“What, really, is wanted from a neighborhood? Convenience, certainly, an absence of major aggravation, to be sure. But perhaps mostof all, ideally, what is wanted is a comfortable background, a breathing space of intermission between the intensities of private life and the calculations of public life.” WantedSpaceComfortableMajorsAbsenceBackgroundsBreathingNeighborhoodIntensityPrivate LifeConvenienceCalculationsPublic LifeAggravationIntermissionBreathing Space Book:Familiar territory: observations on American life Source: Familiar territory: observations on American life
“Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by major emitters in the absence of major legislation. But it's a blunt instrument that is a little more difficult to use than a legislative remedy.” LittlesStatesUseGovernmentDifficultMajorsInstrumentsAbsenceLocalsRemedyLegislationFederal GovernmentReductionBluntState GovernmentCo2OutrunEpa Author:Al Gore
“I returned to Kabul after a 27-year absence. I came away with some optimism but not as much as I had hoped for. The two major issues in Afghanistan are a lack of security outside Kabul (particularly in the south and east) and the powerful warlords ruling over the provinces with little or no allegiance to the central government. The other rapidly rising concern is the narcotic trade which, if not dealt with, may turn Afghanistan into another Bolivia or Colombia.” IfsYearsMayLittlesTwoGovernmentTurnsPowerfulIssuesSecurityMajorsConcernOptimismTradeSouthEastAbsenceRisingAfghanistanRulingAllegianceProvincesColombiaNarcoticsBoliviaKabulCentral GovernmentWarlords Author:Khaled Hosseini
“I see all this talk about jobs going overseas as a symptom of the absence of innovation. And the absence of innovation is a symptom of there being no major national priority to advance a frontier.” JobsMajorsInnovationAbsencePrioritiesSymptomsFrontiers Author:Neil deGrasse Tyson
“As matters now stand, the veto seems inappropriate, given the absence of any deep ideological split between major states, and definitely constrains the war-prevention mission of the UN. Similarly, the present permanent five are out of touch with geopolitical realities, and constitute a remnant of a West-centric world order, casting a shadow of illegitimacy across the activities of the most important organ of global policymaking in the UN System.” WorldImportantWarMatterStatesRealitySeemsOrderGivenFiveActivityMajorsShadowWestMissionsAbsencePermanentOrgansSplitsCastingIdeologicalWorld OrderInappropriatePreventionRemnantsConstrainVetoGeopolitical Author:Richard A. Falk