The Tyler Cowen

1. Japanese torture gameshow.
   
2. Comprehensive piece examining The Arab Spring and the prospects for democracy. 

"...it has become clear that underlying conditions do have a big impact on democratic success. Five are of special importance: 1) the level of economic development; 2) the degree of concentration of sources of national wealth; 3) the coherence and capability of the state; 4) the presence of identity-based divisions, such as along ethnic, religious, tribal, or clan lines; and 5) the amount of historical experience with political pluralism."

3. Via The Browser, how we get North Korea's non-state sponsored bits of news.