>Blog: Inside Iraq


>”Inside Iraq” is a blog updated by Iraqi journalists working for McClatchy Newspapers. They are based in Baghdad and outlying provinces. These are firsthand accounts of their experiences. Their complete names are withheld for security purposes. [This is a cut-and-paste job, as it was easier to post their own “About” than write my own.] Firsthand…

>Four Tiers of Growth and Prosperity


>Former World Bank President James Wolfensohn makes a good pitch in this recent article. Within, he describes the transition from our traditional First World, Second World, Third World mentality – which within the last decade or so has migrated towards High Income, Middle Income, Low Income nomenclature – to a new paradigm. The world now…

>What is in a Name?


>I read the recent Time Magazine article relating Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s news conference. He basically said that he was too young (19) to take over the PPP party’s reigns (a sign of maturity) at this point in his life. His father would run the show until he was of age (25, in Pakistan) to be…

>Tata Motors: Another Wake-Up Call for the Auto Industry


>Four Wheels for the Masses: The $2,500 Car (NYT) This is a great article! It hits the entire global auto industry. In doing so, I think it also communicates an important message: automakes need to focus on affordability, safety, and environmentally-sound engineering. The Japanese:Kanban: Just-in-Time delivery of parts. This is what helped Asia automakers overcome…

>Charles Taylor & Blood Diamonds


>Charles Taylor Trial Starts – TIME This is an interesting event that bears noting. As I heard on NPR yesterday, Taylor’s trial may cause African leaders to sit up and watch. According to some, this trial will put African leaders on notice that some behavior is intolerable. Not only is their behavior intolerable, but to…

>Toyota Passes Ford in Sales


>As reported in this article, Toyota is now the #2 seller of automobiles in the United States, surpassing Ford. A brief Google search led me to this site: OICA, and the listings of the world’s biggest automakers. Here is a brief summary of the Top 5 (from 2006): General Motors: 8.926 million units Toyota: 8.036…

>Global GDP Comparison


> What if we renamed some of our states using the name of the country whose GDP most closely matches the state GDP? That is the idea behind this map. The idea is not unique to me. I saw a similar map on another blog whose link I have lost. But having a mapping background…

Who’s the Greater Destabilizer?


In geography, we talk about devolution. Devolution is the breakdown of a state [country/nation] due to internal division. Some other terms that are also associated with devolution are Balkanization, Shatterbelt, and Failing/Failed States. When people within a region, whether that region be a state, nation, or realm, become disenfranchised with their government or method of…

Oil: The Criminal Crutch


Oil retards growth. The presence of oil retards growth. This flies in the face of conventional wisdom. This idea is not unique to me but I see validity within it. Let’s see if I can explain. Currently, as I write this, oil is priced about 76$/barrel, according to Bloomberg.com. A gallon of regular unleaded gas…