May 20
It’s been a while since I’ve written about the Arab Spring, mostly because it’s not really the “Arab Spring” anymore. Egypt, Syria, Libya, and others, have been struggling for two years now, and there is little hope that the conflict will be resolved any time soon, particularly in Syria. The violence in Syria has …
May 07
Sometimes, the strangest things can cause a rift, or continue to push apart, two countries. It comes as no surprise that the United State and Iran are not ideologically on the same page. The two nations have been at odds with one another over the development of nuclear energy, and over the years Iran has …
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, …
Apr 02
In the past few weeks, the Middle East and Europe have been the dominant geographic regions marking headlines across the media. A majority of people have been tracking the economic situation in Cyprus, the continuing violence in Syria, and President Obama’s recent trip to Israel. However, it is rather astonishing that the media spotlight has …
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 18
Social media has become a fact for civil society. The ability to become involved with a social cause is literally at the tip of our fingers. Internet applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube facilitate the creation and exchange of user-created content on today’s social movements. Hype can be generated on social issues with …
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 07
There is no doubt that that the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., has heightened the political debate on gun control in the United States. The Obama-backed gun bills are considered a long shot in Congress. This is due to the opposing views on gun control in congress. One group in Congress is standing behind the …
Mar 07
There are moments which redefine you. Ones that give you a whole new perspective on yourself, your identity, and the world you live in. Such moments force you to reevaluate your values, your beliefs, and everything you have always taken for granted about your life. Last March, one of those moments happened to me. This …
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. …
