The Age of Regression - Counterpunch July '13

http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/07/26/the-age-of-regression/

Very pointed article discussing shifts in what is normal in current 1st world capitalist societies.  And what is considered human or socially normal.  Interesting reference to Aldous Huxley to follow up.

Migrants from the Near East 'brought farming to Europe'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11729813

- genetic evidence supports migration from the Middle East brought farming to Europe
ie. farming was not adopted by the indigenous hunter-gatherer population

- see links to other articles at the bottom

The World Bank and the Development Delusion

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/09/201292673233720461.html

- a strong, detailed critique of the World Bank's effect on developing economies and of the bank's underlying goals/philosophy/world view.

Making of Europe Unlocked by DNA

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22252099

- interesting article looking at the origin of modern European DNA profile

- the idea that the earlier hunter-gatherer population was replaced by a wave of migrants from the Middle East at the beginning of the Neolithic period

- a new idea that a major shift in population also occurred around 4500 years ago that needs to be explored more
- the "Bell Beaker" culture group seems to have played an important role in this late shift (curiously, they are strongly related genetically to the populations in modern Spain and Portugal)

- see links to other articles at bottom