I published two stories this year that were "the kind of thing I want to write," by which I mean, more in line with my mission of being informed by socio-political concerns: "Princess Courage" at Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and "Absolute Zero," in Creature!  Thirty Years of Monsters (reprinted in Fantasy).  Francesca, thank you for your thoughtful ( Read more... )

Jon Krakauer has produced an investigative expose of Greg Mortenson and his memoirs about building schools in Afghanistan, Three Cups of Tea and Stones Into Schools (available for free at byliner until April 20th).  Krakauer seems mostly pissed off because the dramatic story was used to solicit donations for the Central Asia Institute - Krakauer ( Read more... )

Since selfavowedgeek made one, I decided to make a 4th of July playlist too.  It's a touch on the cynical side.  And by a touch I mean a huge wallop on the cynical side.  But that should surprise no one.

Part I.  America Talks To Itself

1.  "American Pie" - Don McLean

Did you write the Book of Love, and do you have faith in God above if the Bible tells you so?
Do ( Read more... )

I mean, aside from the lingering anti-Eastern Europe sentiment, of course.
It is vital that other nations come away from the meeting believing that America and Russia are moving toward verifiable nuclear arms reductions, and that by the time the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty review conference is held at the United Nations next May, they will have ( Read more... )

Former President Roh Moo-hyun of South Korea, whose reputation as an upstanding political leader had been tarnished recently by a corruption scandal, committed suicide on Saturday by jumping off a cliff near his retirement home, according to his aides and the police.

Mr. Roh, who had prided himself on being a clean politician during his term from ( Read more... )

It is sad, in a way, that all our critics want is a little acknowledgment of error.  But it also goes to show just how ridiculously out of proportion the American ego is, as well as how open most countries are to cooperating with the United States as long as the U.S. gets off its high horse and acts like a friggin' normal country (and treats other ( Read more... )

Over 1,500 farmers in an Indian state committed suicide after being driven to debt by crop failure, it was reported today.

Yet another plane crash in Indonesia - second in a month.  At least neither were commercial flights.

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Amid Protests, Asian Summit is Canceled:

A summit meeting of Asian nations was abruptly canceled here Saturday after hundreds of protesters forced their way past security forces into a convention center where leaders were preparing to discuss the global economic crisis.

About half of the leaders at the meeting were evacuated by helicopter, including ( Read more... )