The New York Review of Books hits Stockholm a week late (but this is a lot better than The New Yorker, with an issue still on the shelf here I that read a month ago in New York). In the “current” issue of tNYRoB, then, is a sincere piece by Ian Buruma about the West Bank. It’s heartbreaking what is going on in Israel.

Then, thanks to that great site Arts & Letters Daily, two notable pieces from Canada’s National Post:

A Mark Steyn piece that does some worthy cutting down of apologists for Muslim extremism. Notable nut graf:

When Mr. Khalfan says that irresponsible journalists “risk provoking individuals who cannot control their spiritual emotions and cause the death of innocent people,” he’s being far more objectionable about Muslims than me, Frum and that Nigerian woman rolled into one; he’s being more imperialist than any old-school Colonial Officer: He’s saying Muslims are wogs, savages, they know no better, what do you expect? You’ve gotta be careful around them, the slightest thing could set ’em off. Might be a novel, might be a beauty contest.

Sorry, it’s not a good enough answer. If that Nigerian mob are really no more than “pious Muslims,” then pious Muslims should be ashamed. Pious Muslims can follow the murder-inciters of Bradford, the suicide-bombers of the West Bank and the depraved killers of northern Nigeria on their descent into barbarism. Or they can wake up and save their religion. Mr. Khalfan’s sophistry won’t cut it.

And finally, Rebecca Eckler puts a name to the newest NYC social meme: the sometime boyfriend. What an excellent concept, especially now that I no longer live in New York, but do plan to visit often. And what is it about The National Post’s female columnists that allows them to puch above their weight so? You’ll remember Rebecca’s good friend and colleague Leah McLaren, who could not find a great British man this summer. Blogging her elicited a record number of comments for one post on this site, I believe.