As the economic crisis and the plight of ordinary Americans deepen, the Obama administration is finally beginning to embrace stronger bank and financial industry reforms proposed by courageous refromers such as Paul Volcker, Sheila Bair, Elizabeth Warren, Barney Frank and former NYS Governor, Eliot Spitzer. It’s about time!
Whether you subscribe to the idea that we need to return to 350 ppm of carbon dioxide equivalent in the atmosphere or not, last Saturday’s worldwide expressions of concern were wonderful, eye-opening further evidence of how deep and how broad that concern runs.
A story sure to give you nightmares is the harrowing story behind child labor across the globe. Whether it is costumes made from cotton picked by child labors in Uzbekistan or clothing sewn by child labors, ghoulish make-up with minerals mined by child labors, …
An elaborate resting place. A celebration of perspective. Two years ago the National Museum of Death opened in Aguascalientes to chronicle cultural approaches to the end of life. “Mexicans have death imprinted all over their art and culture.” So says Jose Antonio Padilla, the museum’s director. It is the moribund product …
The Indian Ministry of Defense announced that domestic companies will now be allowed to bid for large defense contracts. So far domestic companies could supply only non-combative equipment to the Indian military. They can now bid for contracts for tanks, artillery and air-crafts. In July when the
U.S. might accept spousal abuse asylum claims
The Barack Obama administration’s recommendation to grant asylum to a Guatemalan woman fleeing severe spousal abuse opens the door for other battered and sexually abused women in other countries to seek refuge in the U.S. Rody Alvarado Pena’s case …
The Christian Science Monitor has good coverage of the ongoing boat people controversy in Australia. Due to the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, there has been a global surge in Sri Lankan Tamils seeking asylum with other countries. Given Sri Lanka’s location, …
Right from the start this film draws the audience in.
It is a movie about a young Honduran woman named Sayra who rides on top of trains hoping to reach Texas through Mexico.
It is also about Casper (a.k.a. Willy), a Mexican gang member in trouble who meets up with Sayra along …
Ian Bremmer, President of the Eurasia Group, a political risk advisory firm, provides a ‘bird’s eye’ overview of the impact of the Obama foreign policy agenda — the “New Era of Engagement” doctrine — on the world, on U.S. corporate competitiveness and on global markets.
This RAND study finds that 20 percent of eight-year olds, and 40 percent of all twenty-year olds in Anbar province are fatherless. Moreover, half of all households have reported losing at least one family member. This is, obviously, a tragic story, but also presents a whole host …
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev came out today against the rehabiliation of Soviet leader Josef Stalin’s image, in no uncertain terms: “Millions of Soviet citizens died under Stalin’s rule and Mr Medvedev said it was not possible to justify those who exterminated their own people. He also warned …
Gaza schools damaged by Israeli bombing will be exposed to the cold and rain this winter unless Israel relaxes its blockade to permit the import of windows, doors and building materials… Officials of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and Gaza’s Education Ministry say thousands of pupils face …
I wrote a thumbnail sketch the other day of where we are in the US on domestic climate change and energy legislation. Let’s now take a quick look at how things are shaping up only 37 days before Copenhagen.
As you know, the world has been building toward the …
Looks like Mr. Hu and Mr. Obama and company may have stepped back from the brink of a trade war. See CSFB report below on the recent G-2 meeting on trade and commerce. Not that it’s all about individuals, but sometimes international relations can be driven by the tastes of individual …
