How about the ending of The Dark Knight Rises? Or is that still too new?

It's actually Indiana University, not U of I.

A friend, who had lived in Istanbul for 16 years, now lives in London because of his job. When I said that my impression is that it was crunch time on Ataturk's vision, he replied,

I would not read too much into what is going on in Turkey.  It is ultimately a very conservative country (but not in the religious sense) and I don’t think that Ataturk’s legacy is in any real danger.  I think they are more likely to end up with what we have in the US, a system that allows some religious nutcases to vent their opinions but not allowed to impose their worldview on the rest.  The way Ataturk’s legacy was implemented over the last 75 years denied a very real religious sentiment in Turkey, thus bringing about this dramatic change.  The country is actually much more open and democratic and western now than it was under the fascistic “western” system in place before the current crowd took over.  Still, it is a fascinating process and the results are to be seen…

So, again, there seems to be a difference between what we read here and the view of people actually there.

No, no. Not that video of Carrie Underwood, but this one.

Go to YouTube and listen to Carrie Underwood (with Vince Gill) singing this.

A real apology for bad behavior: John Profumo.

I'm still unhappy that he trashed Harold Nicholson about the Congress of Vienna.

My guess is that he's had money troubles, and Ames gave him the excuse.

Polk has always seemed to me the model President. He said, "I'm going to do 4 things." He did the 4 things, served 1 term, left office, and promptly died. No library, no speech tours, no subsequent meddling in politics, etc. Not too good on slavery, though.

Will Claire Berlinski be there?

Um, well, yeah. How do they do it in Turkey?

Palestine is a good place to be from.