The biggest problem in the Middle East are Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.
The settlements are the project of a collection of right wing extremists.  They are homes and roads protected by the mighty Israeli army, strategically placed in and around Palestinian cities, towns, villages, and farmland in such a way as to make Palestinian [...]

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Two essays caught my eye this week.  One is a photo essay, describing the opulent train station lobby at the Michigan Central Depot just after its closure in 1973, in comparison with the lobby in 2008 after decades of neglect and decay.
The other essay, The Dark Side of Dubai, explores the slavery-like conditions [...]

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I’m still on hiatus, but thankfully CBS News isn’t.  Here’s an excellent piece about the prospects for peace in 2009.
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UPDATE: And here’s a bit of well-informed analysis from the Tribune.  Not sure what happened to suddenly enlighten the American press to speak with people who have knowledge [...]

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As 2008 draws to a close, here are the Most Important articles from this rather boring year.  OK, actually, this is a year most of us will remember for a lot of reasons.  Here are the things I’ll remember the most.
2008 Presidential Election: Victory in Iowa | Accurate Predictions | Dreaming of Barack | Obama’s [...]

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The tank crew that killed this Reuters camraman earlier this year has been acquitted of any wrongdoing. In other words, any journalist covering the Israeli army’s actions should be prepared to die.
In other news, as Ehud Olmert’s administration collapses, he’s desperately looking for some kind of legacy other than massive corruption, broken promises, and [...]

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