For about seven years, America’s foreign policy with respect to Pakistan could be summed up in one word: “Musharraf.” There was no backup policy, no alternative, no acceptable substitute. The attempt to facilitate a power-sharing arrangement between Musharraf and Benazair… Continue Reading
According to Karl Rove, who knows a thing or two about reading the electoral map, there are four states that will be really contested and which can make a difference, comparing 2004 to 2008. The states are Colorado, Michigan, Ohio,… Continue Reading
5.6% inflation. That’s what we’ve experienced over the past 12 months. The bulk of it has been food and fuel prices. But we are in an officially inflationary economy and it’s the highest rate of inflation seen in the United… Continue Reading
The unquestioned execution leader in all the world is the People’s Republic of China. China executes more of its prisoners each year than all the other nations of the world, combined — more than 10,000 people a year executed at… Continue Reading
A few months ago, I missed Columbia University’s Andrew Gelman creation of a new, amusing, and astonishingly perceptive polimetric index: the Starbucks-Walmart Ratio. Take the number of Starbucks per capita in a state and compare that to the number of… Continue Reading
After the terrible earthquake this May, some officials from the government went out to the stricken areas. There, they spoke to people whose children, parents, and loved ones had been killed when the buildings they were in collapsed around them.… Continue Reading
Because without understanding how it works, we could die. From disease, from starvation, or from stupidity. Read the whole op-ed here. Then (and only then — if you won’t RTFA, your opinion doesn’t count) feel free to debate, disagree, and… Continue Reading
The change in description for Proposition 8 has been upheld by not one but two courts. Both a Superior Court in Sacramento County and the third DCA have agreed that it was properly within the Attorney General’s discretion to change… Continue Reading
It may surprise some Readers to learn that China is far from a racially homogeneous nation. We tend to think of Chinese as people who are identified as “Han Chinese” — but in fact there are dozens of ethnic groups… Continue Reading
All NAPP Readers are invited to join the Dharma Division for fantasy football, at least until all available slots are closed. Play two quarterbacks, five position players (at least one of whom must be a tight end or wide receiver),… Continue Reading