[BLOG] Some Saturday links

[rfmcdonald]

• Centauri Dreams notes the exobiological potential of Titamn after the detection of acrylonitrile. Cryogenic life?


• This guest essay at Lawyers, Guns and Money on the existential problems of Brazil, with politics depending on people not institutions, is a must-read.


• The LRB Blog considers, in the context of Brexit, what exactly might count for some as a marker of dictatorship.


• Did the 15th century construction of the Grand Canal in China lead the Ming away from oceanic travel? Marginal Revolution speculates.


• The NYR Daily considers
  
• Out There explores the reasons why the most massive planets all have the same size.


• The Planetary Society Blog notes the 5th anniversary of the arrival of Curiosity on Mars.


• The Power and the Money's Noel Maurer notes that, with regards to Venezuela, the United States has no good options.


• Roads and Kingdoms considers the febrile political mood of Kenya.


• Window on Eurasia argues that Putin is making the mistake of seeing the United States through the prism of Russia.


• Yorkshire Ranter Alex Harrowell notes a proposal for British mayors to have representation at Brexit talks makes no sense.