Subterms
On February 24, the World Health Organization declared that the world should prepare for a possible coronavirus pandemic. Outbreaks in South Korea, Iran and Italy have caused alarm. Clearly, the virus has traveled widely and rapidly. Authorities have canceled concerts, carnivals and football matches as well as closed schools, imposed curfews and restricted travel. Despite […] More
The news channel MSNBC has never veered from its commitment to being the public propaganda arm of the Democratic Party’s sophisticated and deftly camouflaged management infrastructure. The news outlet casts itself as the voice of middle-of-the-road reason, always ready to denounce the principal source of evil in the universe, the nefarious Putin-Trump alliance, while bravely […] More
China has not exactly had difficulty projecting its power within the existing system of multilateral organizations. A Chinese national is now in charge of four of the 15 specialized agencies of the United Nations: the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the UN Industrial Development Organization and the International Telecommunication Union. By […] More
Two important facts emerged from the Iran elections on 21 February. The first is that the country actually held elections — a rarity in that region. The second is that the outcome was almost wholly negative for the regime. The candidate list had been purged of anyone not loyal to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his uncompromising authoritarian […] More
An image isn’t just worth a thousand words. A good public image generates better market positions, healthier interpersonal relationships and, of course, profits. When it comes to a country’s image, its importance is even bigger, not only for economic growth but for the safety of its citizens. After all, who feels safe in a country […] More
In the most recent Democratic presidential primary debate in Nevada, MSNBC journalist Chuck Todd asked candidate Bernie Sanders a probing question, “What did you mean that you don’t think they [billionaires] should exist?” Sanders described the effects of an economic system that allows for “a grotesque and immoral distribution of wealth and income.” Todd then […] More
The next presidential election will not likely hinge on foreign policy. Americans will go to the polls in November to express their fervent support, or disgust, for Donald Trump. The candidates’ positions on the issues — on any issues — matter only to a dwindling number of voters who have somehow managed, over the last three […] More
On February 21, yet another nominal election will take place in Iran, coming on the heels of widespread protests in over 100 cities at the end of last year. It was the third time that the Iranian government faced protests in the last decade and the biggest since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. According to various […] More
