scott shane

this is the late-night weekend edition

• In spite of the criticism and outright bashing that comes from bloggers and politicians about the mainstream media, in general, and the New York Times, in specific, there are a few things in the New York Times (and papers like it) do better than anyone else. Scott Shane has a fabulous article on Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind 9/11. The article takes us inside the interrogation. He shows us the good and the bad inside the CIA. This is a must read article!
• Did you miss this article? 1200 prisoners escaped from a prison in Afghanistan. 350 of them were Taliban fighters. What is this a Hollywood movie?  Oh yeah, we have Afghanistan under control.
• Oil producing and Oil consuming counties are meeting in Saudi Arabia. With $140 per barrel oil, it seems that the oil-producing countries are somewhat worried about oil prices. I guarantee they do not have our best interests at heart.
• The banking industry has yet another reason to worry. It appears that Americans are cash-strapped. Therefore late payments are at an all-time high for car loans, small business loans, construction loans — everything.
• Barack Obama and John McCain see the government’s role in flood protection a little differently. The levee system is a mess and only the government can coordinate and fix them. Regional and not local plans are needed.
• I’m sorry. I paid too little attention to Zimbabwe. The situation in this African country has been deteriorating for a while. National election results have been ignored. Robert Mugabe is enacting an all too familiar story. The one-time liberator has now become the oppressor. Government assassins are roaming the countryside gunning down opposition leaders.