Surfer notes

/ stuff / notable /

Bernard Chazelle: France's Colonial Blowback: This seems brilliant to me, it's certainly well written and to the point, corresponding to (and certainly expanding) my impressions and what I hear from France. The riots, equality and rap. The author: Bernard Chazelle, computer scientist, good sense of humor and politics (judging from his home page and essays at least).

My kind of cabinet, Bolivia:

Among the Cabinet members is a former miner who wears his helmet to all public functions, including his swearing-in. A former domestic worker who suffered abuse at the hands of her employer will be justice minister. And a peasant organizer who specialized in fostering small and family businesses will be in charge of economic development.

Morales also hired a coca grower in charge of anti drug trafficking and halved his own salary. What's not to like? Plus: an interview with Bolivia's new energy minister

Nearby, another storm brewing?

And, finally, it's always news when Chomsky [pdf] makes the World Economic Forum's magazine.