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Memorial Day | Talking Points Memo

I just came from my 15th reunion, and while I did not see the same sort of public commemoration that Josh talks about, it was very much a topic of conversation as ROTC had just returned to Columbia’s campus. Josh is right, this is no longer history, but our present. I knew more people who served in Gulf I, but that doesn’t mean I’m any less aware of the loss we suffer everyday. Memorial Day | Talking Points Memo. Though there are many customary ways to observe Memorial Day, I’ve often struggled to figure out a way to do justice…

Textbooks of Hate

Apparently it’s not only the Saudis who know how to screw over the “other.” Why does everyone hate the Turks? How would you place Christians and Turks on a sinking ship so that only the latter drowned? A question in a maths textbook for Polish school children. [From How would you place Christians and Turks …]

Brad Lander: NYPD Surveillance: What We Don’t Know, And Why It Matters

Brad Lander: NYPD Surveillance: What We Don’t Know, And Why It Matters. Every federal agency (including the FBI and CIA) has one, as do many city agencies. In fact, the NYPD — despite its size and operations — stands alone among major American police departments for lacking any meaningful independent oversight (L.A., Chicago, and Philadelphia all have broad independent bodies with subpoena power, for example). IGs help agencies work better. When they are following the law and doing the job right, IGs help provide independent confirmation and legitimacy. When there are ways to do it better, IGs suggest them. The…