Interesting argument in favour of scraping summer vacation for students. It’s good for international competition; the summer vacation itself is the product of outdated needs; and ridding ourselves of the lengthy break may be an act of egalitarianism. It would, that is, level the playing field between the rich and the poor students: “…wealthy parents can afford to give their children all sorts of edifying summer experiences that downscale parents cannot. And this, as researchers at Johns Hopkins have found, leads to backsliding: Educational advancement across classes tends to be fairly even during the school year. But downscale students actually decline in educational achievement over the course of the summer, while upscale students remain relatively stable.” This reminds me of Nicholas D. Kristof’s op-ed for the New York Times yesterday. He restated the common point that success is the product of education and opportunity – and not of innate talent. We should keep this in mind and seriously consider whatever policies might make the education of the poor and of the rich more alike.
Here’s an account of the conditions in which Pakistanis displaced by the fighting between government forces and militants are living. There are approximately 2 million of them in just over a month of fighting.
Warfare among early humans may have helped midwife the development of altruism.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Round-up
Interview with Ricardo Coler. He spent some time among the Mosuo in southern China, where the women dominate. About matriarchy, Coler says: “Women have a different way of dominating. When women rule, it's part of their work. They like it when everything functions and the family is doing well. Amassing wealth or earning lots of money doesn't cross their minds. Capital accumulation seems to be a male thing.”
Here’s an article on how the purchase of eco-friendly products amounts to “competitive altruism”: gaining status by forgoing luxuries, as long as it’s done in public.
Laughing monkeys.
“A group of doctors who worked in Sri Lanka's rebel-held war zone are being held on suspicion of collaborating with Tamil rebels, the government says.” Terrible. After all the noble work they did, this is what they get in return.
Article on the close relationship of musical ability and social bonding. “When the researchers scanned the volunteers' genes, they found that two variants of the gene AVPR1A correlated strongly with musical ability. AVPR1A codes for a receptor for the hormone arginine vasopressin and has been linked with bonding, love and altruism in people.”
Here’s an article on how the purchase of eco-friendly products amounts to “competitive altruism”: gaining status by forgoing luxuries, as long as it’s done in public.
Laughing monkeys.
“A group of doctors who worked in Sri Lanka's rebel-held war zone are being held on suspicion of collaborating with Tamil rebels, the government says.” Terrible. After all the noble work they did, this is what they get in return.
Article on the close relationship of musical ability and social bonding. “When the researchers scanned the volunteers' genes, they found that two variants of the gene AVPR1A correlated strongly with musical ability. AVPR1A codes for a receptor for the hormone arginine vasopressin and has been linked with bonding, love and altruism in people.”
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Round-up
Op-Ed commemorating the 20th anniversary of the pro-democracy Tiananmen square protests and lamenting just how far China’s regressed since those days of heady progressivism.
There’s a coin shortage in Buenos Aires, Argentina. “For the average Bonaerense, everyday transactions now entail a complicated calculation of where coins can be acquired and when they will be needed.” The article makes some interesting points about the role confidence in the market (or, rather, the lack of it) had in creating this crisis.
Amir Taheri criticizes Obama’s approach to the Islamic world, deeming it anti-reformist and, surprisingly, not close enough to George W. Bush’s.
After escaping the horrors of the slow genocide in West Sudan for the relatively safe refugee camps of Chad, Darfuri women are confronted still by the threat of rape.
There’s a coin shortage in Buenos Aires, Argentina. “For the average Bonaerense, everyday transactions now entail a complicated calculation of where coins can be acquired and when they will be needed.” The article makes some interesting points about the role confidence in the market (or, rather, the lack of it) had in creating this crisis.
Amir Taheri criticizes Obama’s approach to the Islamic world, deeming it anti-reformist and, surprisingly, not close enough to George W. Bush’s.
After escaping the horrors of the slow genocide in West Sudan for the relatively safe refugee camps of Chad, Darfuri women are confronted still by the threat of rape.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Round-up
Farai Chideya and John McWhorter discuss racial integration of schools during a teleconference. I agree with McWhorter on this one.
Andrew Sullivan and Bob Wright discuss Buddhism, mysticism, and being at peace with the universe.
The Globe and Mail’s foreign correspondent in Africa, Geoffrey York, writes a feature story about Canada’s African foreign aid reductions. Key quote: “The real reason for the shift, of course, is a new calculation of Canada's business and geopolitical interests. Instead of Malawi and the seven other African countries, where most people are so desperately poor that they earn less than $2 a day, a bigger share of Canada's foreign-aid money will flow to middle-income places such as Peru, Colombia, Ukraine and the Caribbean, where Canada's commercial interests are more attractive. Canada's foreign aid seems to have become an instrument of its trade policy.”
Fantastic piece on George Orwell’s work from the 1940s. It points out his contradictions, commends Orwell’s singular voice, and, like so many others have done, asserts its relevance to our current world.
New York Times Magazine covers Bill Clinton’s post-presidency. It’s an overview of his foundation’s work in, primarily, developing world issues, but it’s also a bit of a character study. For instance: “Two sides of Clinton’s persona have long warred with each other, sunny optimism versus angry grievance. Clinton succeeded in politics largely because he projected the former; his worst moments usually came when he gave in to the latter. Both sides are genuine reflections of who he is.” We’re painted a picture of a man with a long memory for slights who is simultaneously very capable of reconciliation.
Andrew Sullivan and Bob Wright discuss Buddhism, mysticism, and being at peace with the universe.
The Globe and Mail’s foreign correspondent in Africa, Geoffrey York, writes a feature story about Canada’s African foreign aid reductions. Key quote: “The real reason for the shift, of course, is a new calculation of Canada's business and geopolitical interests. Instead of Malawi and the seven other African countries, where most people are so desperately poor that they earn less than $2 a day, a bigger share of Canada's foreign-aid money will flow to middle-income places such as Peru, Colombia, Ukraine and the Caribbean, where Canada's commercial interests are more attractive. Canada's foreign aid seems to have become an instrument of its trade policy.”
Fantastic piece on George Orwell’s work from the 1940s. It points out his contradictions, commends Orwell’s singular voice, and, like so many others have done, asserts its relevance to our current world.
New York Times Magazine covers Bill Clinton’s post-presidency. It’s an overview of his foundation’s work in, primarily, developing world issues, but it’s also a bit of a character study. For instance: “Two sides of Clinton’s persona have long warred with each other, sunny optimism versus angry grievance. Clinton succeeded in politics largely because he projected the former; his worst moments usually came when he gave in to the latter. Both sides are genuine reflections of who he is.” We’re painted a picture of a man with a long memory for slights who is simultaneously very capable of reconciliation.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Round-up
- A teacher living in Somalia, amid the fighting and chaos, corresponds with an American journalist via email, conveying what he sees.
- Experts say there could be 200 million climate refugees (people displaced by changes in their environment caused by global warming) by 2050. The UN’s General Assembly is expected to draw up a resolution connecting this to peace and security.
- Interesting story of two men: one who was quite successful at publishing in the New York Times’ letters section; the other not so much.
- “Climate change is disproportionately affecting the poor and minorities in the United States”
- What the way you hold your glass says about you. I'm apparantly "The Jack the Lad".
- Experts say there could be 200 million climate refugees (people displaced by changes in their environment caused by global warming) by 2050. The UN’s General Assembly is expected to draw up a resolution connecting this to peace and security.
- Interesting story of two men: one who was quite successful at publishing in the New York Times’ letters section; the other not so much.
- “Climate change is disproportionately affecting the poor and minorities in the United States”
- What the way you hold your glass says about you. I'm apparantly "The Jack the Lad".
Friday, May 29, 2009
Round-up
- The UK director of Amnesty International penned a primer on how the global economic downturn is undermining the human rights of the world’s poor. 150 million people have been pushed into extreme poverty (income of $2 a day) during 2008, because of increased food and fuel prices. Poverty and food shortages have led many to protest, which in turn has prompted their governments to respond with violent suppression. And governments have neglected human rights, focusing instead on the recession, financial negotiations, and bailouts.
- Two writers from the progressive periodical, The Nation, argue that Obama and his administration must strike now – while the Democrats have control over the House; Obama has his mandate; and the general spirit of the American public longs for reform. The writers call on Obama to be less inclined to compromise with Republicans who would like to dilute proposed reforms, and instead push hard for progressive changes to education, energy, and health care.
- Nicholas Kristof discusses the differences between Liberals and Conservatives – temperamentally speaking. Liberals are more likely to slap their fathers, assuming he’s given them permission. And Conservatives are more likely to feel disgusted to find they had inadvertently sipped from a friend’s cup. Kristof then calls for greater understanding and harmonization between the two mutually antagonistic types.
- Some video games are actually good for us. They promote social qualities like cooperation and empathy for others.
- 20,000 Tamil civilians were killed during the last months of the Sri Lankan civil war. This number is about 3 times higher than the official record claims. Reports also show they were killed primarily by the Sri Lankan army – not the Tamil Tigers.
- Two writers from the progressive periodical, The Nation, argue that Obama and his administration must strike now – while the Democrats have control over the House; Obama has his mandate; and the general spirit of the American public longs for reform. The writers call on Obama to be less inclined to compromise with Republicans who would like to dilute proposed reforms, and instead push hard for progressive changes to education, energy, and health care.
- Nicholas Kristof discusses the differences between Liberals and Conservatives – temperamentally speaking. Liberals are more likely to slap their fathers, assuming he’s given them permission. And Conservatives are more likely to feel disgusted to find they had inadvertently sipped from a friend’s cup. Kristof then calls for greater understanding and harmonization between the two mutually antagonistic types.
- Some video games are actually good for us. They promote social qualities like cooperation and empathy for others.
- 20,000 Tamil civilians were killed during the last months of the Sri Lankan civil war. This number is about 3 times higher than the official record claims. Reports also show they were killed primarily by the Sri Lankan army – not the Tamil Tigers.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Round-up
- A tropical storm has displaced millions in India and Bangladesh. For those that will return home, they’ll most likely find their crops ruined, their homes destroyed, and their farm animals killed.
- Woody Allen, Larry David, the dying of Jewish humor. Fun feature story.
- “Steven Chu, the US Secretary of Energy and a Nobel prize-winning scientist, said yesterday that making roofs and pavements white or light-coloured would help to reduce global warming by both conserving energy and reflecting sunlight back into space. It would, he said, be the equivalent of taking all the cars in the world off the road for 11 years.”
- Many of the minerals (tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold) in your cell phone and in your laptop, among other electronics, were extracted from the mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The war in that central African nation has now left armed militias free to take control of the trade in these “conflict minerals”, making us indirectly complicit in a host of abuses.
- The African Union has recommended the United Nations Security Council impose sanctions on Eritrea for supporting Somali insurgents.
- Woody Allen, Larry David, the dying of Jewish humor. Fun feature story.
- “Steven Chu, the US Secretary of Energy and a Nobel prize-winning scientist, said yesterday that making roofs and pavements white or light-coloured would help to reduce global warming by both conserving energy and reflecting sunlight back into space. It would, he said, be the equivalent of taking all the cars in the world off the road for 11 years.”
- Many of the minerals (tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold) in your cell phone and in your laptop, among other electronics, were extracted from the mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The war in that central African nation has now left armed militias free to take control of the trade in these “conflict minerals”, making us indirectly complicit in a host of abuses.
- The African Union has recommended the United Nations Security Council impose sanctions on Eritrea for supporting Somali insurgents.
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