https://careers.state.gov/learn/what-we-do/where-we-work/ - location of foreign service posts - click on the image on the linked page to see a MUCH larger version
Welcome to an all day open thread hosted by “Foreign Policy and International Events Group”. Drop by to share links and stories or for commentary. (or just play peekaboo and say look what I found). Open thread is published each morning at 03:30 US West Coast (06:30 East Coast, 11:30 London/UTC, 12:30 Central Europe, 17:00 India, 17:15 Nepal, 19:30 Beijing, 20:30 Tokyo)
Torilahure should be back tomorrow, I think, with a not quite so new Windows7 laptop to handle the load. I suppose it could be worse...
In the meantime, I decided that if I were going to put my name on these occasionally, it might be a good idea to at least try know what it was I was talking about, so today’s first topic (written in haste and cribbed mostly from Wikipedia — any wrong opinions are mine), is
a (very) short look at the State Department
While this department may have seen the biggest media roller coaster ride in the last four years (Tom Shannon/Rex Tillerson/John J. Sullivan/Mike Pompeo ), only possibly topped by the Justice Department debacle (Dana Boente/Jeff Sessions/Matthew Whitaker/William Barr/Jeffrey Rosen), State has one major advantage over Justice; the sheer size of its career employee lists. 13,000 Foreign Service employees, 11,000 Civil Service, and an additional 49,000 local employees at 273 diplomatic missions. While it’s likely that some long term damage was done during the last 4 years, it’s also likely that the majority of the personnel were never the focus of enough attention to allow massive damage (IMO). At least, we can hope.
The position of Secretary of State is currently held by Antony Blinken who was appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 26, 2021, by a vote of 78–22
a few Top headlines (not counting u.s. stories):
BBC World News: 'If the others go I'll go': Inside China's scheme to transfer Uighurs into work
The Hindu: United Nations chief urges wealthy nations to phase out coal use by 2030
The Economic Times/India Times: Myanmar security forces fire on anti-coup protesters
The Irish Times: Scotland — Sturgeon to testify on role in harassment complaints against Salmond
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And, for a change of pace, Torilahure suggested this, by Beau of the Fifth Column:
The video is almost 19 minutes long, but I found it riveting. Definitely worth watching if you can break the time free.
🔊Other General Open Threads That Run In Daily Kos. They are handy for connecting with Kossacks who are likely to be awake and online at the same time as you. So pop in and say hello.
- MOT (Morning Open Thread): Goes live at 03:30 west coast ( 06:30 US east coast). Same time as us.
- New Day Cafe: goes live at 07:30 west coast (10:30 east coast). just as the chatter in morning thread has petered out.
- Kitchen Table Kibitzing: goes live at 17:30 west coast (20:30 east coast).
- TOP COMMENTS: Up at 19:00 west coast (22:00 east coast)
- Meteor Blades’ long running Night Owls Open Thread is no longer, but eeff is doing a transition community series at 20:00 west coast and offering the hospitality of The Overnight News Digest for the longer term. Last night’s Night Owls is here. Check out the tag #nightowl to find future publications.
- The Overnight News Digest: Up at 21:00 west coast (midnight east coast)
If we’re missing an open thread, please leave a note in Comments and we’ll add it in.
If you are thinking of writing a diary, does not have to be politics, get in touch for encouragement. Also handy place to ask questions about features and how to or anything else.
📱PS. You will probably bump into at least half the editors from here in those places too.
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Meanwhile, anyone who would like to host an open thread, please leave a note in the comments or get in touch with Torilahu via Kosmail.
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