Director Tony Scott Commits Suicide
“Top Gun” director Tony Scott is dead, aged 68, after an apparent suicide.
Maybe We’re Getting Exactly The Political Culture We Deserve
We have met the enemy, and it’s most likely us.
The State of the GOP
There is much to critique in Washington, but the nexus of the governance problem at the moment is the GOP.
Fareed Zakaria Reads (And Copies From) The New Yorker So You Don’t Have To
CNN’s Fareed Zakaria looks to be caught in a bit of a plagiarism scandal.
Jack Daniels Issues Nicest Cease-and-Desist Ever
The cover of Patrick Wensink’s novel Broken Piano for President bore a striking resemblence to the label of a certain quality Tennessee sour mash whiskey. So, Jack Daniel’s’ lawyer sent him a nice note.
CIA Vaccine Plot Makes Vaccinations Harder; Who Could Have Known?
CFR’s Laurie Garrett has a piece in The Atlantic headlined “Good Job, CIA: Your Pakistan Vaccine Plot Helped Bring Polio Back From the Brink of Eradication.”
Campaign Spending, Free Speech, and Disclosure
The Koch brothers will spend more money in this election cycle than the entire McCain campaign did in 2008.
Was The Revolution A Mistake?
Were the Colonists wrong to toss aside the British Empire so casually?
Don’t Try to Have It All: Just Live With Your Choices
My latest for The Atlantic continues the debate over work-life balance spawned by Anne-Marie Slaughter’s cover story “Why Women Still Can’t Have it All.”
Is It Worth Paying For a Yale Education?
Men who graduate elite universities earn an additional $107,000 lifetime. It costs $234,440 to get a Yale degree.
Is The Supreme Court A “Threat” To Democracy? Of Course Not
In advance of tomorrow’s ruling, some pundits on the left are displaying some very odd views on the role of the law in American politics.
Four Game College Football Playoff Approved, Will Start With 2014 Season
After years of calls for a College Football playoff, we’ll finally get one. Let the criticism begin.
Men Can’t Have it All, Either
I’ve joined The Atlantic’s debate over a thought-provoking cover story by Anne-Marie Slaughter.
Do The Veepstakes Matter? Not Really
The Veepstakes doesn’t matter nearly as much as the media tells you it does.
2012 Race Down to Seven Battleground States?
While the news media is focused on sixteen battleground states, the professionals running the Obama and Romney campaigns are focused on a much narrower list.
Pentagon Donates 2 Better-Than-Hubble Telescopes to NASA
NASA was in need of new telescopes and got a helping hand from their good pals at the DoD.
Los Tocayos Carlos: Texas Killed The Wrong Carlos
A man named Carlos killed a woman named Wanda Lopez. Texas executed a different man named Carlos for the crime.
What the French Election Tells Us About Our Own: Not Much
The New Yorker’s John Cassidy sees “Good and Bad News for Obama” in Nicolas Sarkozy’s defeat.
Chen Guangcheng Deal Struck, No Thanks to Chen Guangcheng
The blind Chinese activist who daring escape from house arrest set off a diplomatic brouhaha that grabbed the world’s attention is about to get his wish to come to America.
Insurmountable Obstacles in Afghanistan
My latest for The National Interest,Insurmountable Obstacles in Afghanistan, has been posted.
Anders Breivik and Khaleid Sheikh Mohammed
The Atlantic’s Max Fisher reflects on “What America Can Learn From Norway’s Anders Breivik Trial.”
America’s Spending Habits
At the apex of the last economic boom, we were spending far less as a percentage of our income on food, clothing, and transportation than our predecessors of half a century before, with the surplus going mostly to education and health care.
Atlantic Council
Through a stroke of bad luck, the Atlantic Council server was down during a critical Google update
Are You An Almost Alcoholic?
A new book would classify most of us who consume alcohol as “almost alcoholics.”
Megan McArdle’s Hiatus
Megan McArdle is taking a break of unspecified length from blogging to “work on another project.” Said project, she hastens to add, is not a baby.
Afghan Riots And the Folly of the Afghan Mission
A pattern that never ends: Perceived insults lead to mayhem and murder.
Planned Parenthood, Komen, And The Never Ending Culture Wars
Once again, the culture wars intrude into yet another area of life.
Losing Afghanistan A Year Sooner Beats Alternative
Everything the critics say about the decision is right–and so is the decision.
Haditha Massacre Sentence Outrageous But Correct
My latest for The Atlantic explains, “Why We Should Be Glad the Haditha Massacre Marine Got No Jail Time.”
UK Defense Secretary Tough on Iran, Tougher on Europe
Philip Hammond addressed the Atlantic Council this morning in advance of a meeting with Leon Panetta.
Obama’s Defense Cuts: 1992 All Over Again
President Obama’s Pentagon is planning for an unlikely war with China rather than the small wars America will inevitably fight.
Can America Think Strategically?
America’s greatest statesmen fear America’s political paralysis endangers our ability to lead the world.
Does The Post Office Have A Future?
The Postal Service announced another round of service cutbacks today that are likely to just make the rapidity of its decline increase
Eurozone Too Big To Save?
“The debt crisis is burrowing ever deeper, like a worm, and is now reaching Germany.”
Police Violence and Perpetual War
Why we shouldn’t be surprised that police are using tools of violence against protestors.
Newt Gingrich’s Improbable Rise
So, how did we get to the point where a fat, condescending, serial adulterer who left office in disgrace twelve years ago is the latest challenger for the conservative mantle?
Republican Foreign Policy Craziness Inherent in the System
My latest for The Atlantic: “Some Reasons Not to Worry About Republican Foreign Policy Craziness”
Accusations Starting To Hurt Cain In The Polls
Polls are starting to show signs that the sexual harassment allegations are starting to hurt Herman Cain.