report, “Turn Down the Heat,” (available in pdf form here warns of severe climate effects even if we manage to limit global warming to 2 degrees C., and a much worse fate if we go to 4 degrees C. The world is now putting 35 billion metric tons of C02 into the […]
Stephen Colbert’s Touching Farewell to his Mother
As a one-time guest of the Colbert Report, let me express my condolences to Stephen Colbert on his mother’s death. Here is his poignant eulogy:
Why the 9/11 Argument for NSA Spying Fails: They Tracked, Lost their Suspect (Elliott)
Justin Elliott writes at ProPublica In defending the NSA’s sweeping collection of Americans’ phone call records, Obama administration officials have repeatedly pointed out how it could have helped thwart the 9/11 attacks: If only the surveillance program been in place before Sept. 11, 2001, U.S. authorities would have been able to identify one of the […]
Iran’s New President is on a Collision Course with the Supreme Leader (Kadivar)
Mohsen Kadivar writes at IslamiCommentary A key was the symbol of Hassan Rowhani’s presidential campaign, but what, if any, doors to real power will it unlock? Mohsen Kadivar “This is the victory of wisdom, a victory of moderation and a victory of commitment over extremism,” Iranian president-elect Hassan Rowhani declared on TV shortly after election […]
Will Mali get back stolen Timbuktu Manuscripts?
A trove of three boxes of rare manuscripts from Timbuktu has turned up near the Algerian border and seems likely to be returned to its original library. Timbuktu was a major intellectual center for the Muslim world during the past millennium, with its scholars producing loads of books on a whole range of subjects, from […]
Obama in Berlin foreshadows Coming Epic Battle against Climate Change
President Obama is readying a major policy change on combating climate change. He adverted to it in his Berlin speech yesterday. In my view, this step is more important than anything else the Obama White House has undertaken. (See my argument here.) Rapid climate change driven by our dumping of billions of metric tons a […]
The Struggle over the Qur’an in Morocco (Video report)
In Morocco, as in most Muslim countries, there is a lively contest over the meaning of the Qur’an and Islam. The official government-approved Qur’an contains some commentary of a moderate, Sunni, sort, intended to combat narrow-minded Wahhabi interpretations emanating from Saudi Arabia. (The reporter confuses some technical terms here; “warsh” is not commentary but a […]
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