Wednesday digest

- Globalization clearly has upward and positive effects overall when it comes to the economy, but it's clear that those who look into globalization's crystal ball and expect some culturally unifying effect to occur are off-base. In the face of uncertainty and insecurity, especially during periods of economic upheaval, local identities are re-asserted.

- Speaking of that, there's a genocide going on in Africa as Arab Muslims are killing African Muslims by the truckload in the Darfur region. We're still waiting for the "international community" to get their shit together to stop this from happening yet again like it did in Rwanda. So much for multilateralism, huh?

- One lowly soccer mom in the Democratic wilderness speaks.

- And as if you needed another reason to not watch "The View": Rosie O'Donnell.

- Speaking of Rosie, which famous person would YOU least like to be sitting beside on a cross-country flight? Oddly enough, the first one that comes to mind for me is Richard Simmons.