AN AGE LIKE THIS. Chinese General Threatens Use of A-Bombs If U.S. Intrudes. (Via Unqualified Offerings.) Stratfor chairman says Chinese growling is result of tottering economy. (Via The Corner.)

Hilarious flash satire of British i.d.-card scheme. (Via Andrew Sullivan.)

Meanwhile, Dappled Things asks what’s on my bedside table, but the answer is stupidly boring: I don’t have one. I sleep by the windowledge, but the only things on the windowledge are my alarm clock, a very pretty lamp, and an autumn-leaves-theme vase which sometimes contains sunflowers. On the bed itself, you will find Choice: The Best of Reason (which is an excellent collection), a Bible (published by Ignatius–I don’t know if that tells you what you need to know about the translation–I’m at the office and can’t check), the comp book where I keep notes from Bible-reading, and at least one ballpoint pen. I think that’s it. Under the bed are various copies of The Weekly Standard, from a copyediting job I did a while ago. Half-under the bed are some comic books and a cardboard box filled with printed-out emails from 1996-2001, which I need to file. …Told you it was boring.

Going home now.