Monthly Archives: July 2005
Bin Laden’s Fiendish Chemical Warfare
So is this what all those politicians mean when they tell you Al Qaeda is out to destroy America’s way of life? Or is it just a sign of just how gormless some news organizations can be? The New York … Continue reading
Lost in Translation
When a U.S. spyplane collided with a Chinese fighter and was forced down in Hainan on April Fool’s Day in 2001, I wrote a commentary on TIME.com inviting American readers to imagine the incident through Chinese eyes, in order to … Continue reading
Madrid: Not a Real Football Team
It could be considered a little pathetic for ostensible superclub Real Madrid to be humiliated 3-0 by no-hopers Tokyo Verdy (losers even in the not exactly world-class Japanese league), but that would be missing the point. As Real coach Vanderlei … Continue reading
Sharon’s Gaza Initiative
Sharon’s planned “disengagement” from Gaza is not connected to any peace process, not even President Bush’s “roadmap” which Sharon has made clear may or may not eventually go into effect – but only after the Palestinian Authority dismantles the militias … Continue reading
Free Mandela (From the Prison of Fantasy)!
Monday was Nelson Mandela’s 87th birthday, and on these shores, I sometimes feel he’s in need of rescuing, trapped in some pretty bizarre narratives that have nothing to do with his own story or politics. Full disclosure: I freely admit … Continue reading
London and After: What al-Qaeda Fears
Five Thoughts on the London bombing 1. God, I love the Brits! Prescient? ‘My Son the Fanatic’ Their collective response to the London bombings is infinitely courageous, infinitely dignified, unflappable, sober, inherently collective, and educated and worldly in their assessment … Continue reading
Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You!
Digging through my archives of “Tony Karon Weblog” emailings, I came across this gem sent out on December 14, 2002. Re-reading it reminds me of how clear it was, even then, that the Weapons of Mass Destruction case for invading … Continue reading
Where do France’s Jews Belong?
A version of this story appeared on TIME.com published 7.21.2004 Ariel Sharon’s belief that the Jews of France belong in Israel and ought to get there as soon as possible lest they fall victim to anti-Semitism gone wild has opened … Continue reading
McDonald’s Simply Wants to Blend in
This story was first published on TIME.com in January, 2002 Extract: Like the Romans before it, the empire of the Golden Arches has finally succumbed to the indomitable spirit of Asterix the Gaul. As of Wednesday, Ronald McDonald has been … Continue reading
Of Fries and Getting Fried: The Allure of Death Row Menus
This article appeared on TIME.com in August of 2000. Note, the Texas Death Row Final Meal request page has since been taken down by the State’s Department of Correctional Services Extract: Just two weeks, ago, for example, murderer Juan Soria … Continue reading