The Scariest Halloween Story of All…
October 31, 2009 2 min. read

A story sure to give you nightmares is the harrowing story behind child labor across the globe.  Whether it is costumes made from cotton picked by child labors in Uzbekistan or clothing sewn by child labors, ghoulish make-up with minerals mined by child labors, chocolate candy-bars made from cocoa picked by the hands of child […]

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When the warehoused don't cooperate
October 30, 2009 4 min. read

The Christian Science Monitor has good coverage of the ongoing boat people controversy in Australia.  Due to the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, there has been a global surge in Sri Lankan Tamils seeking asylum with other countries.  Given Sri Lanka’s location, many of these asylum seekers pay people smugglers for spots on […]

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Sin Nombre (2009)
October 30, 2009 2 min. read

Right from the start this film draws the audience in. It is a movie about a young Honduran woman named Sayra who rides on top of trains hoping to reach Texas through Mexico. It is also about Casper (a.k.a. Willy), a Mexican gang member in trouble who meets up with Sayra along the way. Casper’s […]

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The Global Economy & U.S. Foreign Policy
October 30, 2009 3 min. read

Ian Bremmer, President of the Eurasia Group, a political risk advisory firm, provides a ‘bird’s eye’ overview of the impact of the Obama foreign policy agenda — the “New Era of Engagement” doctrine — on the world, on U.S. corporate competitiveness and on global markets.

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Demographics in Anbar
October 30, 2009 1 min. read
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This RAND study finds that 20 percent of eight-year olds, and 40 percent of all twenty-year olds in Anbar province are fatherless. Moreover, half of all households have reported losing at least one family member. This is, obviously, a tragic story, but also presents a whole host of problems for Iraqi society and governance. The […]

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Medvedev throws decency a bone
October 30, 2009 2 min. read

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev came out today against the rehabiliation of Soviet leader Josef Stalin’s image, in no uncertain terms: “Millions of Soviet citizens died under Stalin’s rule and Mr Medvedev said it was not possible to justify those who exterminated their own people. He also warned against efforts to falsify history and defend repression.” […]

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The State of Play – International Division
October 30, 2009 5 min. read

I wrote a thumbnail sketch the other day of where we are in the US on domestic climate change and energy legislation.  Let’s now take a quick look at how things are shaping up only 37 days before Copenhagen. As you know, the world has been building toward the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP […]

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Back from the Brink? US/China trade relations…
October 30, 2009 3 min. read

Looks like Mr. Hu and Mr. Obama and company may have stepped back from the brink of a trade war.  See CSFB report below on the recent G-2 meeting on trade and commerce.  Not that it’s all about individuals, but sometimes international relations can be driven by the tastes of individual leaders, as argued in a […]

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The Show Must Go On: Karadzic Trial at the ICTY to Proceed In Absentia
October 30, 2009 6 min. read

After over a decade of delay, it seems that Karadzic will be tried in absentia.

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Colombian Migrants Massacred in Venezuela
October 30, 2009 2 min. read

The latest body of a Colombian migrant – now the eleventh – was recently found along the border region of Venezuela. The victim had been playing pick-up soccer when kidnapped two weeks ago. Who would massacre these Colombians, and to what end? It may be an extreme sign of anti-immigrant sentiment within Venezuela; Colombians make […]

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Political Analysis Comes in Many Forms: Cairo's New Writers
October 30, 2009 3 min. read

One of the biggest mistakes any political analyst could make is to read only other political analyses.  To do so is limiting in many ways and, more importantly, just downright boring.  So, if you want to read something that is insightful and interesting, take a look at Issue 9 of A Public Space, edited by Brian Edwards of Northwestern […]

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My Notebook, My Life
October 30, 2009 6 min. read

On the road of being a journalist, there is one important lesson I have learned–never abandon your notebook. By notebook, I mean reporter’s notebook–those kind that are long and skinny and allow you to flip the pages as you furiously take notes. For a journalist in the digital age, this might seem an archaic way […]

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