Housekeeping

Removed the link to A rant against the absurdity of modern politics - that blog and its author seems to have disappeared into the great blue electronic void. Update 02/02: the same fate befell the Resolute Cynic. Added Histologion and Blood & Treasure, and (02/02) at last Dahr Jamail's Iraq Dispatches.

Good ocassion to link to some good recent articles of theirs. Histologion, whom I linked earlier, condenses the latest on Coalition torture in Iraq, beyond Abu Ghraib. Blood &Treasure has similar thoughts on the Iraqi sham elections as I had below, but more focused on what I only hinted at with regards to Allawi. Then there's the article on the shadow OPEC, i.e. the ability of not just Iraqi guerillas to determine oil prices, read it to understand this line: "...the reason the West isn’t in Sudan is because it is in Iraq." Speaking of China, a look beyond various rose-tinted scenarios at social conflict in China. (The claim that China's emerging middle class is supposed to be the foundation of a future democratic revolt, which is neoliberalism at its most basic Milton Friedman-ian, always buggered me.)

This is also the place to mention that I am nominated in the category "Weblog Most Deserving of Wider Recognition" at Fistful Of Euro's Satin Pajama Awards. Hitting the campaign trail is not my thing, nor do I expect to win, but I welcome the publicity that may hasten the arrival of the one who discovers My Sandal or My Gourd... (On the other hand, I'm peeved! I nominated my current pick for best political blog, Lenin's Tomb in two categories, another guy in a third - but for some dark reason, Fistful's judges barred it from competition...)