[BLOG] Some Tuesday links

[rfmcdonald]

Today's [BLOG] post and tomorrow's will be full of links.

• At Acts of Minor Treason, Andrew Barton observes that the preservation of the agricultural land within easy travel of Vancouver is good, not only because it preserves green space but because these sandy lands would liquify in case of an earthquake.


• A BCer in Toronto's Jeff Jedras argues that if there is still space for a centrist party like the Liberals in Canada, the party needs to clearly articulate its ideologies and its goals.


• The Burgh Diaspora's Jim Russell argues that the Ohio city of Cleveland would be best advised to capitalize on the things that neighbouring Pittsburgh is short on, rather than duplicating efforts.


• The New Scientist's CultureLab blog reacts to a book, Jonathan Balcombe's The Exultant Ark, which argues--convincingly, I'd say--that animals also have emotions.


• Discoblog reports on a new condom that's popular among men because its interior is "slathered" with erection-enhancing substances.


• Eastern Approaches notes that the intensified repression in Belarus has done nothing to increase the country's leverage relative to the West.


• Geocurrents notes that the stereotype of Japan as an egalitarian society, in terms of region and of social class, is increasingly untrue.


• At The Intersection, guest blogger Jamie Vernon suspects that the Vatican's concern over climate change may lead to Catholics generally sympathizing with environmentalism.


• Marginal Revolution's Tyler Cowen reacts to Michael Neiberg's book Europe and the Outbreak of World War I, which argues that despite popular hostility to war Europe plunged into global conflict anyway.