A new tradition has emerged in American public discourse. After a suicide attack occurs on U.S. soil, the public debates whether or not the attack is “terrorism.” This happened last fall after the Hasan shooting and it’s happening again after the IRS attack. At Discovery News, Ian O’Neill looks to the dictionary, the FBI’s web-site, […]
In 2005, global warming doomsayers warned that Hurricane Katrina was so destructive that it could attributed only to a threat as pervasive as global warming. Similarly, this winter’s record snowfall in the Eastern U.S. has led many, mainstream media outlets to link the unusual weather events to accelerating climate change. In stark opposition, others arguing […]
With abject apologies to the Bard, this is just a note on the potentially enormous question of how much do we want to get at the vast amounts of shale gas available, worldwide, and what price is there to be paid. I’ve written about the implications for greenhouse gas reductions in exploiting the enormous reserves […]
The Daily Beast’s Tina Brown has announced a three-day summit entitled “Women of the World” which “will showcase the stories of outstanding women leaders”. The summit will take place in New York next March. Attending the summit, Brown tells us, will be Queen Rania of Jordan, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Meryl Streep, Barbara […]
Of course the first thing anyone thinks of in the wake of a natural disaster is to send in emergency crews and aid, but as the the debris slowly begins to be cleared away and aid and relief organizations begin to reach all of those in need, other support begins to help the community down […]
In a clear threat of economic warfare, China indicated that it may sell-off its holdings of U.S. Treasury notes in retaliation for our recent arms sale to Taiwan.
In the big, wide world, there is no shortage of regimes willing to suppress the media. So it’s not hard to miss what has been happening recently in the nation of Tunisia, nestled between Algeria and Libya on the Mediterranean Sea. Imprisonment, censoring, and harassment have increased since elections there last year. Journalists Tawfiq Ben […]
After fifty years of intrigue, greed, and environmental obliviousness, can oil, gas and mining companies in developing world situations ever get it right? A new book by Luc Zandvliet and Mary B. Anderson of Boston-based CDA Collaborative Learning Projects suggests it is possible, if the corporate will is there. Getting It Right: Making Corporate-Community Relations […]
I’m watching CNN’s coverage of the Cyber Shockwave simulated massive hack attack and will be attempting to liveblog my first event. 8:00 – Beer ready. Logged in to the blog. Let’s roll. 8:05 – Widespread uncertainty. Cellphones hacked. What’s going on? Situation appears to be a breaking story of a cyber attack over America’s smartphones […]
Last month, I talked to a man who works indirectly with one of the Native Corporations of Alaska. “The North Slope is going to be running out of oil in the not too distant future,” I said. “What will you do then?” He paused both considering the question and yet not understanding why I asked. […]
Last night I saw something I never thought I’d see, a televised war game. Last week a DC think tank, The Bipartisan Policy Center, staged a war game with former members of government simulating the President’s staff dealing with a massive cyber attack against the United States. CNN taped it and is televising it this […]
Yevgeny Zhovtis is in a dingy cell somewhere in Kazakhstan. A leading human rights activist, Zhovtis and his incarceration on trumped up charges of manslaughter point to a disturbing trend in the world of international law and human rights. States, and in particular, post-Soviet states are not being held accountable for their human rights abuse. […]
The general principles of the rule of law state that legality should take precedence over all political affairs. But is it ever possible for two wrongs, such as a military takeover of an unconstitutional civilian government, can produce a positive rule of law outcome? That is the question many are asking in relation to Thursday’s […]
CHAD: Prices hike, teachers strike Teachers demanding more pay to face higher food prices entered the third day of a nationwide strike. Primary school teacher Aubin Golmbaye told IRIN his US$200 monthly salary was not enough to feed his family. Education Minister Khadidja Hassaballah said the government would not negotiate salaries with the teacher union […]
I saw Avatar last week, just in time, apparently, to truly understand the significance of this: While I understand the the analogy, I also see the differences between James Cameron’s fictional scenario and the actual scenario unfolding in the Middle East. For me, the most significant distinction is the complete lack of pretexts in Avatar […]