The New York Review of Books

When one finally realizes that this nation's government as well as its traditional press is solidly intrenched in big business ownership, then valid arguments can be made for or against 'bailout' etc.. As for so-called 'left/right bias', you could really define that as no more than the mandated arena within which you are permitted to exercise ... Read Moreyour 'views'. I think it was Jello Biafra who said 'Stop complaining about the press and become the press'. Fortunately, we have Amy Goodman and 'Democracy Now', which is listener funded daily news available online or on listener supported radio stations.

Jennifer- It's not that the British model is terrible (although it's quite flawed in its own ways), it's that given the level of government interference in the media as it is now I'm especially skeptical of introducing yet another level.

On the other hand, we need to have a functioning media. From where we are sitting right now, that's actually a ... Read Morefairly difficult goal to achieve.

One possible reform would be to require that anything calling itself news had to be truthful. There is currently no such requirement. Even that has a dark side, though, because who gets to determine whether they're being truthful? Propagandists have their own twisted sense of what is "true," or rather what must be accepted as "true."

Ramon, thanks for your opinion on that, I do share it!

according to a 2007 report, american military spends $ 100 millions every 24 hours in afghanistan. if the us government spends 10 percent of this amount wisely in civic sector, can better win the hearts and minds of afghans. winning hearts and minds of people with gun? that is not a good idea - too hollywoodian.

A very very interesting review of, what sound like, two amazing books. Read it.

Listen to the Groopman podcast on the website. Very informative and critical of "evidence based" medicine, upon which, it appears, many of the new medical reforms in the healthcarel reform bill, are based.

I agree. But the British solved their Afghan problem by actively supporting an ethnic Pashtun king, Pashtuns being the only ethnic group capable of stabilizing the Afghan patchwork. They didn't feel the qualms that we today experience about the 'burka' and other affronts to human dignity.
But WHAT is the way to stabilize Afhanistan? To make it a... Read More Central Asian multiethnic confederal 'switzerland' with quasi-independent cantons (if such a solution were viable)? Or to let the most powerful group rule over the entire territory? A federation of 'stans' with a Senate is probably much too complex a solution.
Pundits put out feelers about negotiating with 'moderate talibans'. This is code for acknowledging that without the acquiescence of the Pashtuns no solution is to be found. The Loya Jirga would of course include all tribal leaders, but the Pashtuns are the 'de facto' indispensable group for final success. Their demographic and political 'punch' is greater than that of all the others. And they straddle the border with Pakistan, so their good will seems necessary to stabilize that country also. The fact that some situations may be unwieldy does not exonerate anyone from the responsibility of looking at the problems squarely in the face.

The way to stabilize Afhanistan and Irak is leave them alone!

Raban is a god!

Interesting article on Dorothea Lange. Always fascinating to read behind-the-scene stories about creative photographers like Lange, how they worked and the obstacles they had to contend with.

Without workshops, condition could be worse. Look at Burma: I have seen many aweful scenes there including children sleeping playing living next to filthy (blocked by rotten fish, meat) muddy drain of a market. The drain was their playground. I agree with Clyde. Lessons have been learned. I am in China now and am witnessing improvement every year.