Welcome! This is an unapologetic, agenda-free zone. Just commentaries on current events that’ll move you to think, laugh, rage, and even cry.
I’ve been commenting on the public machinations and private peccadilloes of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for many years. And I’ve always been stupefied by the way he invariably escaped the consequences of his bad, if not illegal, behavior. In fact, the only time he appeared to suffer any blow to his Caesarian pride in… Read more.
The upcoming referendum is a choice between being a second-class in your own country, or a free person in your independent state. (BBC, January 5, 2011) This was the rather loaded way Salva Kiir, the presumptive president of Africa’s newest state, framed the choice the predominantly Christian-animists of South Sudan faced in last month’s referendum… Read more.
Notwithstanding his alleged illness, Megrahi’s release is such an affront to common sense that the British could only have released him for the same reason the Americans invaded Iraq: oil… I am sensible enough to appreciate that incurring the moral wrath of the Americans for releasing him was a small price to pay for sweetheart… Read more.
Oh, did I mention the friendly wager I made with my old college roommate? We’re both Eagles fans, but he chose the if-you-can’t-beat-em-join-em route and began rooting for the Packers. I chose the Steelers to go all the way. (NFL Championship Sunday, The iPINIONS Journal, January 24, 2011) I suppose I should thank my lucky stars that… Read more.
Oh, did I mention the friendly wager I made with my old college roommate? We’re both Eagles fans, but he chose the if-you-can’t-beat-em-join-em route and began rooting for the Packers. I chose the Steelers to go all the way, (NFL Championship Sunday, The iPINIONS Journal, January 24, 2011) Related commentaries: NFL Championship Sunday Read more.
As if there were any doubt at this point, Mubarak sealed the end of his Pharaonic line today when he announced that his son, Gamal, will not succeed him as president. But if he thought this announcement would pacify the protesters he was sorely mistaken. For they now seem more determined and emboldened than ever… Read more.
The crisis unfolding in Egypt this week has to be the most captivating televised event since the O.J. Simpson car chase in 1994. A testament to this fact is that only this morning, in a commentary entitled Army Pledges No Force Against Protesters, I vowed to write no more on this crisis until it was resolved. Yet… Read more.
The crisis in Egypt remains acute: Mubarak is ignoring persistent and increasingly defiant calls to step down, over 300 protesters have been killed, and law and order is only now being restored after days of unhinged burning and looting. (Thankfully, previous reports about the looting of priceless artifacts from Egyptian museums were grossly exaggerated. All… Read more.
[Author’s note: This commentary was originally published on Friday at 8:50 pm. The crisis in Egypt remains acute: Mubarak is ignoring persistent and defiant calls to step down, over 100 protesters have been killed yet tens of thousands continue to ignore increasingly rigid curfews, burning and looting are now widespread, and the initially accommodating military… Read more.
Whose next: Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah of Jordan, Saleh of Yemen … Khadafi of Libya? The prospects make me positively giddy. (Egypt on fire, The iPINIONS Journal, January 29, 2011) Related commentaries: Egypt on fire Read more.
