Feb 29
I am always (and I mean always) struggling with ideas for creative gifts for holidays and birthdays. It seems that your boyfriend’s mother, or your next-door neighbor, or your new boss always bring the greatest stress when thinking up an appropriate present. I have the hardest time because I am so strictly opposed to giving …
Feb 27
Do you remember the first time you learned what the “American Dream” was? For me, it was in junior high, when I was taught why the colonists had come to America years ago. I was also told that the American Dream connects to the Declaration of Independence, when Jefferson said that everyone was entitled to …
Feb 23
UN World Tourism Day occurs every September 27th, the start of the tourism season in the southern hemisphere and the end of the tourist season in the northern hemisphere, and this year the theme is “Tourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development.” Now, September 27th is a long ways away, so it might seem a …
Feb 16
I’ve written a lot about Syria these last several months, and if you’ve read any of my posts you know that I am not very optimistic about the situation. Al-Assad has repeatedly promised the Arab League that he will end the violence in his country, and yet every day there is another story in the …
Feb 10
Most of you probably don’t know that back when I first started writing for the SISGI Group about 9 months ago one of my first blog posts was about an ecotourism initiative in India. Now, I like to think that my writing has improved a bit since then, but it was still a fairly good …
Feb 10
Recently all I have been hearing on the news about Libya is the issue of prisoner abuse. It has been alleged that the prisons scattered throughout Libya are the sites of reprisals against the supporters of the ousted Gaddafi regime, as well as people the militias have grudges against due to tribal and regional differences. …
Feb 07
Last year a province in China called Guangdong made headlines as the residents rioted over a land dispute with the local officials in December 2011. The village residents of Wukan were upset that local officials were taking their farmlands and selling them to large companies for profit. The month long protests led to the corrupt …
Jan 30
Phillip Parker grew up in Tennessee with a loving family and a supportive group of friends. He was upbeat and energetic throughout most of his childhood, and was respected by many. He was also openly gay. Unfortunately, with his confidence in being out of the closet came the consequence of bullying. To a number of …
Jan 25
According to a recent article in the Daily Journal of Commerce, Oregon has been knocked from its top ranking position as leader in green design projects. Surely this loss comes as a mighty blow to the state known for its environmental friendliness. Apparently granola eating and tree hugging are no longer viable qualifications to “count” …
Jan 19
In my last look at the U. S. terrorist detention policy, with a focus on Gitmo, I argued that now is the time to craft a better policy. The emphasis on property/geography, while relevant, distracts us from the real core issue to be resolved: principle. We as a nation are going about it backwards. Principle should …
