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Kay Bradley

COP26: Key Outcomes From the UN Climate Talks in Glasgow  | World Resources I... - 0 views

www.wri.org/...comes-un-climate-talks-glasgow

shared by Kay Bradley on 01 Dec 21 - No Cached
  • The world still remains off track to beat back the climate crisis.  
  • ministers from all over the world agreed that countries should come back next year to submit stronger 2030 emissions reduction targets with the aim of closing the gap to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees
  • Ministers also agreed that developed countries should urgently deliver more resources to help climate-vulnerable countries adapt to the dangerous and costly consequences of climate change that they are feeling already —
  • ...46 more annotations...
  • curb methane emissions,
  • halt and reverse forest loss,
  • align the finance sector with net-zero by 2050
  • ditch the internal combustion engine
  • accelerate the phase-out of coal,
  • end international financing for fossil fuels,
  • “Not nearly enough” to the first question, “yes” to the second. 
  • 151 countries had submitted new climate plans (known as nationally determined contributions, or NDCs)
  • To keep the goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C within reach, we need to cut global emissions in half by the end of this decade.
  • these plans, as they stand, put the world on track for 2.5 degrees C of warming by the end of the century.
  • If you take into account countries’ commitments to reach net-zero emissions by around mid-century, analysis shows temperature rise could be kept to around 1.8 or 1.9 degrees C.
  • some major emitters’ 2030 targets are so weak (particularly those from Australia, China, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Russia) that they don’t offer credible pathways to achieve their net-zero targets.
  • a major “credibility gap”
  • To fix this problem, these countries’ must strengthen their 2030 emissions reduction targets to at least align with their net-zero commitments. 
  • as well as ramping up ambition
  • the pact asks nations to consider further actions to curb potent non-CO2 gases, such as methane, and includes language emphasizing the need to “phase down unabated coal” and “phase-out fossil fuel subsidies.”
  • This marked the first time negotiators have explicitly referenced shifting away from coal and phasing out fossil fuel subsidies in COP decision text.  
  • this COP finally recognized the importance of nature for both reducing emissions and building resilience to the impacts of climate change,
  • Did Developing Countries Get the Finance and Support They Need? 
  • In 2009, rich nations committed to mobilize $100 billion a year by 2020 and through 2025 to support climate efforts in developing countries
  • developed countries failed to meet that goal in 2020 (recent OECD estimates show that total climate finance reached $79.6 billion in 2019).
  • The Adaptation Fund reached unprecedented levels of contributions, with new pledges for $356 million that represent almost three times its mobilization target for 2022. The Least Developed Countries Fund, which supports climate change adaptation in the world’s least developed countries, also received a record $413 million in new contributions.
  • COP26 also took steps to help developing countries access good quality finance options.
  • For example, encouraging multilateral institutions to further consider the links between climate vulnerabilities and the need for concessional financial resources for developing countries — such as securing grants rather than loans to avoid increasing their debt burden. 
  • COP26 finally put the critical issue of loss and damage squarely on the main stage
  • Climate change is already causing devastating losses of lives, land and livelihoods. Some damages are permanent — from communities that are wiped out, to islands disappearing beneath the waves, to water resources that are drying up.
  • Countries also agreed to operationalize and fund the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage, established at COP25 in Madrid, and to catalyze the technical assistance developing countries need to address loss and damage in a robust and effective manner.  
  • International Carbon Markets.
  • negotiators agreed to avoid double-counting, in which more than one country could claim the same emissions reductions as counting toward their own climate commitments.
  • his is critical to make real progress on reducing emissions.
  • Common Time Frames. In Glasgow, countries were encouraged to use common timeframes for their national climate commitments. This means that new NDCs that countries put forward in 2025 should have an end-date of 2035, in 2030 they will put forward commitments with a 2040 end-date, and so on.
  • Transparency. In Glasgow, all countries agreed to submit information about their emissions and financial, technological and capacity-building support using a common and standardized set of formats and tables.
  • 100 high-level announcements during the “World Leaders Summit"
  • including a bold commitment from India to reach net-zero emissions by 2070 that is backed up with near-term targets (including ambitious renewable energy targets for 2030), 109 countries signing up to the Global Methane Pledge to slash emissions by 30% by 2030, and a pledge by 141 countries (as of November 10) to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 (backed by $18 billion in funding, including $1.7 billion dedicated to support indigenous peoples).  
  • Glasgow Breakthroughs, a set of global targets meant to dramatically accelerate the innovation and use of clean technologies in five emissions-heavy sectors:
  • power, road transport, steel, hydrogen and agriculture.
  • 46 countries, including the U.K., Canada, Poland and Vietnam made commitments to phase out domestic coal,
  • 29 countries including the U.K., Canada, Germany and Italy committed to end new direct international public support for unabated fossil fuels by the end of 2022
  • Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, led by Costa Rica and Denmark — with core members France, Greenland, Ireland, Quebec, Sweden and Wales — pledged to end new licensing rounds for oil and gas exploration and production and set an end date that is aligned with Paris Agreement objectives
  • Efforts were also made to scale up solar investment
  • new Solar Investment Action Agenda by WRI, the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Bloomberg Philanthropies that identifies high-impact opportunities to speed up investment and reach ISA’s goal of mobilizing $1 trillion in solar investment by 2030.
  • Non-state actors including investors, businesses, cities and subnational regions also joined collective action initiatives aimed at driving economic transformation.
  • Over 400 financial firms which control over $130 trillion in assets committed to aligning their portfolios to net-zero by 2030
  • banks, asset managers and asset owners fully recognize the business case for climate action and the significant risks of investing in the high-carbon, polluting economy of that past.
  • 11 major automakers agreed to work toward selling only zero-emission vehicles globally by 2040, and by no later than 2035 in leading markets.  
  • In the year ahead, major emitters need to ramp up their 2030 emissions reduction targets to align with 1.5 degrees C, more robust approaches are needed to hold all actors accountable for the many commitments made in Glasgow, and much more attention is needed on how to meet the urgent needs of climate-vulnerable countries to help them deal with climate impacts and transition to net-zero economies.
erine2021

Coronavirus pandemic response survey puts US and US governments at the bottom of the pi... - 2 views

www.cnn.com/...index.html

shared by erine2021 on 30 Aug 20 - No Cached
  • United States, fewer than two in 10 people (18%) said the country is more united now
  • Three quarters (76%) of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said the government has done a good job. Only one quarter (25%) of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents agree.
  • 14 countries said their own nation had handled Covid-19 well: 73% agreed, while 27% disagreed.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • only two countries where a minority of people said the government had done well.
  • The US and UK have right-leaning governments, while Spain has a left-leaning one
  • compare how well each government is doing among its own supporters.
  • center-left Social Democrats,
  • Economic confidence is also linked to the belief the government is doing well.
  • who said the current economic situation is good were more likely to say the government was doing a good job on coronavirus.
  • women in every country are more likely than men to say their lives have changed because of the crisis,
  • The study was conducted only in countries where nationally representative telephone surveys are feasible.
  • erine2021 on 30 Aug 20
     
    This article explains government approval and unity throughout the COVID19 pandemic. It acknowledges the large shift in disapproval towards the United States government, as well as the Trump administration in relation to their response to the pandemic.
  • mayas2021 on 30 Aug 20
     
    I find it interesting but not surprising that American citizen's opinions on how the their government has handled the corona virus is split down the political aisle. This split reflects the 82% of surveyed Americans that say the country is less united due to the pandemic. The study discussed in this interview also found that UK and Spanish citizen's answers were split by political party as well, and that those who supported the current government in their country generally thought that COVID-19 is being handled well. I also think it's noticeable that the country with the highest percent of observed unity during the pandemic is a country with universal health care, Denmark.
syeh98

Does debt relief improve child health ? evidence from cross-country micro data (English... - 4 views

documents.worldbank.org/...-from-cross-country-micro-data

debt relief child health world bank

shared by syeh98 on 03 Nov 16 - No Cached
  • syeh98 on 03 Nov 16
     
    This research paper looks into the data behind debt relief and its correlation with infant mortality. Many studies were conducted in countries that were deep in debt, infant mortality was also very high in these countries. The researches found that when these countries received debt relief, the infant mortality rate goes down by ~0.5%.
Kay Bradley

The Challenges of A Transnational Organization - 3 views

www.ieee.org/...index.jsp

EU

shared by Kay Bradley on 15 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • Kay Bradley on 15 Oct 10
     
    An interesting perspective on what transnational means from the IEEE, world's oldest association of electrical engineers!
  • ...3 more comments...
  • Nick Petru on 17 Oct 10
     
    I really appreciate the IEEE's philosophy and I think this is the proper outlook that our military should follow in Pakistan- not taking matters into our own hands so actively and instead conforming to the Pakistani's laws.
  • Rachel Katzoff on 18 Oct 10
     
    I think it is interesting how many difficult questions must be asked when trying to understand how a transnational organization should act ethically. A transnational organization has to pay close attention to all of the different countries that it works with and understand all of the customs and laws. When trying to work with 100+ countries this is a difficult task. If you think about all of the trouble domestic companies have with laws, permits, etc., I can only imagine how much work it would take to run a transnational organization.
  • Catherine Binder on 18 Oct 10
     
    I think that the writer touches on the theory of transnational organizations perfectly - that its members should adhere to the transnational vision but remain sensitive to nations' interests and needs. But this is, after all, a theory. I'm doubtful as to whether transnational organizations will ever operate as they are supposed to. Many claim to work ethically with transnational organizations, but the reality is that everyone has egos and political agendas.
  • Harrison Lee on 18 Oct 10
     
    This article intelligently reveals the difficulties of bridging many different countries, which vary politically and culturally, under one goal or line of thought. The specific laws within each country (and each region of each country) must hinder uniform implementation to a notable extent, but I admire the organization's dedication to its vision. However, I wonder if, with the various global regions and political orientations into which the IEEE is divided, interpretations, and not just implementations, of the organization's vision may be different. With that in mind, can implementations change not only according to local laws, but also according to personal biases?
  • Amara Plaza-Jennings on 19 Oct 10
     
    I found the part about regulations in certain countries especially interesting. It seems ridiculous that a country would ban the import a technical journal. The fact that the author never gives specifics about which country he is referring to further backs his points about what it means to maintain a transnational organization. And while I'm sure that the IEEE is committed to its goal, I am not sure how committed its members might be and if they might bring about international disputes despite the IEEE's best efforts.
Kako Ito

Public insurance and the least well-off | Lane Kenworthy - 6 views

lanekenworthy.net/surance-and-the-least-well-off

public insurance economics welfare poor nordic model universalism targeting redistribution income inequality

shared by Kako Ito on 27 Sep 15 - No Cached
  • Public insurance also boosts the living standards of the poor. It increases their income, and it provides them with services for which they bear relatively little of the cost.
  • Critics charge that public social programs tend to hurt the poor in the long run by reducing employment and economic growth. Are they correct?
  • Does public insurance erode self-reliance? Is a large private safety net as helpful to the least well-off as a large public one? Are universal programs more effective than targeted ones? Are income transfers the key, or are services important too?
  • ...17 more annotations...
  • Once again we see no indication that public insurance generosity has had a damaging effect
  • Note also that the employment rate increased in nearly all of the countries during this period. On average, it rose by nine percentage points between 1979 and 2013. That’s not what we would expect to see if generous public insurance programs were inducing large numbers of able adults to withdraw from the labor market
  • What we see in the chart is that countries with more generous public insurance programs tend to have less material deprivation.
  • With globalization, the advance of computers and robots, increased pressure from shareholders for short-run profit maximization, union weakening, and other shifts, wages have been under pressure. Couple this with the fact that many people at the low end of the income ladder have labor market disadvantages — disability, family constraint, geographic vulnerability to structural unemployment — and we have a recipe for stagnation in the market incomes of the poor.
  • here’s a good reason for these shifts: government provision offers economies of scale and scope, which reduces the cost of a good or service and thereby makes it available to many people who couldn’t or wouldn’t get it on their own.
  • Government provides more insurance now than it used to. All of us, not just some, are dependent on it. And life for almost everyone is better because of it
  • hese expenditures are encouraged by government tax advantages.22 But they do little to help people on the bottom of the ladder, who often work for employers that don’t provide retirement or health benefits.
  • To make them more affordable, the government claws back some of the benefit by taxing it as though it were regular income. All countries do this, including the United States, but the Nordic countries do it more extensively. Does that hurt their poor? Not much. The tax rates increase with household income, so much of the tax clawback hits middle- and upper-income households.
  • Another difference is that public services such as schooling, childcare, medical care, housing, and transportation are more plentiful and of better quality for the poor in the Nordic countries. Public services reduce deprivation and free up income to be spent on other needs. It’s difficult to measure the impact of services on living standards, but one indirect way is to look at indicators of material deprivation,
  • Targeted transfers are directed (sometimes disproportionately, sometimes exclusively) to those with low incomes and assets, whereas universal transfers are provided to most or all citizens.
  • Targeted programs are more efficient at reducing poverty; each dollar or euro or kroner transferred is more likely to go to the least well-off. Increased targeting therefore could be an effective way to maintain or enhance public insurance in the face of diminished resources.
  • “the more we target benefits to the poor … the less likely we are to reduce poverty and inequality.”
  • Korpi and Palme found that the pattern across eleven affluent nations supported the hypothesis that greater use of targeting in transfers yields less redistribution
  • The hypothesis that targeting in social policy reduces political support and thereby lessens redistributive effort is a sensible one. Yet the experience of the rich countries in recent decades suggests reason to question it. Targeting has drawbacks relative to universalism: more stigma for recipients, lower take-up rates, and possibly less social trust.44 But targeting is less expensive. As pressures to contain government expenditures mount, policy makers may therefore turn to greater use of targeting. That may not be a bad thing.
  • Public insurance programs boost the incomes of the least well-off and improve their material well-being. If such programs are too generous, this benefit could be offset by reduced employment or economic growth, but the comparative evidence suggests that the world’s rich nations haven’t reached or exceeded the tipping point.
  • Spending lots of money on social protection is not in and of itself helpful to the poor. Total social expenditures in the United States are greater than in Denmark and Sweden, because the US has a large private welfare state. But relatively little of America’s private social spending reaches the poor.
  • Public services are an important antipoverty tool. Their benefit doesn’t show up in income data, but they appear to play a key role in reducing material hardship. Services expand the sphere of consumption for which the cost is zero or minimal. And they help to boost the earnings and capabilities of the poor by enhancing human capital, assisting with job search and placement, and facilitating work-family balance.
  • Kako Ito on 27 Sep 15
     
    Through this article I have gained a deeper insight in how public expenditures and public goods promote wealth equality in a society. "Public services are an important antipoverty tool."
  • ...2 more comments...
  • olivialum on 29 Sep 15
     
    This article really helped me deepen my understanding of redistributing wealth downwards. I never thought about it, but things like social security, affirmative action programs, and public education are actually insurances that attempt to provide everybody with more equality when it comes to living standards as well as basic human rights.
  • samoshay on 29 Sep 15
     
    Yeah, it is a very common argument to say that social expenditures disincentives workers; interesting analysis on how wealthy countries haven't reached the "tipping point." I am curious to see what happens to labor force participation and employment in the next decades as robots further divorce economic growth from labor supply/demand.
  • charlesleesohn on 29 Sep 15
     
    Cool theory in regards to "the tipping point". Interesting, and solid criticism of large social expenditures. Wonder how socialists view this, as opposed to free-market economists.
  • smowat on 29 Sep 15
     
    "Public services are an important antipoverty tool. Their benefit doesn't show up in income data, but they appear to play a key role in reducing material hardship." INteresting to see the statistics and how social expenditures help reduce poverty and the wealth gap.
Rachel Katzoff

EU enlargement: The next eight - 4 views

www.bbc.co.uk/...world-europe-11283616

EU

shared by Rachel Katzoff on 12 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • Rachel Katzoff on 12 Oct 10
     
    This article talks about the next eight countries trying to gain entry into the EU. The most likely country to join the EU is Croatia and they may be approved as early as 2011. Each of the countries that applied as some internal issues they have to work out before they will be admitted. The process of being admitted is interesting to me because the countries first have to submit and application, get confirmed as a candidate, and then they begin talks. In the case of Turkey, the process has been going on since 1987.
  • ...4 more comments...
  • Curtis Serrano on 14 Oct 10
     
    Its incredible what the EU requires of joining nations, turkey has been trying for over 20 years. Its also interesting that many of these countries seem to be denied based on organized crime problems.
  • Kay Bradley on 17 Oct 10
     
    If you refer to the graphic representation of national debt among EU nations, bookmarked above, you'll see that wealth disparities among member nations is a potential deal breaker too.
  • anonymous on 18 Oct 10
     
    I think it's fairly comical how the EU is really a gentlemen's club for the golden boys of Europe and how they are now fiercely attempting to reject their less desirable neighbors while maintaining this facade of being open and welcoming. Of course, it's hard to embrace someone when you're holding onto your wallet with both hands.
  • Rick Rodgers on 18 Oct 10
     
    I think the problems in Greece point to why the EU has to be careful about who is let and who is not. That being said, this process with regards to Turkey is taking way too long. It would be a big step if Europe could build strong ties with Turkey, as it is one of the most accessible means of diplomatic and cultural communication with the ME (Israel is useless). Perhaps in this case, it would be best for the EU to forgive Turkey some minor problems in Cyprus, recognize that they have made improves with the "Kurd problem" and just let them in the damn club already. Perhaps greater improvements with internal Turkish issues that don't appeal to the UN could be made even more easily once Turkey has already joined.
  • Catherine Binder on 18 Oct 10
     
    I had no idea that it was this difficult to become a member of the European Union - being confirmed as a candidate can take more than a decade. Poor Turkey began the process 23 years ago, and is expected to require at least 10 more years to be fully prepared for membership. What an endeavor!
  • Gregory Freiberg on 18 Oct 10
     
    I think this is very interesting and I cannot agree with Jack more. When these countries are thinking only with their pocket books it is hard to be genuinely welcoming to other nations. In my opinion, making Turkey wait 20+ years to join is far too long and a bit ridiculous especially when you compare it to the time other countries had to wait. Croatia joined in less than 5. Very unfair...
Kay Bradley

The Story of American Flags: Made in China! on Vimeo - 3 views

www.vimeo.com/17385512

shared by Kay Bradley on 03 Dec 10 - No Cached
  • Curtis Serrano on 03 Dec 10
     
    I think its interesting that piracy is increasing throughout the world. Personally, I feel that its good that other countries are working to counter this threat.
  • ...9 more comments...
  • Catherine Binder on 03 Dec 10
     
    It's funny that an organization (The Association of American Flag Manufacturers) had to be created because of the threat of Chinese manufacturers. I can't believe the irony - what our flag is supposed to represent, and the reality of how and where it is created.
  • Harrison Lee on 05 Dec 10
     
    I completely agree with Catherine on the irony of the Association of American Flag Manufacturers and of the contrast between the symbolism of our flag and the reality of its source. America, which proclaims itself to be the bellwether in freedom and democracy, is responsible for the suffering of workers internationally and domestically, even to the point of the country's icon, the flag. We boast thousands of these in parades and protests, like the many that I've seen in the news over the past few years, particularly those demanding better working conditions and benefits. And yet, the very purchase of these flags is counterproductive to their goals, as it funds this market that has contributed to their suffering.
  • Samantha Bishop on 05 Dec 10
     
    I don't even understand how we came to the point where our patriotic symbol (the flag) has to be made in China. I agree that it is much cheaper mainly because of the cheap labor, but this is absurd. American's aren't even making the American flag. I had the same thought as the quote at the beginning of the video, "Thank heavens Betsey Ross isn't here to see [this]."
  • Arshia Surti on 05 Dec 10
     
    The US flag is certainly a symbol of what America has come to represent - a consumerist, exploitative world power - far from its ideals of equality and justice. And the worst part, as Harrison said, is the ignorant hypocrisy with which we proudly wave our flags.
  • Amara Plaza-Jennings on 05 Dec 10
     
    One thing that I found myself wondering as I was watching the video was how the workers in China feel about producing the US flags. Do they not care and just feel releived to have a job? Or does it feel odd to them making an American flag, expecially if they have harsh feeling towards the US? I also found it intersting that the demand for flags increased so much after 9/11, really showing the effect that this event had on the American psyche. Again the irony that the other people commented about comes into play. The people who bought these flags were trying to show their patriotism and support for American, when the flags really represent our dependence on China and go to support Chinese factories.
  • Nick Petru on 06 Dec 10
     
    Impressively thorough, Matthew. Two parts stood out for me: the Chinese military involvement and your point that our flags indirectly harm the welfare of people in other countries, particularly China. Well done
  • larkin smith on 06 Dec 10
     
    This video was ridiculously long & in depth. I love the juxtaposition of the idea of the american flag & all that it stands for and the fact that the flag is really made in China.
  • anonymous on 06 Dec 10
     
    When I was watching the video, I had to wonder: are there any flags made in the USA? There was a quote somewhere in the video saying that there are, but they're of poorer quality. I would think, though, that the vast market of flags made in China would make any american made flag companies go out of business. I also wondered if most countries have their flags made in China, or if there are some that produce their own.
  • Gregory Freiberg on 06 Dec 10
     
    I had the same sentiments as Amara. When we were watching China Blue and the chinese workers were making Jeans which they knew were presumably heading for the United States I wondered how they must feel that they are slaving over something for another country. Then, this movie (which was very well done) shows that American Flags are made in China and i was trying to put myself in the shoes of a chinese factory worker slaving over constructing an American Flag. I am curious as to what they think about making them. Very good job at bringing out the irony in the situation too Matthew
  • Heather Anderson on 07 Dec 10
     
    I found it interesting that American-made American flags are lower quality than those made in China. It struck me as very similar to the situation faced by the speaker who came to talk to us about her bag business: how she had to outsource because she couldn't find a quality producer in the U.S. Something that bothered me is that many of the flags are synthetic; if the government is going to hand our hundreds of free flags that might just get thrown away, it seems as though it would be better to at least make them out of renewable materials like wood and cotton. However, I suppose that may be more expensive... Also, I visited the Jinteng factory website because I was curious if they specialized in a certain type of flag or not. It turns out that they make all different types of flags depending on the order, just as the jeans we saw in China Blue varied order by order. I suspect that although some workers feel frustrated making other countries' flags, their catalog indicates that they make flags for many countries, not just one, so any anger would perhaps be less likely to be directed toward a specific country due to constantly producing their flag.
  • Rebecca Heller on 07 Dec 10
     
    I thought that it is sad (and ironic) that, as Matthew said, our symbols of freedom and patriotism are being paid for with people's rights (in China). I had never considered how 9/11 would have caused a drastic increase in demand for American flags, and though it shouldn't have, it surprised me that the low price of American flags from retailers such as Wal-Mart does not cover the production costs of the flags. Like Larkin, I found the juxtaposition of the symbols of the flag and where it is actually made notable. I also had the same question as Alison about whether any flags are actually made in the United States. I thought that Matthew did a nice job pointing out the odd juxtaposition and talking about the production cycle of the flag.
sidc2022

In World's 'Happiest' Countries, Signs of a Happiness Gap - 4 views

www.nytimes.com/...ordic-countries-happiness.html

NYTimes

shared by sidc2022 on 31 Aug 21 - No Cached
  • anays2023 on 31 Aug 21
     
    This makes it feel like world happiness levels could eventually take the place of money/ or other social inequality creators
  • lauran5556555 on 01 Sep 21
     
    Hmm, this article does not compare those "happy" countries with other parts of the world, so I wonder what the statistics show. Also, I wonder if social media has had a bigger effect on these Nordic countries than other parts of the world.
  • agnesg22 on 01 Sep 21
     
    I'd be interested to see how more of how the "happiness gap" intersects with the wealth gap. Also, I wonder if other countries experience the same problem with younger generations being more unhappy. It would have been helpful to have a comparison between these Nordic countries and countries in other parts of the world.
miriambachman

Ebola Drug Could Save a Few Lives. But Whose? - 5 views

www.nytimes.com/...uld-get-experimental-drug.html

Ebola

shared by miriambachman on 02 Sep 14 - No Cached
  • miriambachman on 02 Sep 14
     
    This article not only touches upon the dangerous and negative effects of the Ebola outbreak, but calls into questions an ethical controversy regarding preferential treatment when it comes to medical care. As the need for a cure escalates, the time allotted for the testing and developing of an anti-Ebola drug diminishes. Thus, medicine that has not been thoroughly tested has been distributed to two white Americans infected with the virus. This begs the question: Why these two? Does it have to do with their race or anti-African biases? And once the drug is fully developed, who will receive the treatment first? Who will be prioritized? Additionally, this contentious matter has added to the already distrustful African view of Western pharmaceuticals and relief efforts.
  • ...2 more comments...
  • Karan Rai on 04 Sep 14
     
    I think this article really shows how the US can't really win in the eyes of other countries. If they had tested people from Africa before treating the American citzens who had been infected, then America would have been accused of using the Africans as guinea pigs. Instead, the CDC is now being accused of racism and valuing the lives of Americans over Africans.
  • bonnie_ko on 04 Sep 14
     
    Fascinating article! Like Karan mentioned, countries developing vaccines are in a bit of a Catch-22 bind. I personally think that offering the drugs to those it could benefit most would be the most helpful to both research and those it could save, but the hesitance on the companies part is understandable. I think interesting questions to ask is "Where is the line between justified and unjustified fear?", and "are possible lives saved worth the risk that it may end some?" I certainly am in the boat that all participants should be warned outright of negative side effects and possible failure as a part of experimental treatment. But the most fascinating part of this article is how it never mentions polling the people of the affected countries. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only people whose opinion is really concerned is country heads and ethicists. What do the people think of getting a fighting chance?
  • dredd15 on 04 Sep 14
     
    I found it interesting that not only did the article touch on the ethical questions of who to give the first available drugs to, from a standpoint of where it would be most effective rather than just where it would be most convenient. The part of the article where acceptance of the drug came into question was another touchy matter. The attempt to administer the drug as a solution to the Ebola break out is difficult because of the nature of the illness and the apprehension towards Western Medicine. Even though the medicine is available there's no telling if this quick fix will actually contain and solve the crisis just as Arthur Kaplan says at the end of the article.
  • aaron_godinez on 04 Sep 14
     
    The article brings to light interesting conflicts between African countries and the western industries of medicine. I feel like it would be effective to offer medical education to the local inhabitants in the infected african countries. That way their knowledge can help them avoid getting the disease. Furthermore, they would have more knowledge to help them decide whether or not they would like to take the drug that is possibly a functioning vaccination, rather than just not giving the sick African patients the option. The complexity of this problem is interesting because it deals with issues of ethics and trust.
Kay Bradley

Methodology 2019 | Freedom House - 0 views

freedomhouse.org/...methodology-freedom-world-2019

freedom research ranking world rank democracy

shared by Kay Bradley on 12 Sep 19 - No Cached
  • three-tiered system consisting of scores, ratings, and status.
  • tables for converting scores to ratings and ratings to status, appear at the end of this essay.
  • 0 to 4 points for each of 10 political rights
  • ...27 more annotations...
  • 15 civil liberties indicators
  • 4 the greatest degree of freedom
  • The political rights questions are grouped into three subcategories: Electoral Process (3 questions), Political Pluralism and Participation (4), and Functioning of Government (3).
  • The civil liberties questions are grouped into four subcategories: Freedom of Expression and Belief (4 questions), Associational and Organizational Rights (3), Rule of Law (4), and Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights (4).
  • For the discretionary question, a score of 1 to 4 may be subtracted, as applicable (the worse the situation, the more points may be subtracted).
  • The highest overall score that can be awarded for political rights is 40 (or a score of 4 for each of the 10 questions). T
  • highest overall score that can be awarded for civil liberties is 60 (or a score of 4 for each of the 15 questions).
  • ach rating of 1 to 7, with 1 representing the greatest degree of freedom and 7 the smallest degree of freedom, corresponds to a specific range of total scores (see tables 1 and 2).
  • A country or territory is assigned two ratings
  • The average of a country or territory’s political rights and civil liberties ratings is called the Freedom Rating
  • upward or downward trend arrow
  • A trend arrow must be linked to a specific change or changes in score, and cannot be assigned if the country had no net change in score
  • Most score changes do not warrant trend arrows.
  • Electoral Democracy
  • designation “electoral democracy” to countries that have met certain minimum standards for political rights and civil liberties;
  • an electoral democracy designation requires a score of 7 or better in the Electoral Process subcategory, an overall political rights score of 20 or better, and an overall civil liberties score of 30 or better.
  • Countries and territories with a rating of 6 have very restricted political rights. They are ruled by authoritarian regimes, often with leaders or parties that originally took power by force and have been in office for decades.
  • hey may hold tightly controlled elections and grant a few political rights, such as some representation or autonomy for minority groups.
  • few or no political rights because of severe government oppression
  • While some are draconian police states, others may lack an authoritative and functioning central government and suffer from extreme violence or rule by regional warlords.
  • limits on media independence
  • estrictions on trade union activities
  • discrimination against minority groups and women.
  • strongly limit the rights of expression
  • frequently hold political prisoners
  • virtually no freedom of expression or association, do not protect the rights of detainees and prisoners, and often control most economic activity.
  • The gap between a country or territory’s political rights and civil liberties ratings is rarely more than two points. Politically oppressive states typically do not allow a well-developed civil society, for example, and it is difficult, if not impossible, to maintain political freedoms in the absence of civil liberties like press freedom and the rule of law.
Kay Bradley

Venezuela: The Rise and Fall of a Petrostate | Council on Foreign Relations - 0 views

www.cfr.org/...venezuela-crisis

petroleum petrostate Latin America

shared by Kay Bradley on 15 Nov 21 - No Cached
  • Punto Fijo pact, which guaranteed that state jobs and, notably, oil rents would be parceled out to the three parties in proportion to voting results. While the pact sought to guard against dictatorship and usher in democratic stability, it ensured that oil profits would be concentrated in the state.
  • OPEC. V
  • OPEC embargo on countries backing Israel in the Yom Kippur War quadrupled oil prices and made Venezuela the country with the highest per-capita income in Latin America.
  • ...8 more annotations...
  • mismanagement. Analysts estimate that as much as $100 billion was embezzled between 1972 and 1997 alone.
  • A country that discovers a resource after it has formed robust democratic institutions is usually better able to avoid the resource curse, analysts say. For example, strong institutions in Norway have helped the country enjoy steady economic growth since the 1960s, when vast oil reserves were discovered in the North Sea,
  • Strong democracies with an independent press and judiciary help curtail classic petrostate problems.
  • Many countries with vast resource wealth, such as Norway and Saudi Arabia, have established sovereign wealth funds (SWF) to manage their investments
  • climate change.  
  • Analysts anticipate that a global shift from fossil fuel energy to renewables such as solar and wind will force petrostates to diversify their economies. Nearly two hundred countries, including Venezuela, have joined the Paris Agreement, a binding treaty that requires states to make specific commitments to mitigate
  • Summary Venezuela is an example of a decaying petrostate, where the government is highly dependent on income from fossil fuels, power is concentrated in an elite minority, and corruption is widespread.  Petrostates are vulnerable to what economists call Dutch disease, a dynamic in which a government develops an unhealthy dependence on natural resource exports, and other important industrial sectors are deprived of investment. Venezuela has descended into economic and political turmoil under President Nicolas Maduro, as its once-substantial oil outflows have slowed to a trickle. Absent a power transition, analysts say the country’s prospects are grim.
  • Jeffrey Sachs,
Aaron Lau

India: The Learning Experience - 2 views

India is an extremely complex country with many complex systems with so many different issues that plague the country, but on the flip side India is a country that is rich with culture and traditio...

started by Aaron Lau on 24 Oct 13 no follow-up yet
Kay Bradley

The Female Factor - A Woman Rises in Brazil - NYTimes.com - 2 views

www.nytimes.com/...29iht-letter.html

Brazil Less Developed World:

shared by Kay Bradley on 01 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • Catherine Binder on 02 Oct 10
     
    It's really cool that the women referred to in the article (Dilma Rousseff, Michelle Bachelet, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, and Keiko Fujimori) are taking their countries by storm. These countries are obviously very forward-thinking, and I admire them for it.
  • Shalina O on 04 Oct 10
     
    It's amazing how much power women can have in countries that Americans often think of as less developed than the US. These women are really taking control, when here in America we have yet to elect a female president or vice-president.
  • Rebecca Heller on 04 Oct 10
     
    I want to echo Shalina's point. It's surprising that in the United States we still have not had a female President or Vice President, whereas countries that we often consider inferior to ours, such as Argentina and Peru, have already had female leaders. Though not mentioned in the article, another influential country that has already had a female leader is England- which first had a female Prime Minister over thirty years ago!
Catherine Binder

Russia Wants to Formalize Relation With E.U. - 3 views

www.nytimes.com/...18iht-germany.html

Russia

shared by Catherine Binder on 22 Oct 10 - No Cached
  • Catherine Binder on 22 Oct 10
     
    Seeing as how we just finished our discussions on the EU, this article is about Russia's request to formally participate in an EU committee. Russia wants to have more of a say in Europe, and Germany seems open to the idea (note that Germany is a major European ally for Russia). Medvedev, Merkel, and Sarkozy will soon meet up to discuss the idea. Germany carries a lot of influence in the EU, but I'm curious as to how the other member states truly feel about it.
  • ...3 more comments...
  • Samantha Bishop on 22 Oct 10
     
    This article is fascinating because I had no idea that Russia wants to join the EU. It seems like there are both many countries who want Russia to join but also many countries who don't. If Russia joined the EU, what would this mean economically? Would the EU become a stronger power? I am still not sure of many advantages and disadvantages of them joining, but I think that it is very interesting that a meeting will be taking place in Deauville about it.
  • anonymous on 22 Oct 10
     
    I, too, did not know that Russia wants to join the EU. I would like to know more about why Russia wants to join (any reasons other than influence?), and how countries aside from Germany feel about Russia joining. Something I find interesting: most of Russia is in Asia, yet they associate with the west.
  • larkin smith on 22 Oct 10
     
    Its interesting to me that Russia is not asking to actually join the EU, but only wants to be part of a certain section of it-the security portion. I wonder if Russia does want to join the EU, but simply doesn't think that its a viable option at this point.
  • Catherine Binder on 22 Oct 10
     
    Sorry, but I just have to make the distinction (with Larkin) that Russia isn't trying to join the EU, but rather requesting to participate in an EU committee. The summit that is occurring between the 3 leaders is about strengthening the EU-Russia relationship. The NY Times article I posted was about Russia trying to join the EU political and security committee. Now that the summit has occurred, here are some more recent articles about it. Hopefully they're more clear. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/19/world/europe/19iht-summit.html?src=twrhp http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-10/20/c_13565527.htm
  • Gregory Freiberg on 22 Oct 10
     
    To Larkin's comment: Yes, that is very interesting, as we learned in class some countries join the EU for the fiscal benefits or the security benefits; however, they must join the entire EU and that is when we said the benefits that a niation get from the EU should outweight the things that the EU will make the country take part in that they may not want to. It's sort of funny that Russia would try to avoid the EU only in some areas.
Katie Despain

Leadership and Calm Are Urged in Ebola Outbreak - 2 views

www.nytimes.com/...alm-are-urged-in-outbreak.html

ebola

shared by Katie Despain on 02 Sep 14 - No Cached
  • Katie Despain on 02 Sep 14
     
    In order to remedy Ebola, Nations most affected by the virus, namely Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, must allow their leaders to calm and heal the general public. If political and social leaders fail to eradicate the disease, the number of people infected will quickly rise from 3000 to 20,000. So far, several countries have mismanaged the outbreak. Governments quarantined rural and urban areas of aforementioned African countries; a slum in Monrovia, the Capitol of Liberia, was one of the blocked off places. Instead of helping the people, as intended, the quarantines trap people. These people feel disregarded and sentenced to death. Fear causes people to run from the spaces and further spread Ebola, defeating the purpose of the quarantine. Even if African governments take necessary steps to prevent the spread of the disease, Western aid is still essential. Western countries should not supply weapons to help contain quarantines, but rather provide medicine and experienced medical personnel. Unfortunately, the pay is not high enough for many medics to risk their lives treating a disease that is the highest risk to doctors and nurses. The solution to Ebola is not an obvious one; the entire process is experimental. However, U.N. experts say a medical center need be established in West Africa where representatives of every African country can convene to discuss the disease.
  • big_red on 03 Sep 14
     
    Very interesting article. It is interesting how psychology must be considered in giving aid to African countries infected with Ebola (for example, the article mentions that soldiers shouldn't brandish their weapons so Ebola patients won't be afraid of the quarantine). The quarantines seem like an extra cause for panic. Imagine a Liberian seeing a quarantine being set up. Do you think they would act calmly and happily admit themselves to the quarantine, or just simply run away and spread the virus further?
  • Kay Bradley on 04 Sep 14
     
    Great analysis--see quotes below--but my question is, can the widespread response that is needed actually be pulled together? Especially, can it be pulled together fast? "Most agreed on many basic principles. All, for example, were sure the outbreak could be stopped without experimental drugs or vaccines. None expected it to take less than six months." "Pay is also an issue, experts said. Health workers taking huge risks must be compensated, and so must their families if they die." "Also, this outbreak is like SARS in that doctors and nurses are in the highest risk group. Training must be extra-thorough - especially in taking off protective gear that might be smeared with virus. Nigeria, for example, does not let anyone near victims without three days of training on wearing protective gear, said its health minister, Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu." "The new W.H.O. road map calls for 12,000 local health workers and 750 expatriates." ""There's no part of this you can't break down and make work," Dr. Aylward said. "But it took us 20 years to build the polio response, and this has to be done in 20 days."
anays2023

Russian Troops Will Stay to Finish Job in Kazakhstan, Putin Says - The New York Times - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...putin-russia-kazakhstan.html

shared by anays2023 on 11 Jan 22 - No Cached
  • resource-rich Central Asian
  • resource-rich Central Asian
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Follows the trend that China and Russia are doing...exploiting areas to procure natural resources
  • set no deadline for the withdrawal of the forces his country sent there.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      This is unusual and could signal a long term occupation
  • ...21 more annotations...
  • rising gas prices that began peacefully and then turned violent.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      I wouldnt be surprised if we later found out Russia had its hands in turning these protests violent
  • But he did not give any deadline for a withdrawal, saying that they would stay as long as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan “considers it necessary,” raising the possibility they could be in the country indefinitely.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      So this leads me to beleive Russia has plans to occupy indefinitely...practically launching an invasion under a humanitarian guise.
  • 2,000 troops his country had sent as “peacekeepers” would leave only once their mission was complete.
  • The Russian president said the unrest was indicative of foreign attempts to intervene in a region the Kremlin sees as its sphere of influence,
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Colonialism
  • Those protests also helped precipitate Russia’s annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine that year.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Signals that Kazakhstan would be next
  • color revolutions,” a term that has been used for the pro-democracy movements that swept many countries of the former Soviet Union.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Reminds me of de-stalinzation era
  • Sign up for updates on the unrest in Kazakhstan:  Every evening, we will bring you a roundup of our latest Kazakhstan coverage. Get it sent to your inbox.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Heartless corporate pedaling
  • At least 5,800 people have been detained and more than 2,000 injured after several days of violence last week in Kazakhstan, according to the president’s office.
  • “brotherly Kazakh people” —
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      VERY PUTIN LOL
  • 164 people had died in the violence, including 103 in the country’s economic center, Almaty.
  • killed
  • injured
  • 1,300.
  • “The main goal was obvious: the undermining of the constitutional order, the destruction of government institutions and the seizure of power,” he said.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      De-legitimization and then annexation...the way Russia did with Crimea
  • The rapid evolution of peaceful protests in the Kazakhstan’s west to countrywide demonstrations that quickly descended into violent chaos has led observers to speculate that the unrest was fanned by infighting within the Kazakh elite.
  • Until now, the oil-rich country has been regarded as a pillar of political and economic stability in an unstable region. The protests are also significant for Vladimir Putin, who views Kazakhstan as part of Russia’s sphere of influence.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Similar pattern of resource exploitation was seen with the Ukrain pipeline
  • Officials have instituted a state of emergency and shut off internet access.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Why would they cut off Internet access? Thats really sus
  • The comments from Mr. Putin came as American and Russian diplomats gathered in Geneva in the hopes of negotiating a drawdown of the 100,000 troops the Kremlin has positioned on the border with Ukraine in recent months.
  • number
  • In a sign, perhaps, of the power imbalance between them, Mr. Putin forgot Mr. Tokayev’s name during the video meeting Monday, mangling it as “Kemal Zhomartovich,” instead of Kassym-Jomart.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      Subtle but a noteworthy sign of domination
  • Kazakh officials said on Sunday that order had been restored and that the foreign troops would “probably” be gone by the following week.
    • anays2023
      anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
       
      LETS SEE
  • anays2023 on 11 Jan 22
     
    I hope my annotations saved
  • Kay Bradley on 13 Jan 22
     
    Great use of Diigo annotation tool, Anay!
Jasper Arasteh

IMF urges Europe to act on debt crisis - 0 views

www.nytimes.com/...to-act-decisively-on-debt.html

debt crisis

shared by Jasper Arasteh on 15 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • Jasper Arasteh on 15 Oct 12
     
    In Tokyo the IMF called on the US and Europe to try and resolve their debt crisis. The IMF believes that debt in richer western countries is actually bad for developing countries and damages the world economy as a whole. It is also mentioned that Asia is the most dynamic region right now economically and that with the west falling behind Asia can't be expected to pull the economy. This addresses the debt crisis in all of the west not just greece and spain.
  • Kay Bradley on 15 Oct 12
     
    Very interesting article, Jasper, why would "The IMF believes that debt in richer western countries is actually bad for developing countries and damages the world economy as a whole?" I hope we get to discuss this in class
Robert Giesler

U.S. Suspects Iran Was Behind a Wave of Cyberattacks - 1 views

www.nytimes.com/...nd-a-wave-of-cyberattacks.html

Iran cyberattacks

shared by Robert Giesler on 14 Oct 12 - No Cached
  • Robert Giesler on 14 Oct 12
     
    This article is about cyberattacks on the various companies, specifically Saudi Aramco, an oil company. Apparently Iran is behind the attacks. I find it interesting how cyber warfare might become an even bigger part of conflicts today. It's also interesting how the US and Israel have both been attacking companies from Iran, which isn't scrutinized, yet as soon as Iran does it, it's a huge issue.
  • ...1 more comment...
  • Elizabeth Sundsmo on 15 Oct 12
     
    I also find the difference of who is scrutinized (and who is not) interesting. The dependency on technology and computers in the global economy in light of this article makes me wonder if this is not just becoming a bigger part of conflicts, but perhaps the main conflict in countries fighting for an economic or even global edge. To me it seems a bit reminiscent of the Cold War because countries will race to develop malicious and protective software in order to feel safe, much like the US and Russia did with nuclear warheads to deter the other (although all it would really take is one warhead sent from each country to insure mutual destruction). "...the United States might redefine defense in cyberspace as requiring the capacity to reach forward over computer networks if an attack was detected or anticipated, and take pre-emptive action.... For now, officials have decided to hold back. "The countries who need to know we have it already know," the senior intelligence official said."
  • Adam Pease on 15 Oct 12
     
    I think the relationship between nuclear security and cyber attacks is interesting. The US does not receive much criticism for deploying Stuxnet (designed to damage Iran's nuclear program), but Iran is criticized for deploying computer viruses aimed at other elements of US defense. This raises interesting questions about whether or not Western states have a right to deny non-Western states nuclear acquisition.
  • Kay Bradley on 15 Oct 12
     
    Great point in your post about emphasis of investigations, Robert
gtgomes17

United States vs China vs Brazil - Country Facts Comparison - 0 views

country-facts.findthedata.com/...ited-States-vs-China-vs-Brazil

economy government demographics education health technology environment military

shared by gtgomes17 on 19 Jan 17 - No Cached
  • gtgomes17 on 19 Jan 17
     
    Uncover and compare facts about different countries (the link I put up compares 3, and you can change them to whatever countries you want). Discover in-depth information about the government, the state of the economy, and much more.
Kay Bradley

Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us | TIME - 0 views

time.com/...y-medical-bills-are-killing-us

shared by Kay Bradley on 01 Oct 15 - No Cached
  • MD Anderson’s clinical billing and collection practices are similar to those of other major hospitals and academic medical centers.”
  • The hospital’s hard-nosed approach pays off. Although it is officially a nonprofit unit of the University of Texas, MD Anderson has revenue that exceeds the cost of the world-class care it provides by so much that its operating profit for the fiscal year 2010, the most recent annual report it filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was $531 million. That’s a profit margin of 26% on revenue of $2.05 billion, an astounding result for such a service-intensive enterprise.1
  • Ronald DePinho’s total compensation last year was $1,845,000. That does not count outside earnings derived from a much publicized waiver he received from the university that, according to the Houston Chronicle, allows him to maintain unspecified “financial ties with his three principal pharmaceutical companie
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • I got the idea for this article when I was visiting Rice University last year. As I was leaving the campus, which is just outside the central business district of Houston, I noticed a group of glass skyscrapers about a mile away lighting up the evening sky. The scene looked like Dubai. I was looking at the Texas Medical Center, a nearly 1,300-acre, 280-building complex of hospitals and related medical facilities, of which MD Anderson is the lead brand name. Medicine had obviously become a huge business. In fact, of Houston’s top 10 employers, five are hospitals, including MD Anderson with 19,000 employees; three, led by ExxonMobil with 14,000 employees, are energy companie
  • n the U.S., people spend almost 20% of the gross domestic product on health care, compared with about half that in most developed countries. Yet in every measurable way, the results our health care system produces are no better and often worse than the outcomes in those countries.
  • nting doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, health services and HMOs, have spent $5.36 billion since 1998 on lobbying in Washington. That dwarfs the $1.53 billion spent by the defense and aerospa
  • When Obamacare was being debated, Republicans pushed this kind of commonsense malpractice-tort reform. But the stranglehold that plaintiffs’ lawyers have traditionally had on Democrats prevailed, and neither a safe-harbor provision nor any other malpractice reform was included.
  • We’re likely to spend $2.8 trillion this year on health care. That $2.8 trillion is likely to be $750 billion, or 27%, more than we would spend if we spent the same per capita as other developed countries, even after adjusting for the relatively high per capita income in the U.S. vs. those other countries.
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