Has Ireland’s Rising Tide Benefited Its Poor? « Consider the Evidence
Lane Kenworthy looks at poverty rates in Ireland, and leaving aside a relative poverty rate argues that in absolute terms the rising tide of the boom years does appear to have lifted most Irish boats.

Project Syndicate - The Elusive Legacy of 1968
“It was, undeniably, a political failure. But just as undeniable was the huge tremor that shook our antediluvian conceptions of society, morals, and the state.” Daniel Cohn-Bendit on the ‘elusive’ legacy of 1968.

Bernanke’s Bubble Laboratory - WSJ.com
Economic bubbles do not reflect reality. So should the state intervene to give the market a reality check? Because the rate of money lost is so fast when a bubble bursts economists now admit that they should be restrained.

Media Matters - Military analysts named in Times exposé appeared or were quoted more than 4,500 times on broadcast nets, cables, NPR
Military analysts with close ties to the US Defense industry collectively appeared or were quoted as experts more than 4,500 times on US TV news in segments covering the Iraq war both before and [...]

Press releases » Media centre » The Labour Party
Pat Rabbitte suggests changing the Defamation Bill. Presently, only the rich can bring a case to protect their good name, despite the State’s constitutional obligation to vindicate the good name of the citizen. Legal aid is barred for defamation cases.

Newsvine - Correctly Political: Liquid Lunch with Donald Rumsfeld
Following on from the NYT expose of the close relationship between US media’s ‘independent’ military analysts and the Pentagon, Newsvine has a recording of the liquid lunch where Donald Rumsfeld enjoys an off-the-record chat with these guys.

All shades of opinion | The gaping silence
Very good analysis of the Italian left, with some history and a breakdown of recent elections

FT.com / Columnists / Gideon Rachman - The oily truth about America’s foreign policy
The pursuit of oil is fundamental to US foreign policy says Rachman, and with the globalization of western patterns of consumption the demand for oil in China and India is increasing, putting more pressure on prices. Something has to change.

Referendum Commission Lisbon Treaty campaign launched - Independent.ie
“The Commission is also targeting young voters by explaining the Lisbon Treaty through Bebo, Facebook and Youtube.”
Putting the details of the treaty in Bebo pages, in Facebook or on YouTube doesn’t make it fun.

Tomgram: Bill McKibben, The Defining Moment for Climate Change
Bill McKibben quoting Jim Hansen: “if humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed … paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm to at most 350 ppm.”