A white bengal tiger in Nehru Zoological Park in New Delhi.
In Ireland, a Picture of the Cost of Austerity from the New York Times
"As Europe’s major economies focus on belt-tightening, they are following the path of Ireland. But the once thriving nation is struggling, with no sign of a rapid turnaround in sight. Nearly two years ago, an economic collapse forced Ireland to cut public spending and raise taxes, the type of austerity measures that financial markets are now pressing on most advanced industrial nations."
Many economists see Ireland's experience with austerity as what the US and the rest of Europe can expect as the deficit hawks seem to be carrying the day at the moment.
Outraged Over Police Raid on Church Offices? Wait for What is Revealed (Barbara Blaine) from the National Catholic Reporter
"Six years ago, I watched closely as another law enforcement raid of a diocesan headquarters took place in my home town of Toledo. The deception it uncovered was stunning. And the evidence it obtained was later used in a trial to convict a murderer."
Belgium a 'Perfect Storm' on Sex Abuse Crisis (John Allen) from the National Catholic Reporter
"While there’s no good place for the Catholic church to experience a sexual abuse crisis, few places on earth are quite as combustible as Belgium."
Obama, the Ice Man (Jack White) from The Root
""Part of the frustration some of us feel is rooted in Obama's conciliatory approach to governing. He is the precise opposite of a traditional black leader -- a jelly-maker, not a tree-shaker, in Jesse Jackson's memorable phrase. His default stance is compromise, not confrontation. Such behavior makes Obama look both weak and cynical. We sometimes want him to be angry and unbending, not calm, cool and conniving."
GAO Study Finds Improper Burrowing During the Bush Years from TalkingPoints Memo
"A study by the Government Accountability Office has found seven instances of improper burrowing -- political appointees shifting to career civil servant positions in a given agency -- during the Bush Administration, though none of the seven occurred close to the 2008 presidential election."
Like yesterday's news about former Alabama Governor Siegelman, today we are treated to another revisit to Bush's shennigans during the closing months of his administration.
WV-Sen: Filling Byrd's Seat (Reid Wilson) from the National Journal
"A special election is unlikely. State law says Manchin's appointment will be valid "until a successor to the office has timely filed a certificate of candidacy, has been nominated at the primary election next following such timely filing and has thereafter been elected and qualified to fill the unexpired term.""
IL-Sen: Kirk's Apology: I was Careless from Politico
"It was Illinois GOP Rep. Mark Kirk’s mea culpa moment. ... After weeks of tough press and private criticism from frustrated GOP colleagues, Kirk attempted to clear the air Tuesday with a news conference in the far north suburbs of Chicago."
He's doing a "Blumenthal." "Yeah, yeah. I'll say 'I screwed up!' It worked for that guy in CT -- maybe it'll work for me!" It remains to be seen if there is enough Blumenthal in him to pull it off.
He's doing a "Blumenthal." "Yeah, yeah. I'll say 'I screwed up!' It worked for that guy in CT -- maybe it'll work for me!" It remains to be seen if there is enough Blumenthal in him to pull it off.
"It was one of the most stunning displays of right-wing lunacy that I have ever seen in my entire life from a Republican candidate for Federal office (at least outside of the south). Here's a highlight reel, followed by a point-by-point summary of Angle's lunatic claims."
Normally I don't post partisan rants from predictably left-leaning blogs -- but this one nicely (and I think accurately) captures how badly Angle did yesterday in her encounter with a representative of the MSM.
Frum on Frum from the FrumForum
"I don’t think of myself as having gone squishy. I think of myself as having grown sober. And my conservative critics? On them, I think the most apt verdict was delivered by Niccolo Macchiavelli, 500 years ago: “This is the tragedy of man. Circumstances change, and he does not.”"
A cogent conservative looks at why he is on the outs with his party. Here is some REACTION on this piece from Andrew Sullivan over at the Atlantic.
OUTER SPACE NUGGET!!
Japanese Spacecraft Returns from Asteroid Mission, Years Overdue from the Washington Post
"The voyage was justifiably and immediately hailed as the stuff of legend. Against all odds, the Japanese space agency, with support from NASA, managed not only to bring Hayabusa back to Earth but also to do something never done before: take a sample from the surface of a distant asteroid and bring it home for study."
NATIONAL SOCIALIST NUGGET!!
Thousands of French Nazi Collaborators to be Exposed as Official Reports are Published Online for the First Time from the Daily Globe [of the UK]
"Thousands of French people who collaborated with the Nazis are to be unmasked as secret files from 70 years ago are finally made public. The records, which include information passed on to the Gestapo by those who lived during the Occupation of 1940-44, will be published online."
DENMARK NUGGET!!
Archeologists Uncover Harald Bluetooth's Royal Palace from the Copenhagen Post
"In what they describe as a ‘sensational’ discovery, archaeologists from Århus find the remains of 10th century king’s royal residence"
NEW ANIMALS NUGGET!!
Meet the New Species from Smithsonian Magazine
"The discovery of new species is driven by new technologies, targeted surveys of little-studied ecosystems and a determined effort to identify plants and animals before their habitat is lost. The kipunji is one of 300 mammal species discovered in the past decade; it is thought to be Africa’s rarest monkey."
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