April 19,2011 BUSINESS INSIDER– In the U.S. debate on social spending and entitlements, it’s important to remember that we spend more than some and less than most. In fact, we’re ninth from the bottom of the OECD‘s 34 listed countries in social spending as a share of the economy. Ireland is above us and Australia below. Following is a list of the … Read More
DAILY BEAST– It’s a simple question with a gut-wrenching answer: In a time of war, is it ever OK to torture an enemy? For decades, the answer was an automatic no. The often-cruel conditions endured by prisoners of war during World War Two spurred the Geneva Conventions, which stipulated an agreed-upon set of standards for handling war victims. By the late … Read More
RAW STORY– Bolivia is preparing to pass a new law that could lead to citizens challenging environmental destruction in court. A Ley de Derechos de la Madre Tierra (The Law of Mother Earth) would grant nature the same rights as humans, according to The Guardian. The country will establish 11 new rights for nature, including: the right to exist, the … Read More
LOS ANGELES TIMES– The system of military commissions that will try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four other alleged 9/11 plotters contains a dirty little secret. Hardly anybody talks about it, but it’s a key reason for concern as the apparatus becomes established. It is this: The commissions can operate inside the United States, and they have jurisdiction over a broad … Read More
GUARDIAN– The United States said Monday it is “deeply concerned” about the rising trend of disappearances and arrests of human rights activists in China after one of the country’s most famous artists was detained. Ai Weiwei, 53, an avant-garde artist who helped design the futuristic Bird’s Nest stadium at the Beijing Olympics, has been missing since he was stopped Sunday … Read More
