Nowruz roundup and blogger's note

Note: As a result of recent changes in the media world--the Times is about to start charging for access to its articles, and the Post has redone its website to make it virtually impossible to find anything--my roundups are going to change, too. On a personal note, I'm taking it as a sign to spend less time reading the news and more time reading books. I'll continue to share the worthwhile things I come across--New Yorker articles, Grist pieces, things that come across my desk at work, and the odd Times and Post articles... but you might start seeing sparser roundups.

Another note: I've always found the Post's opinion pages more partisan than necessary, and now they've actually come to sort them under 'left-leaning' and 'right-leaning.' I think (most of) its columnists deserve better.

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David Remnick on Israel.

The lives of Warren Christopher and John Hoke.

Davids Ignatius and Rothkopf diverge in their takes on the President's leadership on Libya. The latter column isn't worth the ten minutes I ended up spending in search of its link (no, the Post does not opt to link to it under the Outlook section of its Opinion page, even though it is on the first page of the Outlook section in print).

Save the US Institute of Peace by de-funding it.

I love Rep. Weiner (when he's not threatening bike lanes).

A cretin Cretan court denies a vegetarian couple the right to adopt out of child welfare concerns. Another way to harm children while purporting to help them: silly lawsuits on their behalf.

A Czech village in Iowa doesn't care anymore.

A writer's remembrance of Nowruzes past with hope for the present.

Concise, articulate writing is priceless.