A baby sloth eating a carrot at a sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica.
See the Sloth Nugget below. From the Daly Mail of the UK.
"Washington may have just gotten a lot less friendly for the president, but he still has plenty of fans in Asia. A look at where he's going, who he's meeting, and what it means."
Obama’s Visit to Indonesia: What is at Stake? (Editorial) from the Jakarta Post [of Indonesia in English]
"In a clichéd world of rising, stagnating and declining powers, there is one country whose rise has not received sufficient recognition, and another whose decline has been much exaggerated. The first is Indonesia and the second is the United States. … American foreign policy, although marked by its high-handedness as the sole superpower, helps to sustain what order there is in global politics by providing many of the essential public goods of international life."
The Land of Opportunity (Editorial) from The Hindu [of India in English]
"The U.S. has lived up to its name as the land of opportunity, thanks to a variety of features. India has made great strides, but it has a long way to go to become one."
Iran is Drying Up: Sanctions Forming Chokehold Around Iranian Regime, Forcing It to End Fuel Subsidies (Op-Ed) from Y-Net News [of Israel in English]
"Don’t buy into Iranian propaganda and Ahmadinejad’s diversionary visit to Lebanon. The sanctions are forming a chokehold around the Ayatollah regime and Tehran doesn’t know how to free itself."
Midwest at Dusk (David Brooks) from the New York Times
"If America can figure out how to build a decent future for the working-class people in this region, then the U.S. will remain a predominant power. If it can’t, it won’t."
It has been ages since Brooks said anything worthwhile -- but he puts his finger on a major set of issues here!
Obama Aide Adjusts Course for a Comeback from the New York Times
"At a time of tumult, the corner office in the West Wing is a center of calm. With the rest of Washington in a frenzy over the “shellacking” President Obama’s party took in this week’s elections, his new chief of staff quietly and methodically plots out a refashioned White House to manage his recovery."
Election Results Fueled by Jobs Crisis and Voter Apathy Among Progressives (Ruy Teixeira & John Halpin) from the Center for American Progress
"Experts and pundits will float many interpretations of the 2010 midterms over the next few weeks, each of which progressives should consider carefully. But the most parsimonious explanation of how 2010 unfolded in terms of lessons for progressives going forward lies in a few fundamental factors: the poor state of the economy; the abnormally conservative composition of the midterm electorate; and the large number of vulnerable seats in conservative-leaning areas."
Pelosi Delivered: The Democrats' Hold on the House Didn't Last. Their Landmark Legislation Will (Robert Shrum) from The Week
"Let us now praise Nancy Pelosi. Long after the midterm stories have faded, and the predictions of the president’s political demise prove as facile and false as they were with Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, history will accord Pelosi an unprecedented scale of achievement for a House speaker."
Pelosi to Run for Minority Leader from Huffington Post
"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will make a bid to be Democratic minority leader, she announced Friday via Twitter. "Driven by the urgency of creating jobs & protecting #hcr, #wsr, Social Security & Medicare, I am running for Dem Leader,""
I have to say -- I like Pelosi. By all intents and purposes, she SHOULDN'T get the position given what the dems just endured at the polls. But I will not be disappointed if she wins the coming leadership fight. Who would take her place? National Journal's analysis HERE seems confident she will prevail. I was surprised to see that Pelosi's historic rival, Steny Hoyer is NOT challenging here. See the next item.
James Clyburn, Steny Hoyer May Face Off for House Minority Whip from Huffington Post
"Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Nancy Pelosi's second in command, will not challenge Pelosi for the House minority leader job but is considering a bid for minority whip. "Hoyer has received a lot of support from members over the past several days urging him to stay as a part of leadership.""
The Worst Post-Election Advice Ever (Barbara Slavin) from AOL News
"Broder suggested that Obama would have strong Republican support for the military option and that the nation "will rally around Obama because Iran is the greatest threat to the world in the young century." There is so much that is wrong with this analysis that it's hard to know where to begin."
Howard Dean Rules Out 2012 Bid from the Wall Street Journal
"Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, the unofficial general of the liberal movement, has ruled out posing a primary challenge to President Barack Obama, according to his office."
Wise move on his part. There has been some loose chatter about Obama getting a challenger from the left in the 2012 primaries. It would be a ludicrous challenge. Let's wait and see if Russ Feingold now says the same thing.
GOP Senators Fight Over Failure from Politico
"Long-simmering tensions within the Republican Party spilled into public view Wednesday as the pragmatic and conservative wings of the GOP blamed each other in blunt terms for the party’s failure to capture the Senate."
Another take on the same issue:
Tea Party Moves Quickly to Flex Muscle from the New York Times
"The incoming leadership of the new House Republican majority hardly had a chance to relish its dismantling of the Democrats before the Tea Party came calling in the form of Representative Michele Bachmann."
And a further reality check:
For GOP, Big Ambitions Face Daunting Obstacles from the New York Times
"Republicans are standing by their campaign vows to slash spending for domestic programs immediately by at least one-fifth — $100 billion in a single year — even as many mainstream economists say such deep cuts could further strain the economy and should await its full recovery. Republicans also say they will try to deny money to put Mr. Obama’s new health care law into effect, though they have not made clear what they would do to make up the cost savings that would be lost if they succeeded in repealing the law."
SLOTH NUGGET!!
Life in the Slow Lane: Hundreds of Orphaned Sloths Given a New Lease of Life at Costa Rican Sanctuary from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Tucking into a tasty carrot snack, this bright-eyed baby sloth is making a happy recovery after being orphaned just days into its young life. The adorable creature is just one of 100 being cared for by volunteers at the Aviarios Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica, Central America."
TRAVEL NUGGET!!
Lonely Planet Dubs Albania #1 Hot Country to Visit in 2011 from the Atlantic
"Every fall, travel fanatics and tourist bureaus eagerly await Lonely Planet's publication of the hottest spots to visit in the coming year."
Albania? Who knew?
BEAUTIFUL PLACES NUGGET!!
21 Insanely Gorgeous Valleys Around the World (PHOTOS) from Huffinton Post
"Here are 21 valleys around the world that are, in a word: stunning."
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