In The News

European Wine Wars: EU Vintners Turn Up Noses at Wine Reform

July 10, 2007
Europe is the world’s largest producer of wines. But in the EU, wine consumption is decreasing, even as inexpensive imports enter the market. About 15 percent of wine produced in the EU goes unconsumed, and the EU invests hundreds of millions of euros to turn unwanted wine into cheap cleaning products. The European Farm Commissioner proposes saving the EU money by paying farmers to destroy vines...

Russia Puts Energy Importers Over a Barrel

Michael Richardson July 10, 2007
Russia, the world’s second largest oil exporter and leading exporter of natural gas, has traditionally targeted most of its sales to Europe. But demand for energy products is rising fast in India and China. Hoping to gain both economically and politically, Russia is poised to sell more energy products to Asia. China is the largest potential market, but Russia also targets Japan, South Korea and...

For Chinese Filmmakers, Success Can Sting

David Barboza July 9, 2007
The world is curious about Chinese culture, and so China's film industry and the government hope to produce blockbuster movies that can be exported around the world. Low-budget Chinese films have long attracted praise from critics, but only small audiences. Instead, foreign films from Hollywood and Hong Kong saturated the domestic movie market. In 2000, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,...

At IBM, A Smarter Way to Outsource

Steve Lohr July 5, 2007
As information-technology jobs are outsourced, companies like IBM adapt by doing more complicated and personalized jobs for clients. In the process, the IBM team determines exactly what should and shouldn't be outsourced. For example, IBM works with a Texas utility company, CenterPoint Energy, on a “smart grid” project to improve service and save energy. IBM divides the tasks into those...

Europe/Plan B – For a Carbon-Free Economy Independent of Arabic Oil, Russian Gas or Chinese Coal

Juraj Mesik July 2, 2007
Demanding more studies on climate change and delaying are easy. Action to reduce dependence on nonrenewable energy sources requires leadership. “Our task is hard – our task is unprecedented – and the time is short…. Speed will count. Lost ground can always be regained – lost time, never. Speed will save lives… speed will save our freedom and our civilization.” The 1942 State of the Union speech...

A Lesson That Thomas Could Teach

David Leonhardt June 29, 2007
For the past two decades, US firms have relied on an outsourcing strategy: They move manufacturing operations overseas where they can employ workers for low wages, distancing themselves from production and condoning secrecy about factory practices. But this strategy has repercussions: After learning that Thomas the Tank Engine toys, manufactured in China, have lead paint, businesses tried to...

A Sacred River Endangered by Global Warming

Emily Wax June 25, 2007
One of Hinduism's most revered traditions is a trip to the Ganges River. But the sacred river may vanish as the Himalayan source, the Gangotri glaciers, melt with rising temperatures. With the current rates of melting, the glaciers could vanish by 2030 – and scientists predict that, in the long term, the Ganges will become a seasonal river that relies on monsoon rains. An immediate effect of...