Paul writes: Adam Gopnik’s “Freeing the Elephants” is a fascinating analysis of the Babar children’s books. Is Babar a symbol of French colonialism or “a self-conscious comedy about the French colonial imagination,” as Gopnik argues?
The destruction wrought by Hurricane Ike in the Caribbean has reignited the debate over American trade sanctions on Cuba. According to one report, “Cuba says Ike and Gustav caused US$5 million damage this month, but the embargo has been far more damaging, adding up to US$93 billion over nearly five decades.”

More by Paul Morris: “The Wavy Rule” archive; “Arnjuice,” a wistful, funny webcomic; a smorgasbord at Flickr; and beautifully off-kilter cartoon collections for sale (and free download) at Lulu.