It is January 2015 and the rattle of heavy gunfire and the screech of motor-bikes resound from the outskirts of Maiduguri, Nigeria’s northeast capital city. Armed insurgents of the Islamic terrorist organization Boko Haram clash with Nigeria’s poorly equipped military. The soldiers are tired, discouraged, and overwhelmed by the ferocity of this terrorist insurgency. Hours pass […]
Archives for April 2015
The Wild Life and Death of Mark Hughes
A story of the megarich run wild, and those who paid the price.
Nationalism and the Future of the European Union
Several months ago, the people of Scotland voted rather narrowly (about 55%-45%) to remain a part of the United Kingdom. On the surface, this seems like it should have been a massive blow to the Scottish National Party (SNP), who championed the referendum. After all, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond did resign in the days after […]
The Seeds of a Failed Agricultural Revolution
The benefits of a globalized agricultural economy has been extolled much in the same way that most neo-liberal policies have been championed in recent decades. The advantages, mostly economic, are often framed in the context of the efforts of developing countries to integrate themselves into an increasingly global trade system. Nowhere has this discussion on […]
A Most Supreme Pen Pal
Iran’s Supreme Leader has taken an unprecedented step towards resolving the “clash of civilizations” between the Western and Islamic worlds. Should we be optimistic?