Category Archives: International issues

From “Making Sense Of Libya,” and other Libya links

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Ampersand

I’d really recommend reading the International Crisis Group’s briefing on Libya (or at least read the executive summary, which is only three pages long). (pdf link) It has a lot of interesting background to the current conflict. Here’s a brief … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, International issues | 2 Comments

Against Humanitarian Wars

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Ampersand

photo credit: John Tann At the Debate Annex, in response to my criticism of Obama for not clearing our war in Libya with Congress, Daran asks a fair question: Setting aside the Constitutionality issue, how do you feel about the … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, International issues | 13 Comments

Obama Breaks Law With Impunity And Cherry-Picked Legal Opinions

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Ampersand

The New York Times reports on the process by which President Obama came to the Orwellian legal conclusion that our actions in Libya are not “hostilities,” and thus do not need Congress’ approval under the War Powers Resolution. As the … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, In the news, International issues | 18 Comments

Kucinich Tries To Force US Out Of Libya

Posted on June 3, 2011 by Ampersand

From Politico, a reason to love Dennis Kucinich (and his co-sponsors, Reps. Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) and Dan Burton (R-Ind.)): Seeking to avoid a showdown over Libya, House GOP leaders have pulled back from a floor vote on a resolution by … Continue reading →

Posted in In the news, International issues | 4 Comments

Deconstructing Sheri Tepper’s 2008 Interview with Strange Horizons

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Mandolin

So, someone asked me what was so offensive about Tepper’s interview. After reading her comments, I’m convinced that it might actually be helpful to some people if I did a deconstruction. I don’t usually fisk things because it’s a format … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion & reproductive rights, Class, poverty, labor, & related issues, Disabled Rights & Issues, Environmental issues, Feminism, sexism, etc, International issues, Islamaphobia, literature, Race, racism and related issues | 64 Comments

The Daily Show On America’s Commitment To Freedom

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Ampersand

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c America’s Freedom Packages www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook

Posted in International issues | 8 Comments

Norouz Pirouz! Eid Moborak! Happy Iranian New Year 2011 – An Auspicious Day to Announce My New Book, “The Teller of Tales: Stories from Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh”

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

I was, actually, hoping to post this yesterday, before the changing of the year, which happened some time between 6 and 7 PM, but I was very busy and didn’t get a chance to do it. So let me take … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, literature | Comments Off on Norouz Pirouz! Eid Moborak! Happy Iranian New Year 2011 – An Auspicious Day to Announce My New Book, “The Teller of Tales: Stories from Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh”

Libya Declares Ceasefire; worriers continue worrying

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Ampersand

Well, it appears that egg is on my face after I worried about disaster in Libya last night. I genuinely hope this egg remains on my face forever. From the BBC’s constantly-updating Libya sidebar: To recap on the events of … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, In the news, International issues | 16 Comments

War isn’t avoiding the disaster. War is the disaster.

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Ampersand

So we’re now preparing to institute a no-fly zone in Libya — an act of war which Congress has not debated and apparently will not be given the chance to debate (although perhaps there’ll be a rubber-stamp vote after the … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, In the news, International issues | 24 Comments

Persian Poetry Tuesday: The Prologue to the Story of Rostam and Sohrab in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

Written in the 10th century by Abolqasem Ferdowsi (NPR did a feature on him not too long ago), the Shahnameh (Book of Kings) is the national epic of Iran, telling the nation’s story by recounting the tales of its kings, … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, literature | Comments Off on Persian Poetry Tuesday: The Prologue to the Story of Rostam and Sohrab in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh