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As the move toward energy conservation takes hold, lithium for use in ion batteries is destined to play a significant role in the energy equation of the next generation. From 2003-2007, global demand for lithium carbonate doubled, and realizing current hybrid car technologies will require access to massive stocks of lithium, which is largely harvested […]

First of all, I have to apologize for not being so much in evidence here over the past couple of weeks.  It’s been busy:  Last weekend had three – count ’em – three birthday parties, including a big (successful) surprise for my wife with many old friends, followed the next day by a museum extravaganza […]

Detained Filmmaker Jafar Panahi Earlier this week, Human Rights Watch reported that Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi was arrested at his home on Monday, March 1st, together with his wife, daughter and 15 dinner guests who are fellow filmmakers and actors. According to several news reports, Panahi and his guests were discussing an upcoming film when […]

For the past couple of days I have been receiving a series of disturbing photos from a part of the world that I had once reported on. The struggle for human rights in the occupied territories of the Western Sahara is on that has endured for over thirty years. In the hot desolate deserts in […]

This week, a series of maps caused the blog-o-sphere to erupt in lively debate over the origins and future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  The maps in question… …were posted by Juan Cole last week, picked up by Andrew Sullivan the next day, and subsequently criticized by Jeffrey Goldberg.  It turned into Cole and Sullivan vs. […]

My previous post notwithstanding, Mexico continues to be one of the largest sources of drugs headed to the United States. As in Guatemala, drugs and corruption go hand in hand. And, despite what U.S. law enforcement might like to attest, this is true on both sides of the Rio Grande. While it may be possible […]

You may recall the diplomatic storm that raged last week when Vice-President Biden visited Israel and was greeted by news of a new construction project in East Jerusalem.  Biden and the Obama team reacted as if this was an unprecedented provocation by Israel and a dire threat to Mideast peace. As The New York Times […]

There was a huge outcry in the United States in 2008, when the Pentagon awarded a $40 billion contract for tanker refueling aircraft for the Air Force to a consortium including a European competitor – EADS, parent of Airbus. EADS won the bid in partnership with Northrop Grumman, the U.S. defense contractor, beating a rival […]

There’s a new Global Internet Freedom caucus in Congress. This is not necessarily a big deal – there are a lot of caucuses. Some are extremely active, and others, not so much. (Congressional Ski and Snowboard Caucus?) Considering their name, this one will likely be focused on issues raised by the Global Internet Freedom Consortium, […]

Allegations that “as much as half” of UN food aid for Somalia was diverted to militias, local power brokers and even UN staff based in Somalia, were detailed in a recent UN Security Council report.  The New York Times, which initially presented details of the report last week, has reported today that some of the […]

The unstoppable force and immovable object may have begun their tango: it looks like China and Google are heading for a collision. Reports from the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal (sorry, lame-o subscription) say that talks between the Chinese government and the search giant are at an impasse. The Chinese, meanwhile, have insisted […]

Last week the Commission on the Status of Women finished up a two-week review of how successful the world has been in implementing 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and where we need to improve as a global society in advancing women’s rights as called for in the Declaration. Known as Beijing +15 and […]