ninme

Happy Moon Festival, everyone!

The Times - Burmese Days Demonstrations are a challenge to the junta’s long and oppressive rule

Burma has been ruled by a military dictatorship for the past 45 years. And though the secretive cabal of army generals has briefly dabbled with democracy, allowing a general election in 1990 that massively endorsed the [...]

Categories: Geography and Foreign Affairs

BBC - Burmese military threatens monks

Burma’s ruling military junta has warned it is ready to “take action” against Buddhist monks leading mounting protests, state media have reported. Brig Gen Thura Myint Maung, minister for religion, warned them not to break Buddhist “rules and regulations” as Rangoon saw the largest march yet. [...]

Categories: Geography and Foreign Affairs

So, Fred Thompson the other day said something I think is kind of silly, and they’ve been passing the issue around at the Corner over the weekend, and Mark Steyn, in a series of posts, made (and expounded upon) some interesting points:

Categories: War and Peace

The other day a car crashed into George Clooney’s motorcycle, knocking him and his new girlfriend off, and cracking his rib. Just 48 hours later, he took her out to dinner:

In heels!

Categories: Entertainment

The Times - No training? And for that a little boy had to die? James Campbell: Thunderer

Which leaves us with the matter of training. No one doubts that training is important. It teaches the individual to keep his head when all about him panic. That is why we so often hear soldiers or [...]

Categories: People and Current Events

The Times - A lesson in patriotism from Smalltown, Georgia, by Carol Sarler

In an impassioned speech on Friday General Dannatt expressed his dismay at the morale-sapping apathy shown to our troops who serve in Iraq and Afghanistan. A young soldier, he said, deserves respect for his courage; he wants to know “that people [...]

Categories: War and Peace

Just cuz…

Times Online - Because we’re worth it Who knows best how men can be chivalrous without being sexist? A woman, of course – so Debrett’s asked E. Jane Dickson to write their new guide

A good sign:

Above all, the chivalrous man is a grown-up.

So there you are.

Update:

There’s an editorial. The men’s view:

The Times - [...]

Categories: People and Current Events

LGF - Protests Against Ahmadinejad on Monday

MONDAY, SEPT. 24: ** **What: Ahmadinejad to speak at luncheon at National Press Club by videolink When: Protesters needed from 11:00-2:00. Come for however long you can. Where: Washington, DC: National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW Please note: Attendance inside is limited [...]

Categories: People and Current Events

KC Star - Jason Whitlock: Lessons from Jena, La. (Mr Whitlock is black, which I mention because other people being black keeps coming up)

There are undeniable racial and economic inequities in our criminal justice system, and from afar the “Jena Six” rallies certainly looked and felt like the righteous protests of the 1960s. [...]

Categories: Business & Media

BBC - French mime artist Marceau dies

The French mime artist Marcel Marceau has died at the age of 84, his family has announced. The performer was known around the world for his portrayal of a white-faced clown with battered hat. Born in Strasbourg in 1923, Marceau studied [...]

Categories: People and Current Events

The Sunday Times - That’s no food allergy, just bad manners, by India Knight

But I do loathe the way in which people – usually women on a diet – turn something commonplace and understandable, such as not eating bread because it makes them fat, into a look-at-me-I’m-special, cod medical issue. If such people [...]

Categories: Food

The Sunday Times - Why pick on Mugabe when Africa is teeming with tyrants? By Rod Liddle

On the face of it, Gordon Brown’s determination to boycott the Europe-Africa summit if Robert Mugabe is invited, seems thoroughly decent and principled. The meeting, due to be held in the sort of halfway house of Portugal, [...]

Categories: Geography and Foreign Affairs

Did I ever link to the first story on this from last week’s Sunday Times? I don’t think I did, actually…

Sunday Times - Israelis seized nuclear material in Syrian raid

Israeli commandos seized nuclear material of North Korean origin during a daring raid on a secret military site in Syria before Israel bombed it [...]

Categories: War and Peace

BBC - UN vows to broaden role on Iraq

The UN is ready to broaden its activity in support of Iraq, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said. Mr Ban said at a key meeting in New York the time for determined action on Iraq had come [because security is better, making [...]

Categories: War and Peace

I had a niggling thought in the back of my head the other day, “I wonder who the new White House press secretary is?” but never got around to looking it up. Anyway:

Corner - The White House on Columbia, by Kathryn Jean Lopez

From today’s press briefing: [...]

Categories: People and Current Events