A U.S. Army sergeant is suing the makers of the Oscar-nominated film “The Hurt Locker.” He says he felt betrayed because they stole his story. Master Sergeant Jeffrey S. Sarver, 38, claims in court documents the film makers turned an account of his frightening duties defusing bombs in Iraq into the much lauded action-thriller without […]
The culpability of doctors in the U.S.-run torture program bubbles up every now and then, as it did in the New York Times earlier this week. Here are some highlights: According to Justice Department memos released last year, the medical service opined that sleep deprivation up to 180 hours didn’t qualify as torture. It determined […]
Relations between the U.S. and China have become strained of late. Currency values, climate change, computer hacking, Tibet, arms sales to Taiwan, and debt concerns are just a few of the many challenges burdening the relationship. According to this newswire report, the two countries are working on addressing these issues. Two high level U.S. emissaries […]
This movie is all about desperation. It focuses on a family eking out an existence in post World War II Berlin. The main character, Edmund, is 13 years old and does what he can to help the family get by. It appears the film was shot entirely on location in rubble-strewn Berlin where people wait […]
As you might imagine, I subscribe to a number of feeds on climate, energy and sustainability. Here are a few that I highly recommend to you. Nature Reports Climate Change, from the Nature Publishing Group, is an excellent resource on climate science and related matters. Its companion blog, Climate Feedback, has timely and compelling coverage […]
Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo responded this week to the Pre-Trial Chamber II request for clarification of information regarding the situation in Kenya. Ocampo alleged that senior political and business leaders affiliated with the two major political parties involved in the marred 2007 election, the Party of National Unity and the Orange Democratic Movement, were responsible […]
The Pentagon just opened the floodgates to social networking in the military. (Wired writeup; DOD policy memo.) Given the ubiquity of Facebook today and the average age of active-duty military, this is inevitable. The increase of such technologies goes a long way to make home feel closer. A friend on a Fulbright in Bulgaria has […]
I have often written on gender inequality, especially in regards to education, however I am most often speaking of developing nations. True I have also referred to reports on the United States educational pit falls and low rankings among industrialized nations. Nonetheless when I came across the following article, Single-Sex Classes on Trial Expect Girls […]
Secretary Clinton is in Chile and met with President Bachelet today to offer U.S. assistance in dealing with the quake aftermath. What is the U.S. doing to help Chile? We are offering satphones and so much more. Here is a great summary, in Secretary Clinton’s own words: I was planning to be in Chile today […]
We talk a lot about cyberwar – trying to affect real-world outcomes with electronic attacks. Here’s the opposite: America’s Army, a videogame developed by the military over the past few years to serve as a recruiting and training tool, where you use computers to virtually make things go boom. Great writeup in Foreign Policy. Also […]
I would be remiss in not pointing you to a blockbuster paper by Amory Lovins from September that I’ve only just now read. I scanned his article in Grist at the time in which he thoroughly debunks Stewart Brand’s support for nuclear power. Here are the four myths he shatters: variable renewable sources of electricity […]
The White House is leading their web site with a statement from Cybersecurity don’t-call-him-a-Czar Howard Schmidt. Interestingly, there’s nothing there – except to note that the administration is declassifying large swaths of the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative. (Update: OK, so they’re more like itty bity swaths.) I find it curious that the Powers that Be […]
The below email is from Manzar Mian, former co-director at the Depilex Smile Again. Place read my post about Depilex Smile Again for background. —— Dear Nikolaj Greetings Read your article on Depilex Smileagain Foundation. I am one of the main complainants. After months of hardwork i finally managed to track down Najaf Sultana, the […]
Spring Break usually conjures up images of sun kissed, bikini clad co-eds on over crowed beaches engaging in games and often engaging in considerable amounts of drinking. However Spring Break is getting a face-lift, as Service Breaks are growing in considerable popularity among undergrads seeking to get away from the cold drab of winter and […]
When I was in Uganda last month I was fortunate to learn more about an interesting parliamentary internship program being carried out by the Center for International Development (CID) of the State University of New York (full disclosure: I used to work there). Supported by Higher Education for Development (which uses fairly small grants to […]