Drug Users are Hurting Africa
March 12, 2008 2 min. read

 Global philanthropy is about the positive impact that people in one place can have on the lives of others around the world. Unfortunately, it's just as easy – probably easier – to have a negative impact on the rest of the world. This weekend the Guardian published several articles discussing the impact of British cocaine […]

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Some Cool Renewables
March 11, 2008 3 min. read

Solar Thermal , One of the pleasures of teaching a class on climate change is that students come up with some interesting, stimulating things.  In papers recently submitted on renewables, and in following up with a little web surfing, I've come across some further information worth sharing here.  I've also been reading a new book, […]

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Crush Them Like Ants
March 11, 2008 3 min. read

In this month's Esquire magazine, Thomas Barnett fawns over Admiral Fallon, Commander of Central Command (CENTCOM). He laughably calls Fallon "The Man Between War and Peace." Fallon is not between anything. As commander of CENTCOM he is currently waging two wars and will unhesitatingly start another one if he feels it is necessary. It's ironic […]

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MTV Takes on Trafficking In Asia
March 11, 2008 3 min. read

  Tonight I had the privilege of attending a special screening of the documentary film Traffic, which is part of the MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) campaign. MTV EXIT, which is produced by the 2003 established MTV Europe Foundation, was designed to raise awareness and increase prevention of human trafficking among the MTV demographic. […]

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The U.S. Through an Asian Lens
March 10, 2008 4 min. read

The current issue of American Interest has a fascinating article lauding China's "smart policy" compared to the United States. The author, Kishore Mahbubani, is dean of the National University of Singapore. Mahbubani's article predominantly deals with China, however I have teased out several indictments on US actions, as interpreted by a foreign observer. Concerning the […]

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State Department: Living in the Shadow of the Pentagon
March 9, 2008 6 min. read

A new report from the Washington, DC-based think tanks the Center for International Policy, the Latin America Working Group Education Fund, and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) examines the gradual shift of foreign policy decision-making away from the State Department toward the Defense Department. Cleverly titled “Ready, Aim, Foreign Policy,” it can be […]

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Women Leaders Urge for a Greater Role in Ending Global Conflicts
March 9, 2008 3 min. read

Officials from the United Nations, the European Union and other institutions, as well as several ministers and other leaders have urged that women should be given a bigger voice in helping the world overcome conflicts and poverty. The call came at a conference in Brussels last week. The conference, which included some 50 international delegates, […]

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Donors Choose
March 8, 2008 1 min. read

Donorschoose.org is a domestic charity that allows people to fund projects designed by US public school teachers. It is a great initiative, started by teachers but expanded with funding from several successful internet entrepreneurs, and offers donors a lot of information before they give as well as information on project implemention. The format is a […]

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New York Times Magazine Hearts Philanthropy
March 8, 2008 2 min. read

I would like to thank the New York Times Magzine for giving me what is sure to be a week's worth of entries by dedicating an issue to philanthropy. Today I’d like to comment on David Leonhardt's article “What Makes People Give?”. The article discusses some interesting behavioral economics research that suggests that the reasons […]

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Way to go, W! (INSERT SARCASM HERE)
March 8, 2008 3 min. read

Bush vetoes bill outlawing CIA waterboarding Sat Mar 8, 2008 1:53pm EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President George W. Bush on Saturday vetoed legislation passed by Congress that would have banned the CIA from using waterboarding and other controversial interrogation techniques. Lawmakers included the anti-torture measure in a broader bill authorizing U.S. intelligence activities. “Because the […]

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"Merchant of Death" arrested
March 8, 2008 5 min. read

Thai Court Keeps Arms Dealer in Custody By GRANT PECK , 3 hours ago BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) ‚ Thai police received court permission Saturday to retain custody of a reputed Russian arms dealer dubbed the “Merchant of Death” who was arrested in a U.S.-led sting operation that lured him from his home in Moscow. Viktor […]

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To Pander, or Not To
March 8, 2008 2 min. read

Is that the existential question? There's been much made of recent comments by Obama advisers that came back to bite them. Economic adviser Goolsbee talked to the Canadian Consulate in Chicago regarding NAFTA, Samatha Power told a UK journalist that Hillary was a “monster.” Both learned the hard way that campaign advisers are fair game […]

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