Stuxnet Virus Attack: Russia Warns of ‘Iranian Chernobyl' from the Daily Telegraph [of the UK]
"Russian nuclear officials have warned of another Chernobyl-style nuclear disaster at Iran's controversial Bushehr reactor because of the damage caused by the Stuxnet virus, according to the latest Western intelligence reports. … According to Western intelligence reports, Russian scientists warned the Kremlin that they could be facing "another Chernobyl" if they were forced to comply with Iran's tight deadline to activate the complex this summer."
This story is endlessly interesting. I was WONDERING how much of a threat the worm was to the basic operations of Iran's nuclear plant. A serious threat by this account, one that could lead to a nuclear disaster. So what now? Having had this foretaste of how much their facility might be compromised, do the Iranians proceed? This is becoming quite a high-stakes game of nuclear chicken. And of course the Russians are concerned. The nuclear fallout could very well drift into their airspace in a matter of hours. If there was a nuclear accident, how would the Iranian public react?
The Worm in Iran's Nuke Program: Made in Israel? (Karl Vick) from Time Magazine
""What is being said about the Mossad throwing the deadly shark in to hit tourism in Egypt is not out of the question," the South Sinai governor was quoted as saying. "But it needs time to confirm." The half-baked always does. No one was laughing, however, at the report in Sunday's New York Times, a 2,800-word assessment of Israeli involvement in Stuxnet, the computer worm that wreaked havoc with Iran's nuclear program."
Watching and Waiting in Tunisia from the Economist [of London]
"What comes next for Tunisia is unclear, and governments across the Arab world are watching anxiousl."
After Tunisia, Is Egypt Next? (Eric Trager) from the Atlantic
"Egyptian activists face tremendous odds - in particular, an entrenched dictatorship that is determined to discredit the very idea of domino-effect democratization. This has been President Hosni Mubarak's specialty throughout his thirty-year rule - which is why, for the moment, his regime is behaving quite confidently."
Muammar Gaddafi Condemns Tunisia Uprising, Blames Wikileaks from the Guardian [of the UK]
"Libyan leader claims protesters led astray by WikiLeaks disclosures amid reports of unrest in Libya."
English Is Here to Stay: Why Learn Mandarin? China Won’t Make You Speak It (James McWhorter) from Newsweek
"English is permanent because it came to reign amidst print, widespread literacy, and eventually an omnipresent media. All of these make a world’s lingua franca more drillingly present in minds the world over than was ever possible before. As such, English will remain the international language of choice for the same reason keyboards retain the ungainly QWERTY configuration—it got there first."
I'm not a McWhorter fan -- but this is an interesting "globalization and culture" topic.
Health Care Poll Finds Decreased Support for Full Repeal from the Associated Press via Huffington Post
"As lawmakers shaken by the shooting of a colleague return to the health care debate, an Associated Press-GfK poll finds raw feelings over President Barack Obama's overhaul have subsided."
Illinois Wakes Up from the Editorial Board of the New York Times
"States cannot fill their huge budget shortfalls by either cutting or taxing alone. Illinois is finally figuring that out, but too many other states are in denial."
This realization ids to happen at both the state and federal levels. Cut spending AND (God forbid) raise taxes. It's the only way.
A related item:
A Daft Way to Tackle America’s Debt (Clive Cook) from the Financial Times [of London]
"Nothing the House decrees will happen unless the Senate and the president go along. Even so, controlling the House requires the party to propose and not just oppose. This is something Republicans may have forgotten how to do. Before they have even begun to try, they are sounding a little dazed."
One Group Obama's Kept his Promises to: Native Americans from the McClatchy News Service
"Speaking to 500 people representing 320 tribes, President Barack Obama pledged last month that he wouldn't forget his campaign trail promise to give native communities a greater voice in the White House. … For the most part, tribal leaders say the president has been true to his word.
Ex-Bush Speechwriter Denounces Right’s ‘Paranoid Narratives’ about Obama from RawStory
"Conservative David Frum on Sunday criticized some on the right for embracing "false and paranoid narratives" about President Barack Obama that he said were contributing to a toxic political climate."
Democrats Erase the 2010 Republican Electoral Advantage (Chris Bowers) from Daily Kos
"In both graphs, President Obama has gained a net of eight points in his job approval since November 2nd. This is a statistically significant gain that cannot be dismissed as random noise."
Tea Party Faces Tough Reality in Washington as New Session Begins from the Associated Press via Huffington Post
"Some tea party activists – part of a loose-knit, libertarian-tinged network advocating small government and less federal spending – already are dismayed to see their new lawmakers plunge into familiar patterns of raising political cash, hiring former lobbyists and stopping short of the often-heard vow to "change the way Washington works.""
Who Had the Worst Week in Washington? Sarah Palin (Chris Cillizza) from the Washington Post
"In moments of crisis, great politicians rise to the occasion. Bad ones tend to fall flat. Sarah Palin learned that the hard way this past week …"
WOLF NUGGET!!
Experience: I Lived with Wolves from the Guardian [of the UK]
'I ate what they ate, mostly raw deer and elk, which they would often bring back for me, or fruit and berries'
Salon has a linked story with video.
WHALE NUGGET!!
Sea Shepherd Cuts off Supplies to the Japanese Whaling Fleet from Sea Shepherd News
"Captain Paul Watson responded to the interception of the Sun Laurel from the Steve Irwin, “We have found the Achilles heel of the whaling fleet and we intend to stay on it like a bloodhound and keep this ship from delivering fuel and supplies to the whaling fleet. This tanker’s support of Japan’s illegal activities makes the captain and crew of the Sun Laurel as culpable as the person firing the harpoon into a whale’s flesh.”"
Paul Watson's group are endlessly creative. The supply ship apparently is leaving the antarctic region under escort by Sea Shepherd.
US CIVIL WAR NUGGET!!
Declining War, Rejecting Peace (Jamie Malanowski) form the New York Times
"Two sides that were on the brink of hostilities a week ago took a step back from the edge. Yet neither seems willing to move towards peace."
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