UP-FRONT HUMAN RIGHTS NUGGET!!
Burmese Dissident Is Freed After Long Detention from the New York Times
"Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was freed from seven and a half years of house arrest on Saturday and was greeted at the gate of her compound by thousands of jubilant supporters."
The Elephant Outside the Room from the Economist [of the UK]
"Touring some of Asia’s most successful democracies, Barack Obama has a message for its most successful dictatorship."
Inside the Seven-Hour Clinton-Netanyahu Marathon Meeting (Josh Rogin) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's seven-hour marathon meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday in New York could signal a turning point in the effort to revive the stalled Middle East peace talks, as the administration works to resolve the dispute over Israeli settlement building by turning the focus to borders and security."
Stability Wins in Iraq from the Editorial Board of the Washington Post
"Ideally, Iraq eventually will become a democracy where elections are fought by parties divided by political program rather than sect or ethnic group identification. But some European countries have not yet reached that point. For now the forging of a coalition deal is another welcome step toward a stable and peaceful state."
GOP Civil War on Defense Spending from Politico
"A proposal to slash $100 billion from the Pentagon budget threatens to spark a civil war within the GOP — pitting hard-core deficit hawks against some members who view military spending as sacrosanct and others who represent districts reliant on defense-related jobs."
Senate Elections 2012: The State of the Senate (Emily Swanson) from Huffington Post
An interesting preview of 2012!
"Without knowing more about what the electoral environment will look like in 2012, it seems likely that Republicans will have more chances to pick up seats than Democrats. On the Republican side, continuing threats from the Tea Party could force otherwise safe Republicans to fight primary battles."
The Blase' Mandate (Charles Blow) from the New York Times
"Democrats still searching for a silver lining to the waxing they took last Tuesday can cheer up a bit. According to a new poll, the public may already be experiencing a bit of buyer’s remorse about the choices they’ve made, and Republicans seem to have unrealistic expectations about what their leaders will be able to accomplish."
Post-Tea Party Nation (David Frum) from the Sunday New York Times Magazine
"While the Bush administration took wise and bold steps to correct the disaster, the unpopularity of its Troubled Asset Relief Program bequeathed the Obama administration a political disaster alongside the economic disaster. It’s an uncomfortable memory, and until now Republicans have coped with it by changing the subject and hurling accusations. Those are not good enough responses from a party again entrusted with legislative power. If Republicans are to act effectively and responsibly, we need to learn more positive and productive lessons from the crisis."
Tea Party Express Chairwoman: RomneyCare Will Sink Romney in GOP Presidential Primary (Jed Lewison) from Daily Kos
"In an ominous sign for his presidential aspirations, the Chairwoman of the Tea Party Express blasted Romney for the health care plan he put in place as governor of Massachusetts."
Bush's Book 'Decision Points' Lifted Passages from Advisers' Books (Ryan Grim) from Huffington Post
"Many of Bush's literary misdemeanors exemplify pedestrian sloth, but others are higher crimes against the craft of memoir."
Did this man EVER grow up!?
HOLIDAY & CULTURE NUGGET!!
Random Act of Culture in Philadelphia (VIDEO) via Americablog
A VERY MOVING choral event in a Macy's store in Philly! Wonderful!
STRANGE HOMES NUGGET!!
Ground Control to Major Home: Old Boeing 747 Recycled into Malibu Wing House from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Most people go on an aeroplane to get away from home, but one jet-set woman has taken a whole new departure and made her house out of a plane - a Boeing 747, to be exact."
JOURNALISM NUGGET!!
The Five Most Dangerous Countries for Journalists from the Christian Science Monitor
"The brutal beating of Russian journalist Oleg Kashin outside his apartment building Nov. 6 draws renewed attention to the dangers that reporters face in many countries – including death, violence, imprisonment, exile, and threats to their families."
RARE LION NUGGET!!
Introducing Bianca, the New Addition to the Pride of White lions Being Saved from Extinction from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"It is one of the most endangered species in the world but one unique conservation project is taking giant strides in saving the mysterious white lion."
RAILROAD NUGGET!!
The World's Longest Railroad Tunnel (PHOTOS) from Time Magazine
"The 35.4-mile Gotthard tunnel beneath the Alps will pave the way for high-speed rail travel between northern and southeastern Europe."
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