Ben Guest’s Blog

Links of the Week

2008-02-24T19:42:26Z

Give Kucinich his due.

Intense, well-written account of the soldiers of Battle Company, waging a losing fight with insurgents in Afghanistan. And with the pressures of five and six tours in combat:

As Giunta said, “The richest, most-trained army got beat by dudes in manjammies and A.K.’s.” His voice cracked. He was not just hurting, he was in a rage. And there was nothing for him to do with it but hold back his tears, and bark — at the Afghans for betraying them, at the Army for betraying them. He didn’t run to the front because he was a hero. He ran up to get to Brennan, his friend. “But they” — he meant the military — “just keep asking for more from us.” His contract would be up in 18 days but he had been stop-lossed and couldn’t go home. Brennan himself was supposed to have gotten out in September. He’d been planning to go back to Wisconsin where his dad lived, play his guitar and become a cop.

Wonderful defense of the McCain/Iseman, and of good journalism.

Interview with David Simon, creator of The Wire.

Find the annual salary of any Mississippi superintendent.

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Links of the Week

2007-05-14T13:51:12Z

America is the richest country in world. America is the richest country in the history of the world. Yet, almost 20% of the country lives below the poverty line. 11 million children live in households that can't afford to provide enough food. Instead of having sympathy for the poor, they are demonized as lazy, or "welfare queens." And what is the number one reason people fall into poverty? An unforseen medical emergency, where the head of the household a) stops working and b) piles up monstrous medical bills. Twin fallouts of the end of unionized labor and the lack of universal, free health-care. America is the only first-world country on the planet that does not offer universal health care to it's citizens. But this is about food stamps: Hunger and Food Stamps in America.

Harvard wants to focus on teaching, like Amherst does...

A teacher from Vermont (by way of Williamstown), her son died in 9/11. To honor his memory, she started a school for girls in Afghanistan.

The War (Farce) on Drugs. How's that working out?

Scientists find a potential cure for cancer.

Photos of America in the 1940's.

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