Interesting reads: Machiavelli, Falluja Aftermath, from the Guardian.

My notebook, is temporarily kaput. I am waiting for the vendor to send me a new AC adapter. This is forcing me use my office computer..... the monitor is a dinausaur montrosity of unforgiving proportions. If I don't go blind in the next few days, I may have to start believing. The KB is a blatant inducer of CTS. Mercy. I have to flick my wrist-joints back "into place" every hour or so. It's mildly horrfying.


A Jonathan Jones, pays tribute to Machiavelli - he's always fascinated me which is actually ironic, but he does- observing the spat between Blair and Brown through the Machiavellian lens. Jones book "In Machiavelli's Florence" will be out later this year.

The New Rebuplic Online (TNR), has an article on the long since declining power of Labor Unions in the US. One of the things that have fascinated me about the US, is that "Labor Union" together with "Liberal" are swear words. I could never understand this. This article addresses discusses this decline and denigration of labor power. Interesting, and well referenced read.

Finally, Falluja -the Aftermath. If you've ever wondered what the fuck happened to the people in Falluja post US elections (circa Nov 7 and soon after) , then read this: City of Ghosts (The Guardian). Now, this is news or, should be news. The guy writes about how the ground work for a civil war has been laid effectively by deploying a predominantly Shia National Guard in Falluja, to "help "fight the insurgents."

There was something else: the Nelson Report apparently reports that Bush has been literally instructing his pips (military commanders to you and me) not to tell him the bad news about Ai-Raq, just the good news, scotty; just the good news (source- James Wolcott blog) . Wolcott writes so well, just that is worth the read.

In a related story, Jose Mourinho (that sexy, sexy beast), faces the purple-faced one ( Sir Fergie) in the Carling Cup tomorrow. Should be fun, given Mourinho penchant for waiving his middle-finger at the Scot, and the Old Trafford Faithful. BTW - the Gunners are crap this season. Real utter shit. Still. The good news, Inter Milan are spectacularly back in it. (PS. Hate Berlusconi maiale's AC Milan).