A rare Somali wild ass foal in Switzerland's Zoo Basell. From Zooborns
In Surprise, Iraq May Enforce Withdrawal Deadline (Kelly McEvers) from NPR's Morning Edition
"As Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki settles in for a second term, he's begun to talk tough on the final withdrawal of American troops, scheduled for the end of this year."
Here it comes. As I have long said, you will know we have succeeded in creating a functioning gov't for Iraq when the Iraqis tell us to our faces: "Get the f@#$ out -- and don't let the door hit your a#@ on the way out!!" I actually think this is a good thing if it can be managed right. If they are keen to take charge, PLEASE let them and let's get out while the gettin's good!
What Iranians Really Think (Abbas Milani) from the National Interest
"Those who expected Iranians to ignore these threats and immediately take to the streets overlook one of the keys to the country’s long history of survival. Iranians are not dogs—an easily domesticated animal—but foxes: wily, wise and hard to tame."
Hackers Hit Tunisian Websites from Al Jazeera
"Amid anti-government protests, attack blocks access to stock exchange and ministry of foreign relations."
Wow. It'll be interesting to see if this heralds a new front for democracy and human rights advocates looking to confront repressive regimes. While super-repressive regimes like those in North Korea and Burma are probably pretty immune to this type of "hacker-protest" -- MANY other repressive regimes such as those in Saudi Arabia, Russia, and even China could be quite vulnerable to this kind of disruption. Given how much Chinese authorities have invested in their own cyber-war capabilities, it would certainly be poetic justice if they became the focus for sabotage-hackers from around the world.
Poll: Most Americans Say Tax the Rich to Balance Budget from Reuters News Service
"Most Americans think the United States should raise taxes for the rich to balance the budget, according to a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll released on Monday."
Doesn't matter. The wealthy are way more represented in the current Congress than the average American.
The Achievement Test (David Brooks) from the New York Times
"The size of government doesn’t tell you what you need to know; the social and moral content of government action does. The budgeteers and the technicians may not like it, but it’s the values inculcated by policies that matter most. The best way to measure government is not by volume, but by what you might call the Achievement Test."
A pretty perceptive assessment by Mr. Brooks today.
Navy to Relieve Aircraft Carrier Commander Over Raunchy Videos from USA Today
"The Associated Press, quoting unidentified Defense officials, and CNN report that Capt. Owen Honors will be relieved of duty as commander of the USS Enterprise."
At some point, grown men need to start behaving like grown ups. But, boy -- how the worm does turn! In 2006, a sailor who says he's gay would get the axe -- now it looks like a commander who made fun of gays is going get it in the neck. He deserved it back in 2006 -- so better late than never. It should be noted that since this story appeared, the Navy has denied that Honors is being relieved.
Homeless - and Going to College from the Minneapolis Star Tribune
"Statistics on homeless students are difficult to pin down, but advocates for the poor believe the numbers are up."
I know students like this. NPR did a story on this last year. You can get that story HERE.
Muslims in Evangelical Churches from Christianity Today
Does loving your neighbor mean opening your doors to false worship? … At Heartsong Church in Cordova, Tennessee, Steve Stone and his congregants put out a sign welcoming incoming neighbors at the Memphis Islamic Center. The church then allowed these Muslim neighbors to use their sanctuary as a makeshift mosque throughout Ramadan while the Islamic Center was under construction. Stone and Heartsong received extensive national media coverage for their efforts. For Stone, allowing Muslims to worship on his church's property was a matter of "What would Jesus do?"—a matter of his United Methodist congregation modeling the love of Jesus to strangers, just as Jesus had welcomed them."
Now -- THIS is the kind of thing my CT Congregational Church would have done back in the 1970s. It is the perfect synthesis of a genuinely Christian message imbued with the best of America's political tradition.
Obama Considering Naming Former Commerce Secretary Daley as Chief of Staff from Bloomberg News Service
"Daley, 62, has deep ties in Obama’s political base. The youngest of seven children of longtime Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, he is part of the most powerful political dynasty in Illinois. He was also a political mentor to Rahm Emanuel"
This could be a very important appointment. If it is Daley, it clearly signals that Obama is making the economy his central issue for the next two years and that he's looking to enroll Wall Street and the business community into … something big.
Dems Playing Rough on Health Care? (Greg Sargent) from the Washington Post
"More signs Dems are going to get aggressive in the battle with the GOP over the repeal of health reform."
"Getting aggressive"? I'll believe that when I see it.
John Boehner's Power Shortage (Howard Kurtz) from the Daily Beast
"As the Republican leader assumes the gavel as House speaker, he faces a restive Tea Party on his right and a wily president on his left. Howard Kurtz on his strengths—and the limits of his clout."
Another take on a related topic:
New Congress Likely Full of Brimstone, Talk, Little Change (David Lightman and William Douglas) from the McClatchy News Service
"Get ready for some slam-bang action from the new Republican-led House of Representatives after the 112th Congress convenes Wednesday: It's going to read the entire Constitution aloud, try to repeal the new health care law and cut federal spending dramatically. But despite what's likely to be a January full of big talk, big votes and big ideas, the most important policy decisions are unlikely for several weeks and months, and then only after some titanic power struggles."
What's the Tea Party Foreign Policy? (Peter Beinart) from the Daily Beast
"National security isn’t on the agenda of the new Republican Congress. Peter Beinart on how their constitutional vision, as applied to foreign policy, wouldn’t cut the deficit or shrink government."
The Great Fake Uprising (Glenn Greenwald) from Salon
"A new investigation of the media's false reporting of the Saddam-statute story reveals ugly truths about the press"
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGH NUGGET!!
Simple Blood Test To Reveal Cancer at Low Levels from the CBS Evening News
"Scientists Developing "Liquid Biopsy" Test To Recognize Single Cancer Cell in Blood Among a Billion Normal Cells."
This has been getting A LOT of attention in the last 24 hours. Some are describing it as potentially the biggest medical breakthrough of our lifetimes!
ELECTRIC CAR NUGGET!!
Diary of an Electric Car Commuter from Fortune Magazine
"When an argon-blue Nissan Leaf, the first production all-electric, zero-emission family car to hit the U.S., whispered into my garage last month, I knew instantaneously that it was a game changer. New relationships come with hopes, fears, and surprises, and ours -- the Leaf's and my union -- went quickly from blind date to a marriage of convenience. The Leaf is nothing short of a bellwether of the automotive revolution that is headed to a driveway near you."
ANCIENT EGYPT NUGGET!!
King Tut's Wife's Tomb May Emerge in 2011 from Discovery News
"The tomb of King Tut’s wife, a buried pyramid, the Great Pyramid’s secret doors, and the final resting place of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony: these discoveries could await us in 2011, according to Dr. Zahi Hawass, chief of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities."
I'll tell you, Hawass has a flair for putting himself at the center of almost all stories relating to archeology in Egypt. It also has to be said -- he certainly seems to be making things happen there.
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