A numbat from Australia -- one of those odd marsupials! From Wikipedia.
Japan Prepares for the Worst from the Independent [of the UK]
"New reactor blast raises fears of meltdown / Final death toll could reach 'tens of thousands' / Markets crash over fears of economic fallout."
Japan Says 2nd Reactor May Have Ruptured With Radioactive Release from the New York Times
" Japan’s nuclear crisis intensified dramatically on Wednesday after the authorities announced that a second reactor unit at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant in northeastern Japan may have ruptured and appeared to be releasing radioactive steam."
Last Defense at Troubled Reactors: 50 Japanese Workers from the New York Times
"A small crew of technicians, braving radiation and fire, became the only people remaining at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on Tuesday — and perhaps Japan’s last chance of preventing a broader nuclear catastrophe."
In Japan, No Time Yet for Grief (Kazumi Saeki) from the New York Times
"A novelist in Sendai discovers the extent of the damage. "
A Witch's Brew in the Gulf (David Ignatius) from the Washington Post via RealClearPolitics
"The Obama administration and its support for democratic change in the Middle East has been on a collision course with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other traditional monarchies of the Persian Gulf. The crunch finally came this week with a sharp break over how to deal with protest in Bahrain."
The next two stories tell you plenty about why Obama is so reluctant about getting involved in Libya:
Germany Blocks Plans for Libya No-fly Zone (Simon Tisdall) from the Guardian [of the UK]
"G8 talks stall after Germans refuse to support military intervention backed by Britain and France."
Note that the EU has WAY MORE at stake in Libya than the US does and that western Europeans in general are clamoring for their governments to act… and yet they're going to do nothing.
Then of course you have this:
African Union Backs Qaddafi to Prevent 'Western Influence' from the Herald [of Zimbabwe in English]
"According to this news item from The Herald, mouthpiece of the ruling Zanu-PF Party, the African Union has decided that while the regime of Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi is 'authoritarian,' to force him from office would invite Western influence and chaos."
Did you catch that? "Backing Qaddafi" -- as in opposing US/EU/NATO efforts to do something. Many of those African dictators want to make sure the US gets the message that they will "get behind" Qaddafi (which could mean all kinds of different mischief). Also note that Saudi Arabia (as we've seen in Bahrain) is also itching to prop up people like Qaddafi. Is it wise for us to "jump in" with so many regional players saying: "We're going to mess with you if you do"? I support democracy -- but the US has intervened SO MANY times in places we didn't understand and/or weren't clear what we were getting into, I cannot fault Obama for being deeply cautious and dubious of what we can really accomplish there and how much it might REALLY cost us if we intervened. He gets it.
Obama Strategy: Share Credit (and Blame?) (Michael Shear) from the New York Times
"Rather than emphasize his differences with potential Oval Office rivals or Republican adversaries on Capitol Hill, the president is taking every opportunity he can to embrace members of the other party as co-conspirators in his efforts to confront the country’s challenges."
One more thing that will drive Obama's liberal supporters crazy. I'll be curious to see how this strategy holds up.
Poll: Most Say Govt. Shutdown Bad; Tea Party Disagrees from CNN
"Most Americans say that a federal government shutdown would be bad for the country, according to a new national poll. But a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey also indicates that Democrats and Republicans don't see eye to eye on the issue, and self-described Tea Party movement supporters say such a shutdown, even for a long period of time, would be a good thing. The poll's Tuesday release came just before the House of Representatives voted to continue funding the federal government for three weeks, a major step towards temporarily avoiding a possible government shutdown."
Place that next to this story:
Checkmate: No Good Moves For Boehner In Spending Fight from TalkingPointsMemo
"The House of Representatives passed emergency legislation Tuesday to keep the government funded through mid-April and avoid a shutdown reminiscent of the one Newt Gingrich triggered back in 1995. … But Tuesday's outcome was nonetheless a mixed one for Boehner. It illustrated a reality he'd hoped to escape -- that a large chunk of his caucus won't vote with him if he compromises."
Shockers -- but I've actually developed a grudging respect for Boehner. He is no dummy; it's just that the party he leads is full of them! His problem is that he lacks the power in his own caucus to be an effective speaker. Contrast his lack of support with the almost iron discipline Pelosi routinely commanded. When she said she had the votes, she HAD THEM! As the recent excellent profile of Boehner in Vanity Fair showed, Boehner talks but routinely can't produce. Prediction: we're headed for a gov't shutdown.
Wisconsin Recall is Real (Markos Moulitsas) from the Daily Kos
"For weeks, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) claimed his push to cripple his state’s public unions was motivated solely by a need to balance the budget. Last week, he tacitly admitted his lies by passing his ban on collective bargaining using a legislative procedure specifically applicable only to non-budgetary items. While Walker won the battle, he’s about to lose the war. "
Pro-Labor Group Working America Recruits 20,000 New Wisconsin Members In Wake Of Budget Protests from the Huffington Post
"Forming a union is a lengthy process, and while labor officials say they already see more interest from workers, it's too soon to measure an increase in membership numbers. But there already is one indication the battles in Wisconsin are providing a boost for labor. Working America, an advocacy organization affiliated with the AFL-CIO that provides an outlet for non-union members to support the labor movement, has signed up approximately 20,000 new members since Feb. 15. These individuals represent a significant bulk of the group's membership in Wisconsin, which is at nearly 65,000."
Exploring Alternative Republican Universes (Tom Jensen) from Public Policy Polling
"it really doesn't seem likely that Palin and Huckabee are both going to run, or even that either of them will run. So we also took a look on this poll at some alternative Republican universes."
Speaking of alternative GOP universes:
FL Sen. Marco Rubio Starts Building National Brand from Politico
"With a landmark spending debate engulfing Washington, the Florida Republican has, virtually overnight, launched the national profile the conservative movement has been clamoring for.
DOG NUGGET [of a sort]!!
£1 Million for 'World's Most Expensive Dog' from the Daily Telegraph [of the UK]
"A Red Tibetan Mastiff puppy has become the world's most expensive dog after being sold for almost £1 million."
DISNEYLAND NOSTALGIA NUGGET!!
Five Lost Disneyland Rides: Flying Saucers Anyone? (VIDEO) from AOL News
"We've rounded up a few of our favorite lost Disneyland rides, to remind us all of the good old days, before animatronic Mickey Mouse heads, and back when you had to walk "five miles through the snow to get to an amusement park!" With no shoes. Or socks."
US CIVIL WAR NUGGET!!
What Would Jefferson Do? (William Freehling) from the New York Times
"How Thomas Jefferson’s grandsons tried to guide Virginia toward secession — and emancipation."
Freehling is a very notable Jefferson historian.
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