Lots of roundup

Lebanese housing for Syrian refugees is not great, nor is refugee life in Bulgaria.

India's gang-rape epidemic persists; woman who tried to be part of the solution was bullied into suicide, in part by her own husband.

Thailand's one-percenters don't care for democracy; Ukraine's pro-government protesters demand payment for their rallying.

Ireland's former upper-middle class is really hurting.

Friedman on Mandela, and POTUS's message to Africa.

Housing costs are out of control, including in DC.

Lots of us have toxic family members.

Don't try too hard to have fun at work. But do be concerned if Ikea is spying on you.

Miss Manners' balanced responses regarding seat usurpers and less than personal holiday cards.

This isn't a particularly interesting column, but the larger issue is compelling: is it good to do good in the name of a flawed organization?

I can't remember what possessed me to share this book review on the causes of World War I, but something did.

I do remember what possessed me to share this book review on Hamilton and Jefferson; it was this quote about the luxury of not keeping up appearances:

But unlike Jefferson, who was born a Virginia gentleman — a status that not even the burden of crushing debt could tarnish — Hamilton began his life in poverty, under a cloud of illegitimacy. Jefferson’s democratic gestures — walking to his inauguration, opening his own door, even greeting guests in his bedroom slippers — were marks of confidence in a man who owned a hilltop mansion, was waited on by slaves and enjoyed the delights of an expensive wine cellar. Hamilton’s elitism, his obsession with personal honor and his pride in his successes were the marks of a man of humble, indeed humiliating, beginnings.

That concept was echoed in Tressiemc's essay on "the stupid logic of poor people" and I recall it intuitively from my just-out-of-college days: this society girl in the office was so proud of how she loved her jogging clothes, and I thought, "must be nice; you can get away with it." And that's how I feel about all sorts of appearances (there are people in this world who can get away with sloppiness, illiteracy; the rest of us have to pay attention to that stuff).

Enjoy Duffel Blog's soldier's response to a first-grader's letter.