[BLOG] Some Friday links

[rfmcdonald]

• At A BCer in Toronto, Jeff Jedras enumerates the many failings of the Liberal campaign and wonders if the NDP has what it takes to be Official Opposition.


• Beyond the Beyond's Bruce Sterling reproduces a Brazilian diplomat's description of that country's recent foreign policy successes.


• Charlie Stross points out a recent study suggesting that the Fukushima nuclear incident was generally well-managed, with the shortage of coolant after the tsunami being the main thing.


• At Centauri Dreams, Larry Klaes argues in favour of Earth actively sending out transmissions to try to attract alien civilizations. Um, no.


• Geocurrents points out that political divisions in Nigeria don't map only on religious lines, with ethnicity also playing a role.


• Joe. My. God. reports on al-Qaeda's recognition of Osama bin Laden's death. Not that it will quiet deathers, but still.


• Personal Reflection's Paul Belshaw observes that UN population projections suggest Australia and New Zealand will see migration from burgeoning Pacific island populations, and that they will have advantages in attracting migrants over more closed countries.


• The Volokh Conspiracy's Eugene Volokh makes the point that whatever its failings in terms of egalitarian modern law, female inheritance rules under Islam were actually better than in Christian and Jewish terms.


• Window on Eurasia's Paul Goble reports on a doubtful claim that ethnic Russians will become a minority in Russia by the late 21st century, between immigration and a low birth rate.