In The News

America's Double Standard Fuels Crises

Ramzy Baroud October 31, 2006
North Korea’s nuclear arsenal must be dismantled, but the US must consider the stability of the North Korean Peninsula over its own political goals in any decision about how to proceed. US eagerness for regime change in Iraq led the US to its current quagmire of sectarian conflict and surmounting deficits. In 2005, just after North Korea agreed to end its nuclear program in a joint statement by...

Silence Is a Decree All Should Fear

Umberto Eco October 30, 2006
People increasingly fear posing questions about other cultures or engaging in criticism. Religious fundamentalists are not the only culprits, according to writer Umberto Eco. He also criticizes Western cultures that promote political correctness for stirring fear about free speech. Eco warns that outrage about every gaffe and a growing culture of silence will mask history, polarize those with...

One World…Many, Many Government Policies

Irwin M. Stelzer October 26, 2006
In a globalized world, corporations often pursue business deals in the countries with the least costs, not just from wages or property – but also in terms of policy regulations or taxes. Corporations look to low-tax nations to avoid all manner of taxes. And in some cases, corporations lobby their governments to erect barriers and prevent regulatory polices from other countries creeping into their...

Global Outsourcing on Wane

Ashley Seager October 24, 2006
Companies have pushed the pause button outsourcing – despite dire predictions of thousands of jobs moving from developed nations to developing ones. Part of the reason could be politicians taking a protectionist stance in campaigns and pledging to stop outsourcing. The index provided by sourcing consultants TPI, based in the US, analyzes the global outsourcing market and reports that the value...

The Planet in Peril – Part II

Jim Hansen October 24, 2006
People have some measure of control over how much the climate will change, explains Jim Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. In the second of a two-part series, he makes specific recommendations that do require some sacrifice: Humans must end their reliance on fossil fuels; governments can impose carbon taxes in a way that provides incentives to decrease fuel...

Globalization Wilts Flowering Industry

Joshua Goodman October 23, 2006
Companies such as Dole Fresh Flowers downsize in Latin America to confront increasing competition coming from Asia and Africa. Some Dole workers suspect that the company imposed lay-offs because strong unions opposed long hours and exposure to pesticides. Increasing cost of fuel and a decline in the dollar also cut profits for the Colombian flower industry. China is steadily increasing its...

The Planet in Peril – Part I

Jim Hansen October 19, 2006
The evidence on global warming is overwhelming. Ongoing scientific research reveals that human-induced climate change will contribute to dangerous new weather patterns and rising sea levels that will gradually swamp many coastal cities, displacing millions of people over the next century. Jim Hansen, director of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, explores the implications of global...