* Retired general says Egyptian protesters "deserve to be thrown into Hitler’s ovens.” * Thirteen dead in Cairo as clashes continue into fourth day. * Two days after Kim Jong-il's death, the CIA had no idea what happened—a "comparatively minor" failure. * Photographs from North Korea,
* Of drone pilots, 30% suffer high levels of stress—though not dangerous levels, the Air Force says. * The differences between your debt and American Airlines's. * Analysis of how much money top chess players can make. * Reasonably easy math on how tidal power—virtually inexhaustible and less intermittent than
A live webcomic from Sam Brown of Explodingdog
Since the 1990s, when Japanese art went Pop, Yoshitomo Nara’s paintings, drawings, sculptures, and ceramics of children and animals have infiltrated the world—to the point that it’s difficult to picture contemporary art without them
* Tributes flow in after Sunday's death of Vaclav Havel, playwright and president. * Related: Remnick's profile as Havel left power, in a tailored suit rather than borrowed trousers. * Kim Jong-il's death announced by weepy Korean newscaster. * While his country suffered, Kim Jong-il realized
* Tunisia celebrates a year since its revolution. * Egyptian soliders and protestors continue to clash, undermining credibility of elections. * Keep track of the Republican candidates, debates, primaries: six debates in January. * Brazil to give World Cup soccer tickets for guns, make goalposts out of the weapons. * Favela gangs provide social services
* Standoff continues in Chinese protest village over corrupt officials and land seizures. * Japanese officials say crippled Fukushima reactors are in "cold shutdown"—so much grandstanding, say critics. * After careful analysis, it turns out that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon just isn't very funny. * Christian Bale
From time to time I’ve had fun thrashing Midsomer Murders, because it appears to be filmed on a whites-only agenda—my wife and I have a game we play called “Spot the Colored Person”; in approximately 80 episodes we’ve only had reason to play it four times.
* Christopher Hitchens dead at 62 from pneumonia, a complication of his esophageal cancer. * My chief consolation in this year of living dyingly has been the presence of friends. * Longform's round-up of articles by and about Christopher Hitchens. * Ian Parker's definitive bio of Hitchens: "How
I knew when I was in trouble—like the time I was 13 and was caught watching porn on my dad’s computer—and I knew I couldn’t escape my fate. Nor would I have wanted to.
