Reading these days... III

First of all, Something I always suspected: Men May Be Jerks...But Women Are Insane (the article is much more serious than the title, worth a reading and I find myself 95% in agreement)

Obama: No U.S. Forces on the Ground in Libya . . . Except for Those Guys.

U.S. must take sides to keep the Arab Spring from Islamist takeover

The Unknown in Libya

So, in short, there is no need to be afraid that the Arab uprising will necessarily lead to islamist government in those countries. After all, there is no evidence of links between uprising and, say, Al Qaeda. Right. Too bad that...

Libyan rebel commander admits his fighters have al-Qaeda links and In Egypt, Muslim Group Takes Lead Role in Post-Mubarak Era (and, btw List of looted antiquities finally released).

In the meanwhile, More Protests Across Syria... which makes me wonder, no one noticed that all the countries affected (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria) so far were the ones were the governments were, indeed corrupt autocracies, but secularist or trying to be?

In the meanwhile, on the economy news are comforting... well, nevermind that:

US Finances Rank Near Worst in the World while Moody's warns Britain over triple-A credit rating.

Not like the news from the old continent are much better Portugal teeters on brink of bailout, with the WSJ suggesting that the Weak Educational System Hobbles Portugal (but read the original title of the article...). Eventually, the Collapse of Euro Not 'Unthinkable', says Warren Buffett.

Americans are startig to address the problem tho, even if somewhat indirectly: CBO: Taxing mileage a 'practical option' for revenue enhancement.

Really, American politicians are starting to think that highways should have a toll? How amazing. But it will never work, US have the strongest Teamsters Union of the world, and with Rocky as president for a time ;)

And speaking of marvelous ideas, and Emotional voter ID bill debate ends in passage. Apparently they realized that requiring an ID with a picture (as opposed to, say, a library card) might be a good idea to avoid vote frauds. Even more amazing, how could they come up with such a notion, I wonder.

All this while Japan's Nuclear Crisis Worsens. However, I shall point out that, no matter what everyone writes, they are wrong: the power plant had withstood a quake 100 times stronger it was designed for without major problems... then a hour later came a tsunami twice as high (14 meters) as planned. But in all the chaos and despair, you can always count on Japanese people to do something superhuman and earn the title of Badass of the Week: Hideaki Akaiwa (or, the mainstream media less cool version of the story For one quake survivor, self-help in the face of seeming helplessness).

In unrelated news, considering the body's track record, I suppose the resolution was written in ancient Aramaic and therefore absolutely impossible to understand if the UN rights body ditches call to condemn religious ‘defamation,’ focuses on freedom of belief. In fact, it sounds too good, I'll have to find the text and see how the journalist got it wrong.

If you are into macroeconomics, you might be happy to know that the

BPEA is now open access

and you might also want to check

More BPEAs

even because the dream of an universal online library might be over as it looks like while they try

Explaining the Google Books Case Saga.

Nevermind, movies would be good for distraction so I've read the new movie from teh director of 300 is out, however ‘Sucker Punch’ Review: Strong on Action, Average on Story. Well, maybe I will watch it. Or not? "Sucker Punch" goes beyond awful, to become commentary on the death of moviemaking (granted, with such a headline one is compelled to go and see it just to see how bad it is...).

Speaking of movies, Legendary Oscar-Winner Elizabeth Taylor Dies at 79. I shall add that she died, artistically speaking, heir-less. Who would be, in fact, her modern day version?

Yes, he was the supreme leader of his contry at the beginning of the XX century, supported eugenics and he thought that his countrymen "have no business to permit the perpetuation of citizens of the wrong type". No, it's not Germany and Adolf Hitler, it's the United States of America and Theodore Roosevelt. What, you didn't know the USA flirted with eugenics?

Ok a laugh is sorely needed: ways to avoid getting the sack: HR recommends and, if you are economics inclined, Planet Money's Toxic Asset.