Khaleej Times Online
Pakistani traders Thursday announced a reward of 10 million rupees (165,000 dollars) for anyone who beheads Salman Rushdie following Britain’s decision to award the novelist a knighthood.Meanwhile Islamic scholars bestowed a top honour on Osama bin Laden in response to the British accolade, as a senior ruling party member said he would not […]
This opinion peice in TimesOnline is worth reading in full, but I want to talk a bit about the final conclusion:
That, then, is the neocon case. There can only be peace between peaceable democracies. Name me a war between two democracies. Name me a truly peace-loving dictatorship.To all this the critics have a ready […]
washingtonpost.com
Pakistan and Iran have summoned their British ambassadors to protest that author Salman Rushdie, accused of insulting Islam in his novel “The Satanic Verses,” was to be honored with a knighthood.Iranian Foreign Ministry official Ebrahim Rahimpour told the British ambassador to Tehran, Geoffrey Adams, that the decision was a “provocative act” that has angered Muslims, […]
Here is an article on using algae to create bio-diesel. As the article states, we are still a long way from making this idea a reality, but unlike other bio-fuel options this one has real potential: The Greenest Green Fuel - Popular Science
I also expect that eventually we will see genetic engineering used to really […]
Vatican issues rules for the road
The Vatican on Tuesday issued a set of “Ten Commandments” for drivers, telling motorists not to kill, not to drink and drive, and to help fellow travelers in case of accidents.An unusual document from the Vatican’s office for migrants and itinerant people also warned that cars can be “an occasion […]
CNN.com
Iran’s parliament on Wednesday voted in favor of a bill that could lead to the death penalty for persons convicted of working in the production of pornographic movies.
While there can be some disagreement about whether the development of nuclear weapons justifies hostile actions, I am sure we can all agree that the clear and present […]
Instapundit points to this plan for a carbon tax that adjusts based upon measured levels of warming.
Make a lot of sense to me. In any event, I am convinced that a carbon tax is a whole lot smarter then a cap and trade system.
The Skeptical Optimist looks at the numbers
Click through to the Optimist’s site to see the full explanation. Short version, the middle class is shrinking because they are getting richer.
Forbes.com
The US’ Middle East allies Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar, as well as Malaysia were added today to a Washington blacklist of countries trafficking in people, the State Department said.Algeria and Guinea were the other additions to the blacklist of the State Department’s annual ‘Trafficking in Persons Report,’ which analysed efforts in about 150 countries […]
SPIEGEL ONLINE - News: The Kenyan economics expert James Shikwati, 35, says that aid to Africa does more harm than good.
I don’t know that I entirely agree with this assessment. I guess I am enough of an altruist to want to help, and enough of an optimist to believe that effective ways can be found […]
