Looking at the US from a distance, one cannot help but wonder why there exists a culture where hypocrisy is alive and vibrant. The extreme variations between the political systems of thought and the almost zealous drive to hold onto those ideologies seem to undermine its strengths. There has been a lot of debate in the news […]
The New York Times this week has featured Op-Ed contributions discussing the weakness of the American Dollar and its potential fall as the world’s major reserve currency. The only obvious choice for a successor to the Dollar is the Chinese renminbi, as argued by Nouriel Roubini. As Roubini points out, major reserve currencies are held […]
The chains of slavery and gender-based violence run deep, they are tied to all forms struggle including poverty and armed conflict. However this is not something that just plagues developing countries, it is a scourge that is found in every American city and the key to breaking the cycle is through sustainable empowerment programs. Therefore […]
Is a crisis brewing between the U.S. and Israel? On the one had, we have a new American president determined to make headway on the perennial presidential to-do item of forging Mideast peace, and on the other, we have a new Israeli prime minister who sees the divided Palestinians no longer viable as a peace […]
Nigeria recently surpassed the United States as the world’s second largest film industry behind India. Bollywood produces the most movies in the world, followed by Nollywood and Hollywood. According to research conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), however, “US movies continue to dominate cinema admissions around the world.” In some […]
A deal has been done between the Democrats in the House driving for a strong, aggressive, meaningful climate change and energy bill and those who are fearful for and/or protective of the special interests of the big utilities, the oil & gas industry, the auto manufacturers and some other heavy industries. The “discussion draft” of […]
I had a chance to review a great new collection of essays on the science and policy of climate change. It’s illustrated with some stunning photographs. I’m very happy that this is appearing in “Nature Reports Climate Change,” a pretty important voice in the discussion. Here’s the website for the book.
Longtime readers of this blog may remember that my very first post was devoted to a commemoration of the Berlin airlift as an enduring example of U.S. aid and assistance to other countries, even former enemies. As the calendar brings us around again to the anniversary of the airlift I’d like to call your attention […]
OPEC reported a rise in output despite a pledge from the organization’s member to reduce production to meet quotas agreed to in December. Five members (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Nigeria and Angola) increased production over the past month by a total of 180,000 bbls/day, although Saudi Arabia remains within its quota of roughly 8 mln […]
Forging a new partnership between the United States and China can help address climate change, but only if regulatory and market shortcomings can be overcome. A new alignment on energy and the environment between China and the United States sounds like a formula capable of delivering real solutions on climate-change issues. China’s abundant scientific research-and-development […]
Free market principles have failed the one sixth of the world’s population that continue to live in abject poverty. The idea that economic growth will somehow magically lift those individuals out from their poverty has proven a failure. Every day, an average of 27000 children die from lack of food and access to basic medical care […]
One of the under-the-radar news stories these past several weeks has been mysterious indirect negotiations between American and Iranian officials regarding Tehran’s nuclear program. The Iranian nuclear program is worrisome to most western powers not because it would provide Iran with an alternative power source, but because if Tehran were to convert its civilian-level nuclear […]
Ahead of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s trip to Beijing next week, Brazil announced that China surpassed the United States as the country’s largest trading partner. Trade with China totaled $3.2 billion in April, compared with $2.8 billion in imports and exports with the US. “The US has been Brazil’s principal trading partner for […]
Thanks to the new relationship between the U.S. and Russia (after hitting the proverbial reset button) it would appear that progress in being made in nuclear non-proliferation talks. According to this report from the Reuters news service: Delegates meeting on the 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty struck their first agreement on the anti-nuclear arms pact in a […]
UN takes to field to play charity soccer scrimmage UN ambassadors and officials, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, took to the field to play a game of soccer for the charitable Play31 organization. Named after Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Play31 seeks to use soccer to facilitate […]