"World Report 2008: Democracy Charade Undermines Rights...
World Report 2008: Democracy Charade Undermines Rights
Source: Human Rights Watch
The established democracies are accepting flawed and unfair elections for political expediency, Human Rights Watch said today in releasing its World Report 2008. By allowing autocrats to pose as democrats, without demanding they uphold the civil and political rights that make democracy meaningful, the United States, the European Union and other influential democracies risk undermining human rights worldwide.
The new role of oil wealth in the world economy
With oil prices having more than tripled since 2002, petrodollar investments have become the world's largest source of net global capital flows and are leading to a broad shift in global economic markets, an analysis by the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) says."Real men love Jesus"
"L'Homme" calls the religious Right "the bastard offspring of the sexual revolution"; "Osteuropa" asks why Russians long for the stability of the Brezhnev era; "The Hungarian Quarterly" pictures Hungary's historical role in Europe; "Index on Censorship" speaks freely about cyberspeech; "dérive" follows the urban filmscript; "Host" points out the gaps in young Czechs' reading lists; and "Merkur" sees religion pitted against the religion of art.JOURNAL: Web-based Networks for Disaster Response
Here's the problem. When a disaster strikes, widespread distribution of granular/real-time information on the unfolding event can reduce the public's panic/fear and improve the community's recovery -- as in, solid/well-informed decision making at the individual level is beneficial to fast recovery and public participation in the process can increase information flow and provide real-time feedback on first responder successes/failures....UK and US accused of hypocrisy over despots · Human rights group says west ignores flawed polls
· Countries only act when it is politically convenient
Davos 2008: ends and beginnings, John Elkington
A thin splatter of what looked like blood streaked the snow as I tramped towards the security-checks for the World Economic Forum's annual meeting. Because I was trying to retrieve my badge to show the police, I didn't pay it much attention, aside from a slight tweak of sympathy for what I assumed to have been some poor mammal disappearing into the skies in a predator's talons.
Dominique Moisi: Trends and Trendiness at Davos
The annual World Economic Forum is rightly perceived as a global “barometer.” But the superb sunshine in Davos these days cannot avoid the shadows of the financial crisis that have enveloped the world, casting an atmosphere of gloom and doom on this year’s meeting. Today, more than ever, the Forum’s proud motto, “Committed to the improvement of the world,” seems disconnected from reality. It is not confidence that dominates Davos 2008, but rather a sense of impotence, if not bewilderment, at the world’s growing complexity.Digital Scholarship: Roundup from Inside Higher Ed.
By Maximilian ForteBisexuality Not a Transitional Phase Among Women, According to New Research
Source: American Psychological Association
Bisexuality in women appears to be a distinctive sexual orientation and not an experimental or transitional stage that some women adopt “on their way” to lesbianism, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association
Research Groups Boom in Washington
"The Warrior Ethos and Soldier Combat Skills,"
U.S. Army Field Manual FM 3-21.75, January 2008
"Modern combat is chaotic, intense, and shockingly destructive," the document states. "In your first battle, you will experience the confusing and often terrifying sights, sounds, smells, and dangers of the battlefield--but you must learn to survive and win despite them."
Athens or Rome: which will it be?
By PHK
Could the January 2008 PBS Nova and Smithsonian Magazine features on the restoration of the Parthenon, the crown jewel of ancient Athens, also be seen as oh-so-subtle wake-up calls to Americans on the glory and the fragility of democracy? Or was this one-two punch about the painstaking restoration of the most important building of the world’s first democracy just a coincidence?
Jimmy Wales and Richard Baraniuk: The Open Education Revolution
As the founders of two of the world’s largest open-source media platforms – Wikipedia and Connexions – we have both been accused of being dreamers. Independently, we became infected with the idea of creating a Web platform that would enable anyone to contribute their knowledge to free and open learning resources. Jimmy started with his popularly generated encyclopedia. Rich developed a platform for authors, teachers, and students to create, remix, and share courses and textbooks.Global Incident Map displaying terrorist acts
Here is a nice Global Incident Map displaying terrorist acts, suspicious activity, and general terrorism …Benefits of globalization questioned Most people in 22 of 34 developed and developing countries surveyed think globalization is spreading too quickly, according to a BBC World Service poll released yesterday.
A new World Bank report calls for an overhaul of education systems in the Middle East and North Africa in tandem with labor-market reforms. The region lags both East Asia and Latin America in literacy among those over fifteen
Wikipedia and Islam
Wikipedia has become the subject of an online protest in the last few weeks because of its representations of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Lets face it, its not the first time Wikidia has been subject to question.
However, I do agree with Angry Arab who states;
