Scott McLemee's"A Child's Garden of Culture and Atrocity," Inside Higher Ed, 27 October, reviews E. H. Gombrich's A Little History of the World (Yale, 2005) with Scott's usual thoughtfulness. This looks like a great holiday gift for a 10 year old – one that mom and dad will want to read, as well. For the more technically adept kid-at-heart, here's Tim Burke's recommendation of Civilization IV.

Pranab Bardhan,"China, India Superpower? Not So Fast!" YaleGlobal, 25 October, argues that China and India are not near world super power status, for lots of reasons. Thanks to Matt Yglesias for the tip.

"Fear and Loathing in the Middle East," On the Face, 26 October. At Brian's Study Breaks, Brian Ulrich calls it"the best post I've read on the Arab-Israeli conflict all year" and I've learned to take Brian's recommendations on such things very seriously.

So, yes, the New York Times is reporting that I. Lewis"Scooter" Libby, Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, is likely to be indicted today in the Valerie Plame affair and that Carl Rove, the President's chief political adviser, will remain under investigation. More cautiously, the Washington Post merely reports that the NYT said what it said. Hang onto your hat. It could be a lively day in Washington.

Finally, Brandeis's Nathanael Robinson at Rhine River and Michigan's Andrew Israel Ross at Air Pollution are in search of the 19th century Europeanist history bloggers and readers. If that sounds like you, stop by and say"hello" to them.