Since 2008 there has been a Global Peace Index (GPI) which each year measures the degree of violence in the world and the degree of military spending. Last year the world spent $14.3tn as a result of conflicts, that represents 13.4% of the world’s GNP (Gross National Product) or the equivalent of the economic output of Brazil,Canada, France,Canada, France,Germany, Spain and the U.K. Military spending alone amounted to more than $3tn. Syria, as one would expect, led the list of least peaceful countries, followed by Libya, Ukraine, Niger, Djibouti and South Sudan. To keep all these statistics in perspective, Continue reading “The Global Peace Index”
Category: Better Relations
China, Censorship and Movies
The Chinese have been having a say in U.S. movies, and Hollywood studios have gone along, says a report from NPR’s Shanghai based correspondent Frank Langfitt. Scenes from Iron Man 3 and Mission Impossible III were changed so that the Chinese would not be portrayed in a negative light. Ultimately the officials who have a say so go back to the wish of the Communist party. It’s not surprising, the Chinese are going to look out for their best interest. Of course Hollywood studios are no different, they too are acting in a way that will safeguard their best interest, in this instance benefit their bottom lines. Where does that leave the average consumer either Continue reading “China, Censorship and Movies”
Humans Needed
Technology can be full of wonders, but oh it’s far from perfect! We’ve all enjoyed sites that allow us to make travel reservations, from airplane tickets to hotel rooms and car rentals. But we’ve also been frustrated at how complex it can get. We get a fare on a given site and by the time we check another site and go back to the first one, the price we saw is gone. Apparently this is now a common experience. That may be why Continue reading “Humans Needed”
Charting a Course
Four NGO’s have banded together to fight inequality: Action Aid, Greenpeace, Oxfam and Civicus. All joined to bring attention to the lopsided concentration of wealth, what we often call the 1%, something they see as undermining efforts to combat global poverty, environmental degradation and social injustice. In their statement, the four said, “We will work together with others to tackle the root causes of inequality. We will press governments to tackle tax dodging, ensure progressive taxes, provide universal free public health and education services, support workers’ bargaining power, and narrow the gap between rich and poor.” The statement also declared that “Decisions are being shaped in the narrow interests of the richest, at the expense of the people as a whole.” Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University, a long-time activist in these causes puts it this way, “Corporations writes the rules, pay the politicians, sometimes illegally and sometimes via what is called legal, which is financing their campaigns or massive lobbying. This has got completely out of control and is leading to the breakdown of modern democracy.” Ben Phillips of Action Aid said that “…we need to shift power away from the 1% and towards the rest of society to prevent all decisions being made in the narrow interests of a privileged few.”
Perhaps these organizations and their spokespeople are idealistic, perhaps they are asking for too much, but they are positing an idea, almost a dream, and as thus are charting a course for many to follow.