Friday’s Reading List

By Taylor Marvin

John Ward of Hull, “The Northern Whale Fishery: The ‘Swan’ and ‘Isabella'”, 1840. Via the National Gallery of Art.

What I read this week:

Kyle Mizokami throws cold water over the “Japan is rearming” talking point, in particularly noting the Japanese pivot from defending Hokkaido from the USSR to the maritime south.

For the first time, next year Latin America will have four female heads of state, including leading the region’s most influential countries.

Now is the time to engage Iran on human rights.

A fascinating look at how useful it is to learn Arabic. Author Brian Whitaker notes a report urging the British to learn more languages, which strikes me as something as a solution in search of a problem — for better or worse few native English speakers have to learn another language.

A recent look at the society necessary to build the Daedalus probe.

More linkage on political violence at PVG.

Peter Broderick – Floating/Sinking.