Conjunctions

Glad to see that the United Nations Human Rights Council came to the morally defensible position yesterday.  Interesting to see how the votes were divided though:

The countries that voted against the report included the U.S., Italy, Holland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Ukraine.
China, Russia, Egypt, India, Jordan, Pakistan, South Africa, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ghana, Indonesia, Djibouti, Liberia, Qatar, Senegal, Brazil, Mauritius, Nicaragua and Nigeria voted in favor of the report.
The abstaining countries included: Bosnia, Burkina-Faso, Cameron, Gabon, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Belgium, South Korea, Slovenia and Uruguay. (emphasis added – GLK)

As a South African born Dutch citizen, an identity that came about a few decades ago largely because I care about human rights, I obviously find the positions these 2 countries took on this issue of particular interest.  It somehow seems that no matter how the deck gets shuffled, I still end up feeling ashamed of my government.  Is it something about me, something I’ve done?

Eric Brown’s second novel, Engineman, recounts the adventure of how a selection of memorable characters save the nada-continuum, not exactly the realm of the after-life but close, from destructive portal technology.  Center stage is given to the Enginemen, the pilots who guided the starships through the flux of the nada-continuum before they were rendered obsolete by the interfaces.  The air of despair and abandonment by society that surrounds the Enginemen, coupled with the scenes of a decaying Paris past its heyday is certainly moving and thought provoking.  An enjoyable and relaxing read.

3 links to articles at the libertarian Reason Magazine for today, as well as a few others:

• In The Unknown War, Matt Welch remembers the fall of communism, and asks why we don’t talk about it more. The best quote comes at the end: “Ironically, the one consistent lesson U.S. officials claim to have learned about the Cold War is the one that has the least applicability outside the East Bloc: that aggressive and even violent confrontation with evil regimes will lead to various springtimes for democracy. It is telling that the victors of an epic economic and spiritual struggle take away conclusions that are primarily military. Telling, and tragic. “

• I do think the libertarian flirt with capitalism can lead to some ridiculous notions. Ronald Bailey argues that “International organ markets aren't the same as slave markets”. 

• Paul Dragos Aligica explains why Elinor Ostrom deserves the Nobel, and how her work on economic institutions have a Progressive edge. Very recommended if, like me, you have never heard of Ostrom before.

• Patricia Nell Warren at The Bilerico Project with some interesting thoughts on primate evolution and gender diversity.

• Wonkette with an example of people who do not fret (like me here) about some stupid book burning.

• Being caught in their own lies:  James M Leas reports on how  the  “Israeli Government Contradicts its Own Self-Defense Argument”

Enjoy.