[BLOG] Some Monday links

[rfmcdonald]

• Centauri Dreams' Paul Gilster raises the possibility of bringing an asteroid into lunar orbit, for scientific and space-settlement purposes both.


• Daniel Drezner is pleasantly surprised that the situation of Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng hasn't led to anything like a breakdown of Sino-American relations.


• Eastern Approaches notes the Polish holiday of "Flag Day" on the 2nd of May, commemorating the substantial Polish participation in the conquest of Berlin in 1945.


• Far Outliers' Joel discusses the Canary Islands and the role they played in the emerging imperium, both vis-a-vis Portugal and the later imperial strategies of unified Spain.


• Geocurrents describes the Sino-Soviet border disputes in eastern Siberia in 1969 that killed hundreds of people, nearly led to a Sino-Soviet war, and played a critical role in deciding the future of the world.


• Language Hat starts a discussion about the depressing plight of non-Russian languages inside Russia that quickly expands to include discussions of Turkish immigrants in Russia, the situation of Gaelic in Ireland, and Canada's own language situation.


• Laywers, Guns and Money reviews a book describing how environmentalism in the Colorado ski resort of Aspen helps to legitimate anti-immigrant sentiment.


• At NewAPPSBlog, Mohan Matthen makes the contrarian argument--compelling, but I think ultimately incorrect--that a "Oui" outcome in the 1995 Québec referendum would have been good for Québec and rump Canada both.


• Yorkshire Ranter Alexander Harrowell discusses the consequences of Bo Xilai's wiretapping of other officials in China, in the context of ubiquitous state surveillance generally.