[BLOG] Some Monday links

[rfmcdonald]

• Acts of Minor Treason's Andrew Barton considers the future of Chinese science fiction and wonders about having a future con in Beijing.


• BlogTO notes the impending shutdown of the Global Village Backpackers hostel. I've good memories from a 2004 stay there.


• Centauri Dreams examines the ESA's Rosetta probe, set to wake up today to examine comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.


• Joe. My. God. starts an interesting discussion about homophobes treating Putin's Russia as a freer society than a United States that recognizes GLBT rights.


• Lawyers, Guns and Money's Erik Loomis argues that NAFTA, like other globalization-related accords, allow for transnational exploitation and minimize the potential for fighting against the ills of globalization.


• Marginal Revolution's Tyler Cowen suggests that the United States doesn't benefit from globalization as much per capita as smaller, more outwards-looking countries.


• The Pagan Prattle's Feórag notes the lightning strike on Rio De Janerio's Christ statue and remarks on a UKIP man's blaming British floods on same-sex marriage.


• Towleroad observes the ways in which two gay African-American dads' pictures with their children have gone viral.


• Transit Toronto's Robert Mackenzie notes the conviction of a man for assaulting a TTC worker.


• Understanding Society's David Little wonders about the mechanisms that can trigger paradigm shifts.