Podbean Podcast Site Category :   News & Politics   Tags :                             
10
November
2009

Three Places Where World War Three May Start, And Soon

Where is a Third World War most likely to be sparked? For at least a decade before World War One began, those most concerned knew that the ongoing arms race was leading to disaster, as did those who sat on the sidelines and watched Germany and Japan build up to World War Two. World policy wonks have taken a long sigh of relief after the Cold War ended some twenty years ago yesterday, but in so doing have been all too lax at identifying– and diffusing– actual “hotspots” that are likely to trigger a global conflict on the scale of the World Wars, or bigger if you consider the nuclear capabilities of the countries involved. Here are three possibilities…

Listen Now:


icon for podbean  Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (3)
5
November
2009

Who’s Protecting the World’s Endangered Languages (All 7000)? These Guys

When an insect only seven people have ever seen goes extinct in a place you need a government grant to get to, more than just environmentalists feel a part of our world has gone forever. Understandably so. But what about when a language once used by thousands is down to its last speaker, and the universe of relations and ideas that language conveys will not survive them? Who protests, who runs worldwide campaigns or passes legislation against hazardous, toxic notions like “official languages” and “world languages” that creep onto and kill ways of understanding what it means to be human? A group of fifty linguists meeting at the first-ever Endangered Languages Information and Infrastructure Workshop, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, realize the tragedy but aren’t superheroes…

Listen Now:


icon for podbean  Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (1)
27
October
2009

Asian States Initiate EU-Like Bloc for Peace, Prosperity (and to ‘Lead World’)

Asian states have united to officially oppose the Euro-American formula for global dominance emphasizing “peace and security” with one based on “peace and prosperity” instead, and which has a much better track record historically.  The two focal points of their meeting in Hua Hin, Thailand, was on reducing China-India tensions over a dispute about commercial projects in Kashmir and capitalizing on Asia’s relative and growing economic strength worldwide compared to others, like the U.S. and U.K., who continue to struggle with the financial crisis and downturn. This meeting marks a watershed moment in world power politics and world history that should not be underestimated…

Listen Now:


icon for podbean  Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (2)
20
October
2009

The Return of U.S. Big Stick and Dollar Diplomacy with Olive Branch to Sudan

The “comprehensive strategy to confront the serious and urgent situation in Sudan” President Obama outlined yesterday was far from anything new in American diplomatic affairs, which is not to say ineffective. Actually, the shift in policy marks a sharp return to diplomatic tactics the U.S. perfected during its expansionist phase in the 19th and early 20th centuries: ‘big stick’ and ‘dollar’ diplomacy.  Here is how the two policies worked then and are intended to now…

Listen Now:


icon for podbean  Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (1)
12
October
2009

Che Who? Obama’s Global Cult of Personality Begins

President Obama has now reached a pinnacle of global popularity cults matched only by Che Guevara. Cults of personality are a constant throughout human history, but in recent times they have been primarily based on nationality, race and/or ideology, a powerful propaganda machine and a perception of merit (think Nelson Mandela, Adolf Hitler, George Washington and Mao Zedong). Obama has now earned himself a place among them and others, and has bettered them in certain respects…

Listen Now:


icon for podbean  Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (1)
29
September
2009

Freaky Facts: Worldwide Military Spending Figures

Warning: the following is not for the weak at heart or those easily excitable by all things military. Chinese annual military expenditures have increased 230% since 1998 (guess how this compares to the U.S.), among other freaky facts about national military expenditures around the world…

Listen Now:


icon for podbean  Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (1)
3
September
2009

Racism Trumps Religion for Israel’s Ethiopian Jewish Immigrants

Non-violent demonstrations in Israel by once warmly welcomed Jewish Ethiopian  immigrants were shut down by police while political leaders sought an 11th hour deal to allow black students into schools, reminding many of the anti-segregation struggles in the U.S. in the 1950s and 60s…

Listen Now:


icon for podbean  Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (2)
27
August
2009

Newly Demilitarized Darfur Faces Serious Security and Humanitarian Problems

For the fist time since wartime atrocities began in Darfur six years ago, the region’s peacekeeping chief has declared that hostile military actions have ceased. However, this does not mean the there is peace in Darfur.

Listen Now:


icon for podbean  Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (4)
4
August
2009

Trend of Extending Presidential Term Limits Lead by South America and Africa

What’s in a term? A presidential term of any other length is just as constitutional when amendments to that effect are passed, now a global trend with momentum. South American and African nations are leading this pack, but even Bill Clinton’s impromptu visit to North Korea points to a presidential impulse for more time in the spotlight…

Listen Now:


icon for podbean  Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (2)
23
July
2009

Oil for Peace Works in Sudan, but How?

The precarious peace between Sudan’s government-controlled north backed by Arab tribes and the semi-autonomous south controlled by rebel Black tribes overcame a major challenge yesterday when oil-rich lands between them were divided equitably according to each…

Listen Now:


icon for podbean  Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (1)