Jun 18
When I think of current events in Southeast Asia, the things that pop into my head are authoritarian regimes, ethnic tensions, border clashes, and so on. There is an entire list of current conflicts going on in this region. An example of a border dispute would be Thailand conflicting with neighboring Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos and …
Jun 17
“No matter if it is a white cat or a black cat, as long as it can catch mice, it is a good cat.” It was probably the most influential quote of Deng Xiaoping, the Chief Architect of Chinese Reform and Opening, who further interpreted that “Do not restrict yourself from the difference between Socialism …
Jun 14
Lao PDR has one of the highest growth rates in Southeast Asia with 6% increase every year in the last decade. Even the level of poverty has been declining. However, the country is still one of the least developed in Southeast Asia and the level of poverty is still largely apparent in this economy. Laos …
Jun 10
Will a country where there are 18,943 people in per square mile open its door for more immigrants? The Singapore government says yes. The Lee Hsien Loong administration published its latest population white paper in January, in which the government projects to increase its population to 6 million in 2030. This ambitious blueprint will be …
Apr 22
Regular readers of this blog will know that Myanmar has long been one of my favorite topics. I’ve written many times, often quite hopefully, about what the future may hold for this isolated country as it begins to open up economically and socially. New president Thein Sein has made serious moves towards reforming the military-ruled country, …
Mar 25
I’ve written a lot about the opening up of Myanmar and Bhutan and their possibilities for sustainable tourism, so today I thought I would look at another isolated country: Cuba. Travel between the United States and Cuba has been forbidden since February 8th, 1969, just a few months after the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis. …
Mar 15
Growing up, many of you have probably watched Star Trek. Exploration of space was an exciting prospect indeed. What fascinated me though, while watching, was the huge abundance of resources available, such as basic raw materials, energy, even food and water. I remember thinking that if this was actually possible it would solve all of …
Mar 01
The Heading might sound outrageous. How can I possibly say that? Nuclear power will completely destroy the Earth or bring about a mass extinction. These are the thoughts, of many millions of people worldwide. It drives people to protest against nuclear programs, and even call for condemnation of those leaders, who seek to implement such …
Feb 25
In the 1970s Richard Easterlin wrote an article titled “Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? Some Empirical Evidence,” in which he described what is now known as the Easterlin Paradox and became the father of happiness economics. The Easterlin Paradox, simply stated, suggests that people do not get happier as they get richer. …
Feb 15
In late January disaster struck Mozambique. The Limpopo River which arcs across 4 countries burst its banks. Around 140 000 people woke up to severe flooding, and in an instant they had lost everything. The death toll currently stands at 105, with 250 000 people directly affected. UNICEF Mozambique estimates that $30 million is still …
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