IT’S BEEN MORE than six months since President Obama called for the end of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Yet as Mr. Assad’s forces escalated their assaults on Syrian cities last week, inflicting scores of deaths every day, his rule appeared far from finished. On the contrary, there seems every chance that the dictator could go on slaughtering Syrians for months or even years — and maybe prevail. Read full article > >

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Editorial Board: The West must take stronger action to help the Syrian opposition

One reason optimists retain a positive outlook on life despite all evidence to the contrary has been discovered, say researchers.

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Brain ‘rejects negative thoughts’

Tim Hightower wears a black rubber bracelet on his right wrist that bears the words “Purpose Driven.” On his back, he wears a shoulder-to-shoulder tattoo — the same saying, bracketed by wings. In front of him sits his next, best chance to become what he has told folks he would become since he was a fifth-grader in Fort Washington: a star in the NFL, right here with his hometown Washington Redskins . You have evidence to the contrary? Don’t dare approach him with it. Read full article > >

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Redskins running back Tim Hightower: A very purpose-driven life

The top U.S. military officer told lawmakers Thursday that he supported President Obama’s plan to draw down forces in Afghanistan , but said Obama’s decisions were “more aggressive and incur more risk that I was originally prepared to accept.” Adm. Mike Mullen , the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that Obama’s decisions also had the support of Gen. David H. Petraeus , the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, and Gen. James N. Mattis , head of the U.S. Central Command. “There is no jumping ship here. Quite the contrary,” Mullen told members of the House Armed Services Committee. “We will have at our disposal the great bulk of the surge forces throughout this — and most of the next — fighting season.” Read full article > >

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Mullen endorses Obama troop decision, acknowledges ‘risk’

After indications to the contrary, it turns out that a partial meltdown did, in fact, occur at the No. 2 reactor at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant in Japan: Water 100,000 times more radioactive than usual is ”believed to have temporarily had contact…

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Japan: Partial Meltdown Occurred

For the coming year, rather than short-term resolutions, I’m issuing an ongoing challenge that is at once personal and political. Despite much evidence to the contrary and notwithstanding the relentless news cycle that we frequent, I believe that 2011 will be the year that the majority of people in the world demonstrably turn away from the brink of destruction and embrace a spirit of positive innovation and creative intervention in their communities. read more

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2011: Time for a New, Clear Vision

Washington – Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole said on Monday that he disregarded internal advice to the contrary and decided not tell the public in advance about aggressive new screening and pat-down procedures for airline passengers, fearing terrorists could try to exploit the information. read more

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TSA Chief Admits He Withheld Information on Pat-Downs

Despite advice to the contrary from the United States, Israel’s Interior Ministry threw peace talks with the Palestinian Authority into jeopardy on Monday by announcing that it would move ahead with plans to build 1,300 new apartments in the West Bank….

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Israel Moves Ahead with Construction

Guess this means whoever had the brilliant idea to cast Neil Patrick Harris as the Riddler won’t get his due: Director Christopher Nolan has confirmed that, despite much speculation to the contrary, the Riddler will not be the villain in the third film…

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No Riddler in New Batman Film