6/27/2003
6/26/2003
Ain't innovation grand? Wired with a piece about how the Chinese are working their way around the brutal censorship of their part of cyberspace.
They make shoes in an impoverished nation, helping the locals to earn wages higher than the local average, engage in environmentally friendly campaigns, and leverage the internet as a sales and marketing tool. In a “good” month an employee earns about US$2.35 per day.
While Nike is chastised for their efforts ecosandals is being heralded for using a similar production model. Wired profiles the company and heralds, once again, the power of the internet. Nike, due largely to its size, is able to place upward wage pressures on entire local economies, helping not only the workers at their plants but also those within the regions they are located. One company is held up for praise, the other for scorn. Why?
While Nike is chastised for their efforts ecosandals is being heralded for using a similar production model. Wired profiles the company and heralds, once again, the power of the internet. Nike, due largely to its size, is able to place upward wage pressures on entire local economies, helping not only the workers at their plants but also those within the regions they are located. One company is held up for praise, the other for scorn. Why?
The Supremes got one right. Imagine, consenting adults being allowed to do what they chose in the privacy of their bedrooms.
6/25/2003
6/24/2003
The Ministerial Conference and Expo on Agricultural Science and Technology has begun in Sacramento, California to discuss bio-engineered foods. As with any meeting dealing with so-called “Frankenfoods”, this one was met with protests, demonstrations, and pleas for legislation to curb agri-business’ efforts.
The protesters, which include luminary chefs such as Alice Waters, believe that there are healthy alternatives that can be used to feed the world, preserve the environment, and protect human rights. They claim the advent of frankenfoods brings the possibility of long-term health problems on a massive scale, but perhaps also a wide-scale environmental domino effect that could spin out of control and cause an unstoppable ecological disaster.
The advocates of bio-engineered foods say that not using advancing technologies is more likely to exacerbate already dire conditions in much of the world.
Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman says biotechnology and science can reduce global hunger, improve nutrition and boost economies. She says biotech already is helping farmers by boosting yields, lowering costs, reducing pesticide use and making crops more resistant to disease, pests and drought.
The debate isn’t hypothetical. Sub-Saharan Africa is in the midst of a famine with current methods incapable of safely feeding the region. Facing all involved is whether or not agri-business has the means and will to feed the planet, and perhaps more importantly, whether or not they’ll be allowed to.
The protesters, which include luminary chefs such as Alice Waters, believe that there are healthy alternatives that can be used to feed the world, preserve the environment, and protect human rights. They claim the advent of frankenfoods brings the possibility of long-term health problems on a massive scale, but perhaps also a wide-scale environmental domino effect that could spin out of control and cause an unstoppable ecological disaster.
The advocates of bio-engineered foods say that not using advancing technologies is more likely to exacerbate already dire conditions in much of the world.
Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman says biotechnology and science can reduce global hunger, improve nutrition and boost economies. She says biotech already is helping farmers by boosting yields, lowering costs, reducing pesticide use and making crops more resistant to disease, pests and drought.
The debate isn’t hypothetical. Sub-Saharan Africa is in the midst of a famine with current methods incapable of safely feeding the region. Facing all involved is whether or not agri-business has the means and will to feed the planet, and perhaps more importantly, whether or not they’ll be allowed to.
6/23/2003
Christopher Lydon is blogging now, and he says that the spiritual father of blogging is Emerson. He has always been a favorite of mine and it's nice to know that Emerson is still vitally relevant.
6/22/2003
The most comprehensive blog on the Iranian democratic movement. He also links to a ton of good blogs from within Iran.
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