Fred Bergsten & Jacob Funk Kirkegaard | Vox | 26 January 2012 "We have complete confidence that, in the crunch, both Germany and the ECB will pay whatever is necessary to avert disaster. The ultimate political goals of each assure this result." Collapse is simply not acceptable. Here's why Comments Robert Reich | Robert Reich | 26 January 2012 Short, sharp takedown of Newt Gingrich in form of warning to Democrats. Be careful what you wish for: A Gingrich nomination may make an Obama victory more likely. But is even the small chance of a Gingrich win a risk worth taking? Comments Shehryar Fazli | The India Site | 24 January 2012 Squeezed between Midnight’s Children and The Satanic Verses, Salman Rushdie’s Shame is almost forgotten. It shouldn’t be Comments Spencer Ackerman | Wired | 26 January 2012 The rescue of two Americans from Somalia was not simply a daring mission, but part of Washington’s new shadow war Comments Stephen Cave | FT | 20 January 2012 "After God's recent execution at the hands of the New Atheists, a number of thinkers are asking again whether, even in his absence, we need religion regardless." Enjoyable review of three new books from Flood, Rosenberg, de Botton Comments Brian Earp | Practical Ethics | 26 January 2012 "The gay-rights activist is making a big mistake to put all his chips in the basket about 'gay is not a choice.' It’s like creationists who peg their belief in God on the falsity of evolution." Short, thought-provoking piece Comments |