The rise and fall of European Empires

The last 200 years as told through four blobs: The British, Portuguese, French, and Spanish empires. I have to say I learned the most about Portugal which by the late 19th century was bigger than Spain and by 1967 larger than France.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwOA8AfeHM4&feature=player_embedded

Reminded me of the above map from the Strange Maps Blog 

Iraq: A Changing of the Guard, as the Guards depart

The last full U.S combat brigade left Iraq today  and at the same time the new U.S Ambassador, James Jefferies has arrived in Bagdhad. I met him at the 4th of July party at the U.S Embassy in Ankara this year. He is a solid Bostonian with pride for his old High School sports team decades after he left and he even speaks Turkish with a strong Bostonian accent. The two moves symbolize a signifigant shift in emphasis in Iraq.

However, the question remains about who will control the skies in Iraq?

While, it's true that this is the last full combat brigade in Iraq, the U.S is as I understand it still running airpatrols in Iraq. As the Iraqi airforce at the momment is totally non-existent and the situation is ofcourse a tricky one.

McArdle on entrepreneurship in Africa

 I had the distinct pleasure of meeting prolific blogger and writer Megan McArdle in June 2009.
McArdle has forgotten more about finance and economics than I'll ever know. Here is a recent post from her on entrepreneurship in Africa.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/08/are-ngos-killing-african-entrepreneurship/61045/
And also a resposne to it from an African entrepreneur...

http://appfrica.net/blog/2010/08/15/whos-killing-african-entrepreneurship/

Also I want to congradulate her again on her marriage...all the best to you two!

Does language influence culture?

Do the languages we speak alter how we interpret and see the world?

 "The more languages you speak, the more people you are."
Eastern European Proverb

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703467304575383131592767868.html?mod=WSJEUROPE_hpp_MIDDLETopNews#printMode

The Boogeyman Snatched the Breast

As always I'm interested in how language relates to international relations.  This story discusses the crude language used by Iran's Ahmadinejad in his speeches. Really gutter stuff apparently, which has ofcourse long hbeen his appeal. He is the first leader of the Islamic Republic to talk in informal Persian rather than formalized language.

example of message that is displayed when accessing a censored site in Iran

My one criticism of this story is that they did not include any Farsi words except "mameh" which means breast apparently. Is there a tie in with "mammary" in English?

Pakistan: Founded as a secular state

                                  

Really good post on the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah's vision of Pakistan at independence as a secular state. The post is from a Pakistani blogger. Jinnah was a one of kind a Twelver Shia who drank alcohol until his later years and in many ways regretted creating Pakistan. Until the end of his life he casually dreamed of returning to his beautiful home in Bombay.

Lord of the Bling

Now for some good news out of Pakistan despite the insurgencies and floods. A Pakistani jeweler has released what he claims is the world's largest ring named...(wait for it)...the Fragrance of Love...

Here is the original story in the local Pakistani press