Dive into the archives.
- Kaplan on Journalism vs. Travel Writing
Rolf Potts features a quote from Robert Kaplan on the advantages of travel-writing over journalism from an interview by the Columbia Journalism Review:
The travel writer knows that people are least themselves when being tape-recorded. You’ll never truly understand anybody by asking a direct question, especially someone you don’t know very well. Rather than interrogate strangers, [...]
- Fratricide
Via Happy Capitalist comes this: anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan threatened to run against California US Senator Diane Feinstein unless she joined the fillibuster against Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito. I know Feinstein as a moderate liberal and Sheehan as an unfortunate nutcase (she sent her ultimatum by e-mail while she was in Venezuela attending [...]
- The Magical Merkel Tour
Since being sworn in November 22nd of last year, Bundeskanzerlin Angela Merkel has been busy visting foreign heads of state. Only two days after being sworn in she headed to Paris and then to Brussels to meet with NATO. In Paris she put more distance between herself and Chirac and in Brussels moved closer to [...]
- The History of the Jews in England
Perusing Wikipedia I came across this fascinating article on the history of the Jews in England. It’s full of facts I never knew: that the first Jews came with the Norman Conquest in 1066; that the Jews were expelled in 1290 and didn’t return until the 17th century; and the return was marked by [...]
- Scary China, Part 2: Rationality will not save us
(Part 1)
A Japanese textbook (previously covered here and here) has recieved international criticism for allegedly covering up history. Having lived in Japan and traveled across China, this has seemed strange to me. The textbook may not appeal to some. But the average Japanese citizen can rationally discuss history and can agree or [...]
- Two Can Play At That Game
As Russia’s near abroad begins to freeze and natural gas lines go empty, upsetting everyone from Germany to Georgia and Iran starts copycatting, one little engine that could stood up against Moscow.
Georgia cuts Russian embassy gas
Georgia has cut off gas supplies to the Russian embassy in the country, after blaming Moscow for its energy [...]
- Scary China, Part 1: Chirol on the Sino-Japanese War and “Saving Face”
While searching through print.google, I came across this little gem: the firsthand impressions of Sir Ignatius Valentine Chirol (the real one, not the blogger by that alias here) from China after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, in which Japan defeated China and took control of Taiwan and asserted hegemony over Korea.
Nowhere in Peking could the [...]
- 2 ICT or not 2 ICT?
Matt from MountainRunner asks:
What do we mean when we want to use information communication technology? Are we seeking to bring light to the dark areas? ... What does this do to solve core-gap problems as described by Dr Thomas Barnett? ... How, as YoungHusband at ComingAnarchy asked me, can we use ICT to defeat [...]
- Kaplan Interview on Radio Blogger
There’s a new Robert Kaplan interview up at Radio Blogger about Imperial Grunts. Kaplan was interviewed on Hugh Hewitt’s show today. Read it now as he’s off to Korea and Thailand tomorrow to spend time with the Air Force. Special thanks to reader Gollios for the tip!
Robert Kaplan follows up on Bush administration comments on [...]
- Canada as Anakin Skywalker?
Just when I wonder that my BBC bashing may be inappropriate, utter silliness such as this comes along: “Will Kyoto die at Canadian hands?” asks the BBC.
Is Canada’s newly elected Conservative Party now preparing to don the mantle of Darth Vader and emasculate the protocol to the point of impotence?
Of course, don’t you see? [...]
