When one mentions war ones first thought drifts to Iraq, and then one may think of the DRC thanks to recent media coverage, however the continual plague of war in many countries, including Afghanistan, continues. While attention has long since faded since the October 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the country remains engrossed in conflict, and […]
Having read Michael Edward's “Just Another Emperor? The Myths and Realities of Philanthrocapitalism” earlier this year, I thought I would balance the perspective with a read of Matthew Bishop/Michael Green's “Philanthrocapitalism: How the Rich Can Save the World”. If you’re looking for a book club discussion, this is definitely a good pair. Two chapters into […]
Happy Thanksgiving to our readers. It was, of course, not a happy holiday for the victims of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India; Jose Guardia has this running summary. This is CNN's. At least 160 people, including four Americans, appear to be dead in Cafe Leopold, the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels, and the Chabad […]
This week, Kazakhstan's parliament has accepted a new law that would amend the country's current law on religion. The deputies in the Majlis unanimously approved the text. The bill must now be approved by President Nazarbaev. The standard analysis is that since Russia amended its law on religion, the Central Asian countries have been following […]
“Education, then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of man, – the balance-wheel of the social machinery.” – Horace Mann (1796,1859) American educational reformer, member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1827-1833) and Senate (1834-1837). Education is truly the key to equality, and with equality one will […]
–Alaska Governor Sarah Palin pardons one turkey while other birds meet their fate in the background. —Jhumpa Lahiri, author of the Interpreter of Maladies and The Namesake, is one of the three immigrant writers interviewed on NPR this week about what it means to be an American. –Will this giant rabbit help solve world hunger? […]
Today American's set forth to escape the ciaos that has become our everyday lives to spend the day amongst family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving, and as we gather around tables covered in American traditions old and new, let us not forget the meaning of the holiday. Regardless of your views, or thoughts, on the […]
Arrests after Afghan acid attack Police in Afghanistan arrested 10 suspects accused of brutally attacking schoolgirls by throwing acid into their faces. All of the men are Taliban insurgent fighters; several have confessed to the crime. President Hamid Karzai has called for their public execution. Chinese officials’ shifting quake tolls anger parents of children who […]
Education is the one sure ticket out of poverty for millions of children around the world. Yet while we know that knowledge is power, there are still 72 million children globally who do not have access to quality schooling. However the power behind education is not just found in giving one access to an education, […]
Federal Efficiency Initiative – As I think I’ve noted before, DOE and EPA have often struggled mightily against political headwinds and still managed to get some heroic work done. (They’ve also, to be sure, caved, on more than a few occasions over the years, to pressure from on high, abdicating their responsibilities. See under “California […]
Perhaps the benefit of a lame-duck Presidency is the knowledge that, in a few months time, your actions will no longer have an impact on the future administration. Mr. Bush's new tactic of border-free war, where all targets are legitimate regardless of location, would have never been possible a few years past. He would have […]
On the Djemaa el-Fna, a square in Marrakesh, a small girl sits on a pink plastic chair. On her lap is a tray of almond cookies. All around her the world passes by, unaware of her existence. She sits and waits for a sale. Behind her is a band of young men gathered around a […]
What form does philanthropy take outside of the U.S.? In upcoming “Country Profile” posts, I seek to illuminate a country's history, current trends, and future questions surrounding international philanthropy. History: Like many countries, philanthropy in China has roots in the values espoused by native and imported religions. From the Confusion and Buddhist traditions, charity in China has emphasized mutual help […]
Thankfully for the future and our global security children are increasingly being brought into the fight against climate change. Earlier this month, on 14 November, The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) enlisted the help of North American youth to help tackle climate change at a summit in Chicago. The educational campaign, "Kick the Carbon Habit", […]
You may have noticed that one of the post categories for this blog is “U.S. Aid” and it's devoted to news and commentary about U.S. efforts to provide financial and humanitarian assistance to other countries. I see this as one of the pillars of the traditional U.S. role in the world, we like to see […]