Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Bits and Pieces - November 24, 2009

President Obama likes science. [Replacement of science by religion has been running a close second this week to the media's ignorance in my irritation index. Have restrained myself from blogging about this as well.]

Blackwater's Secret War in Pakistan. More of Jeffrey Scahill's excellent investigation. Take note, media scribes! This is how you do journalism. Chris Bertram takes note of some of the ugly consequences.

Stephen Walt is pleased that the United States is playing a little harder to get with India. The Bush administration's desire to make India happy with nuclear trade outside the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty was the antithesis of the "tough love" Walt has been advocating, not just for India but for all US allies. Nicholas Burns, who negotiated that nuclear deal, urges other sorts of cooperation as well, which appears to be what President Obama is doing. But the agreement "lacks the big dollars," which may be part of Walt's tough love.

One more example of why I'm irritated at the media: the ACORN story. Emptywheel points out that it's the beat reporters who recognized the rightwing lies.

Kirsten Gillebrand, Hillary Clinton's Senate replacement, says she'll take down the Stupak amendment.

2009 could be the second-hottest year on record if things keep going the way they are. Nice animation of El Niño developing.

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