Transforming U.S. Military Might into 21st-Century Weapons (David Ignatius) from the Washington Post
"What worries me is that even as the military looks forward, the brass is still clamoring to build the legacy systems - think aircraft-carrier battle groups - that will soon be vulnerable to the new weapons. It's as if the Pentagon were trying to be the old IBM, running big, clunky mainframes while trying to be an Apple-like innovator. We can't afford to do both. The puzzle to ponder in 2011 and beyond is how the United States can retain the "legacy power" benefits that come from conventional fleets and bases around the world while transitioning to the new realities of military power."
A Brief History of Anarchism: The European Tradition from Time Magazine
"Anarchist organizations in Italy and elsewhere today may be as fringe as analysts say they are, but they are the heirs of a political credo that deeply impacted the past two centuries of world history."
The Economy in 2011 from the Editorial Board of the New York Times
"When people say that the recovery does not feel like a recovery, they are describing reality. The economy is growing, but for many Americans life is not getting better. Unemployment remains high. Home values are depressed. And state budgets are in deep trouble, presaging more layoffs, service cuts and tax increases. The question for 2011 is whether growth will ever translate into broad prosperity."
Equality, A True Soul Food (Nicholas Kristof) from the New York Times
"John Steinbeck observed that “a sad soul can kill you quicker, far quicker, than a germ.” That insight, now confirmed by epidemiological studies, is worth bearing in mind at a time of such polarizing inequality that the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans possess a greater collective net worth than the bottom 90 percent. There’s growing evidence that the toll of our stunning inequality is not just economic but also is a melancholy of the soul.
Health care reform 101: What will kick in Jan. 1? from the Christian Science Monitor
"Some parts of health care reform are already phasing in. Here nine key provisions that take effect Jan. 1."
Going Through the Motions on Repeal… (Steve Benen) from Washington Monthly
"The GOP wants to pursue repeal just so they can say they pursued repeal. This isn't going to be policymaking from responsible, problem-solving lawmakers; this is going to be a public-relations stunt."
Women to Watch (and Watch Out For) in 2011 (Bonnie Goldstein) from Politics Daily
"This train of thought predictably led to predictions about those daunting dames whose flames burn on and whose status (and status updates) we will surely be revisiting in the months to come."
Debt Ceiling a Major Test for GOP from Politico
"Congress is probably months away from being required to vote on increasing the nation’s ability to borrow money, though official Washington is already positioning itself for the upcoming fight – with some lawmakers signaling they’d oppose the measure, others saying they aren’t sure and the Obama administration predicting dire results if the ceiling is reached."
This showdown should be really interesting!
Soldier Vows to Quit Army Over Gays from Mother Jones Magazine
"The resigning soldier (let's call him "Braveheart") writes, without any hint of irony, that he must commit this act of disobedience in order to preserve the great military virtue of obedience:"
For every jerk like this, the repeal of DADT will allow 100+ servicemen and women to continue to serve. Good riddance to this clown.
Leaderless Republicans Face 2012 Free-for-All (Albert Hunt) from Bloomberg News Service
"The Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, the start of the 2012 U.S. presidential race, are only a little over a year away. For more than four decades, at this stage, Republicans had either an incumbent president or an established front-runner who goes on to win the nomination. There is no such figure today, making the race more wide open."
Pres-2012: Oh Calm Down ('Huntsman 2012' Dept) (James Fallows) from the Atlantic
"Several friends in China have written to ask what I think of this Newsweek report that Jon Huntsman Jr., currently the US Ambassador to China, is planning to run for the GOP presidential nomination next year. What I think is: Are you kidding? Anything is possible in politics, so this could be too. But this is why it is wildly improbable."
I hope Fallows is correct. Huntsman is one of only a handful of genuine GOP 2012 prospects (Mitch Daniels being one other) who could be REAL BAD NEWS for Obama. The fact that Huntsman has been out of the US for the last two years (and thus has not had to take a position on most of the hyper-heated topics of the day) only makes him stronger in my view.
Let's check in with the first family:
Obama Craves Familiarity on Hawaiian Vacation from the Associated Press
"There are those who crave adventure and spontaneity during their vacations. Then, there's President Barack Obama. More than a week into his Hawaiian holiday, Obama is proving to be a creature of habit, seeking refuge in the comfort and consistency of a familiar routine."
Obama Is Serious About His Vacation. And, Please, No Shirtless Shots from the New York Times
"Here on Oahu, where Mr. Obama and his family are staying in a luxury oceanfront rental home in the sleepy town of Kailua, the president is cloaked in the comfort of a news-free zone."
Tea Party Activists Angry at G.O.P. Leaders (Kate Zernike) from the New York Times
"Just a month ago, Tea Party leaders were celebrating their movement’s victories in the midterm elections. But as Congress wrapped up an unusually productive lame-duck session last month, those same Tea Party leaders were lamenting that Washington behaved as if it barely noticed that American voters had repudiated the political establishment."
RAILROAD NUGGET!!
Bring Back the Rails! (Tony Judt) from the New York Review of Books
"The future of railways, a morbidly grim topic until very recently, is of more than passing interest. It is also quite promising. The aesthetic insecurities of the first post–World War II decades—the “New Brutalism” that favored and helped expedite the destruction of many of the greatest achievements of nineteenth-century public architecture and town planning—have passed. "
NEWS MEDIA NUGGET!!
Top World News Websites 2010 from RealClearWorld
"While WikiLeaks proved it could capture and publish documents, it took the efforts of its media partners and other media organizations to bring needed analyses to its trove. The brave new world of global media is an exciting one, but every year we at RealClearWorld like to recognize those who are helping make sense of it all. So with that, RealClearWorld is pleased to give you the best world offerings from the world wide web."
Please note that your DAYLEE NEWS NUGGETS site has been referencing all of the websites described for a long time!!
CIVIL WAR NUGGET!!
Seceding from Secession (Adam Goodheart) from the New York Times
The latest installment from the NYTimes' wonderful week-by-week homage and reflection on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
"…these Virginian patriarchs had not come to lend their support to the rebellion. They intended, rather, to denounce it as folly, as criminality – perhaps even as treason."
RETAIL SALES NUGGET!!
Bargain Hunters Enjoy Stripped Down Offer from the Daily Telegraph [of the UK]
"Young bargain hunters braved cold weather and indiscreet looks to queue at branches of Desigual, a contemporary fashion retailer, which launched a "cheeky" offer to unveil its winter sales. "Come in undressed and go out dressed"."
ANIMAL PHOTOS NUGGET!!
Pictures of the Year 2010: Cute Animal Photos from the Daily Telegraph [of the UK]
A LOT of fun images at this site!
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