Forget the "prophet of doom." Gideon Rachman suggests that a short story about goat prices in Somalia could have been the best predictor of the economic meltdown. And to his question of who could play the goat in the movie -- might I suggest Betty, the erstwhile companion of jailed former Congolese warlord Laurent Nkunda?

Reuben Brigety and Sabina Dewan of the Center for American Progress have authored a new report proposing a "National Strategy for Global Development" to go along with the customary National Security Strategy. The report urges using the Millennium Development Goals as the basis for the United States' development strategy -- now that's progress I can believe in.

The Wall Street Journal makes the supremely trenchant point that Cuba -- Cuba! -- is on the Human Rights Council. Well, sheesh, somebody should have just told the Obama Administration before they joined the Council. There's no telling how American presence could help improve the body...

(image from flickr user CharlesFred under a Creative Commons license)