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In a report July 8, the Washington Post took on the easy target of EU food regulations, ridiculing rules such those defining the bend in Class 1 cucumbers, the size of onions, and the ripeness of peaches. Such seemingly absurd regulations are frequently derided in the media, especially in Britain, but supported by a majority […]

[kml_flashembed movie=”http://youtube.com/v/65lk-1JqxFA” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /] Darfur is a nightmare. The western area of Sudan, Africa, which is the size of France, is home to about six million people. As many as 200,000 people have been killed and another 2.5 million displaced. That's where the documentary “Darfur Now” begins. Director Ted Braun tackles genocide in […]

A recent report by the British Parliament’s International Development Committee, which warns that international aid levels must rise in order to ensure that recent food price rises do not undo years of progress in reducing poverty. In response to the report Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP, Chairman of the Committee, said: “Recent food price rises have greatly […]

I didn't want to leave the impression from my last post that I am wholly cynical about progress on confronting the climate change crisis.  On the contrary, I am entirely bullish.  I think my posts over time here have very often been about some of the truly extraordinary breakthroughs , politically, socially, and economically , […]

“Adults see the traditional dangers, like floods, cyclones, landslides or even tsunamis,” UNDP field coordinator for the programme Zihan Zarouk said, “but children can look outside the box, and identify things that adults probably see but tend to ignore.” All too often children are taken for granted, as too young and naive, and thus are […]

In June of this year, the International Crisis Group published a report titled, "Egypt's Muslim Brothers: Confrontation or Integration?" , particularly looking at confrontation in the context of long-term stability. In the world of politics and religion, the question always seems to come back to "confrontation" and whether domestic politics can tolerate the religious foundations […]

For those of you still in a patriotic mood after the Independence Day holiday, how would you like to read a speech given by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams on July 4, 1821? The American Diplomacy website provides a review and a link to the text of the speech. I thought the speech was […]

In conflict there are many weapons that may be employed and while the Kalashnikov or IED may be favored arms in modern warfare, there is one weapon all men carry and all to often choose to use. Cheap and effective, men are choosing to use their bodies as weapons – in fact their manhood – […]

I'm not going to lie to you and say that I've followed these meetings with particular interest.  There's nothing binding about what the G8 leaders decide.  So, they've come up with a commitment, of sorts, to cut GHG by 50% by 2050.  They don't tell you what the baseline is though.  How seriously am I […]

Former Secretaries of State James A. Baker III (1989 to 1992) and Warren Christopher (1993 to 1997), wearing their hats as the co-chairmen of the National War Powers Commission, authored an op-ed in the New York Times yesterday, arguing on behalf of the findings of their commission's recent report. They write: “The most agonizing decision we make […]

After a long pause, there is activity once again on the front lines of America's official public diplomacy. Part of this is a seasonal phenomenon — every summer, the little-known U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy issues a report with recommendations, usually appealing for more resources for the State Department's public diplomacy operations. But this […]

Sorry it's been a few days since my last blog entry. I’ve been busy travelling, and have also had some serious computer issues to deal with. Anyways, I came across an interesting report featured on the Dutch-funded Menasset.com. It covers a conference recently held between journalists from both  Hamas and Fatah factions addressing media issues that have […]