Newborn 'Ligers' -- a cross between a tiger and a lion. See the Big Cat Nugget below. From the Daily Mail of the UK.
What the White House Really Thinks About Bombing Iran (Marc Ambinder) from the Atlantic
"So one reason why the administration doesn't want to use force against Iran is that force might not work. Indeed, it might result instead in Iran's existing nuclear infrastructure going even more deeply underground."
A Long Way From the Point of No Return With Iran (Robin Wright) from the Atlantic
"The United States and the many other parties now consumed with Iran's controversial nuclear program have at least a year of intense diplomacy -- and possibly much longer -- before they even consider military options. And that assumes diplomacy totally collapses, the Iranians can be clearly blamed, and reliable intelligence proves Tehran's program has crossed a critical threshold."
Ahmadinejad Feels the Heat at Home (Analysis) from the Asia Times [of Hong Kong in English]
"In a sure sign that Iran's factionalized politics is making a comeback, the right-wing and conservative forces that last year engineered the marginalization of the reformists, are slowly splintering. At the center of this latest bout of factional in-fighting is the divisive personality of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. "
What's It Like to Be a Tourist in North Korea? from Foreign Policy Magazine
"An American business professor, Patrick Chovanec, visits fields, casinos, and kindergartens in North Korea -- and explains how the Hermit Kingdom is and is not like Mordor."
Kosovo Starts to Find Its Independent Identity from Time Magazine
"Eleven years after a NATO air campaign forced Serbia to relinquish control of the territory, Kosovo is finding its identity. A unilateral declaration of independence in 2008 was recognized by 69 countries, including the U.S. and most (although not all) European Union member states."
China to Dominate in 2030? Maybe Not (Editorial) from Fortune Magazine
"What does it really mean for China to be the No. 2 economy in the world, let alone the No. 1? And what could practically stand in the way of China eventually becoming the world's biggest economy? The all-important demographics."
A Mosque You Can't Believe In (David Wiegel) from Slate
"Republicans don't oppose the Islamic community center near ground zero so much as they oppose Obama's support of it. ... They don't want a debate about religious freedom in America. They want a debate over whether you trust the Obama administration."
What Political Courage Looks Like (Glenn Greenwald) from Salon
"Aside from Michael Bloomberg's impassioned, principled speech in defense of Park 51 -- and, if one wants to be generous about it, Barack Obama's initial, voluntary defense of the religious freedom values at stake -- there have been very few commendable acts in this dispute. Until now. The developer of the project, Sharif El-Gamal, gave his first interview this afternoon, with NY 1, and categorically refused even to consider backing down. "
Immigration Causes Job Losses? Like Ice Cream Brings Sharks (Gary Younge) from the Guardian [of the UK]
"To claim the statistics show that foreigners are to blame for rising unemployment is a leap of xenophobic bad faith."
How Many Commentators Will Denounce GOP Mosque Strategy? (Greg Sargent) from the Washington Post
"Mark Halperin has a great piece today in which he calls on Republicans to "do the right thing" and not make Obama's support for the Islamic center an issue in the midterm elections. Which gives rise to a question: If Republicans do take this route, how many commentators will come out and unequivocally take sides on whether it's acceptable or whether it's wrong? Halperin notes, crucially, that if the GOP adopts this strategy, it will be bad for America and good for the "Jihadists""
THIRD REICH NUGGET!!
A Loner, an Object of Ridicule and a 'Rear-Area Pig': Adolf Hitler According to his WWI Regiment from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Now the myth of Adolf Hitler's heroism in the trenches has been debunked by research revealing he was little more than a 'teaboy' messenger dubbed a 'rear-area pig' by frontline soldiers."
BIG CAT NUGGET!!
Birth of 'Ligers' at Zoo Sparks Controversy from Discovery News
"A private zoo in Taiwan has become the first on the island to see the birth of "ligers," hybrids of lions and tigresses, with the owner facing a fine for violating wildlife rules, officials said Monday."
BOOK REVIEW NUGGET!!
Lords of the Ring: A Review of The Manly Art: Bare-Knuckle Prize Fighting in America, Updated Edition from the New Republic
"The Sullivan-Corbett fight, staged eight years before the dawn of the twentieth century, was a glimpse of the modern future."
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