In a case of better late than never, the Obama Administration finally seems to have put its strategy ducks in order and moved to a more reasoned policy towards Syria. The timing is critical as Israel and Syria indulge in a war of words against the backdrop of escalating tension in the region The
Read Full StoryThe Muslims washing rite before prayers (wudu) is a deeply ingrained practice but one that consumes large amounts of water in often arid locations. The majority of more than 1.7 billion Muslims in the world are in Africa and the Middle East where water supplies are scarce. A new machine may w
Read Full StoryIt has been an odd week for comments about sex drive. Argentine’s President, Cristina Fernandez, says it is all down to eating more pork. Now the latest research says men’s testosterone rises in conjunction with Vitamin D. The main sources include the sun, oily fish and some meats. I would w
Read Full StoryThe NATO chain of command is riddled with what are called “National Caveats.” These are the specific rules of engagement that NATO member countries prescribe for their specific troops as a precondition of engagement in the conflict. The rules are highly variable. Some countries say their t
Read Full StoryDespite posturing and diplomacy in the public arena, if you really want to know what’s going on between nations you can do much worse than follow international arms contracts as we have reported before. Russia has an air defense system that is much in demand for example. Iran has been actively
Read Full StoryIn the current partisan environment every issue becomes politicized even without merit. It is surprising therefore that the trial of Pakistan scientist Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is gathering such little coverage in the mainstream press. The potential for other admittedly more high profile cases being t
Read Full StoryThe recent reactions by some in Israel to any criticism of the nation are a potentially disturbing trend. There have been several recent incidents that have raised eyebrows, including the arrest of a Jewish-American journalist on the grounds of security, threats by an Israeli minister against
Read Full StoryJustin Timberlake alleged he bought sexy back, now there is a growing level of apprehension among observers that populist American movements may well succeed in bringing back a retrograde social and political ethos. The 2008 election saw a sea change; it brought to power a President of a new gen
Read Full StorySome inner-city pubs can get a little wild in Sydney still. They are not generally ones a tourist will find without searching, and ones that locals know to avoid. It is one of the maverick beauties of Australia that if you peel back the very sophisticated and urbane outer levels there is still a
Read Full StoryWe have a fondness for the unusual story passed over in the main by the more conventional media. We are also often overwhelmed by the creativity often seen by people in developing economies to make a buck. A new travel agency in Nepal, Pink Mountain (that is one of the better and most apropos br
Read Full Story
In a case of better late than never, the Obama Administration finally seems to have put its strategy ducks in order and moved to a more reasoned policy towards Syria. The timing is critical as Israel and Syria indulge in a war of words against the backdrop of escalating tension in the region The
02.8.2010 | Americas, Editorials, Middle East, Syria | Stuart Ford
The Muslims washing rite before prayers (wudu) is a deeply ingrained practice but one that consumes large amounts of water in often arid locations. The majority of more than 1.7 billion Muslims in the world are in Africa and the Middle East where water supplies are scarce. A new machine may w
It has been an odd week for comments about sex drive. Argentine’s President, Cristina Fernandez, says it is all down to eating more pork. Now the latest research says men’s testosterone rises in conjunction with Vitamin D. The main sources include the sun, oily fish and some meats. I would w
The NATO chain of command is riddled with what are called “National Caveats.” These are the specific rules of engagement that NATO member countries prescribe for their specific troops as a precondition of engagement in the conflict. The rules are highly variable. Some countries say their t
Despite posturing and diplomacy in the public arena, if you really want to know what’s going on between nations you can do much worse than follow international arms contracts as we have reported before. Russia has an air defense system that is much in demand for example. Iran has been actively
In the current partisan environment every issue becomes politicized even without merit. It is surprising therefore that the trial of Pakistan scientist Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is gathering such little coverage in the mainstream press. The potential for other admittedly more high profile cases being t
02.3.2010 | Afghanistan, Americas, Asia, Pakistan | Stuart Ford
The recent reactions by some in Israel to any criticism of the nation are a potentially disturbing trend. There have been several recent incidents that have raised eyebrows, including the arrest of a Jewish-American journalist on the grounds of security, threats by an Israeli minister against
Justin Timberlake alleged he bought sexy back, now there is a growing level of apprehension among observers that populist American movements may well succeed in bringing back a retrograde social and political ethos. The 2008 election saw a sea change; it brought to power a President of a new gen
Some inner-city pubs can get a little wild in Sydney still. They are not generally ones a tourist will find without searching, and ones that locals know to avoid. It is one of the maverick beauties of Australia that if you peel back the very sophisticated and urbane outer levels there is still a
We have a fondness for the unusual story passed over in the main by the more conventional media. We are also often overwhelmed by the creativity often seen by people in developing economies to make a buck. A new travel agency in Nepal, Pink Mountain (that is one of the better and most apropos br
