Stay true to the dreams of thy youth

• BBC News - Why border lines drawn with a ruler in WW1 still rock the Middle East

  "A map marked with crude chinagraph-pencil in the second decade of the 20th Century shows the ambition - and folly - of the 100-year old British-French plan that helped create the modern-day Middle East. Straight lines make uncomplicated borders. Most probably that was the reason why most of the lines that Mark Sykes, representing the British government, and Francois Georges-Picot, from the French government, agreed upon in 1916 were straight ones."

  tags: middleeast imperialism skyespicot europe france england

• In 2 States, Corner Cannabis Store Nears Reality - NYTimes.com

  "DENVER — Starting early next year, any adult with a craving or curiosity will be able to stroll into a strip mall or downtown shop in Colorado or Washington State and do what has long been forbidden: buy a zip-lock bag of legal marijuana. "

  tags: drugs taxes rights addiction colorado law federal state

• Egypt to Vote Next Month on New Constitution - NYTimes.com

  "CAIRO — Egypt’s interim government on Saturday set Jan. 14 as the start of a two-day referendum on a revised Constitution, which will be the first gauge of support for the military’s ouster of Egypt’s first fairly elected president, Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. "

  tags: egypt revolution protest muslimbrotherhood coup

• Domestic Spying, French Style - NYTimes.com

  "On Wednesday, the French Senate voted to adopt a law giving government broad powers to monitor just about anything a person in France does on a cellphone or through an Internet connection. The timing of this move is troubling, given the French government’s outrage in October over revelations of spying on the French by the United States through the National Security Agency. Despite assurances from the French defense minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, that adequate oversight is built into the new law, in the post-Snowden era, opponents of the bill have reason to be skeptical. "

  tags: france spying nsa snowden europe europeanunion policestate civilliberties

• Signs of Momentum Shifting to Protesters in Ukraine - NYTimes.com

  "KIEV, Ukraine — Two large, swirling crowds faced off in Kiev on Saturday in public squares less than a quarter of a mile apart. One was the huge, antigovernment, pro-Europe demonstration that has electrified this capital since late last month. The other was composed of tens of thousands who poured into central Kiev for a counter rally in support of the embattled president, Viktor F. Yanukovich. "

  tags: ukraine protest revolution balanceofpower russia putin europeanunion

• Far Right Gains as Syrians Reach Eastern Europe - NYTimes.com

  "SVILENGRAD, Bulgaria — After spreading turmoil and desperate refugees across the Middle East, Syria’s brutal civil war has now leaked misery into Europe’s eastern fringe — and put a spring in the step of Angel Bozhinov, a nationalist activist in this Bulgarian border town next to Turkey. "

  tags: bulgaria fascism easterneurope europeanunion racism

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.