Tag Archive: International Development

May 07

The Politics of Pistachios

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 …

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Apr 22

Myanmar in the Balance

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, …

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Mar 25

Tourism in Cuba?

Cuba

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. …

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Mar 07

The Homelessness Series: “The Game”

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 …

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Feb 25

Economics and Happiness

Happiness

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.   …

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Feb 08

The Global Tobacco Epidemic

Did you know that at least one billion people are expected to die from tobacco use in the 21st century? We all know the horrible consequences of using any type of tobacco. Tobacco can increase a person’s risk for various types of cancer, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Despite all the risks, tobacco is not …

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Feb 06

Missionary Work?

When people hear the words donating to Africa, or missionary work in Africa, it is often associated with doing “good”. However, this is not the case in Uganda. Some extremist American Evangelicals are spending their “missionary time” and “donations” supporting the antigay sentiment sweeping Uganda . Their “missionary time” is spent asking Parliament to speed up …

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Jan 16

Just The Tip of The Horn

It’s the start of a new year, and a new beginning. A renewed hope for something better for all, yet a crisis still looms and has been around for far too long. I am referring to the food crisis, in the Horn of Africa. So why hasn’t the problem been resolved, after so many decades? …

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Jan 15

Fueling Guatemala’s Hunger Crisis

Environmental awareness and protection campaigns have become a ubiquitous staple in the global media diet.  It seems that movements to search for alternative energy resources and investing in biofuels have become a mantra for a plethora of countries.  Protecting the planet is without a doubt an important matter to focus on, but what happens behind …

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Jan 14

Neglected Tropical Diseases

Neglected tropical diseases are a group of tropical infections that are usually found in tropical areas or low-income countries. Many of these infections are caused by parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Leprosy, hookworm, yellow fever are common examples of neglected tropical diseases. Did you know that over one billion people worldwide are living with one or …

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