The secret is out — there are fundamental shifts taking place in the economic and political landscape of the world in which we live. And although the majority of our intellectual and policy elites — those tasked with recognizing and interpreting these changes to the rest of society and developing actionable responses — have generally […]

The Brits know a declining world hegemon when they see one — and from where they sit across the Atlantic, they don’t see one. At least that is the take from the Telegraph in a recent piece by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard.Predicting the end of America’s global leadership has been a small cottage industry in pundit-land since […]

Another day, another announcement of another quick patch for the eurozone crisis, another relief rally on world markets.It appears, however, that this deal is no more of a final solution to the crisis than any of the countless other agreements that European leaders have reached at various stages on their long Trail of Tears. Some […]

My plane arrived from Beijing about an hour ago, and since then I’ve been negotiating the ins and outs of Newark Airport.  More ins than outs, I fear; the final flight to Albany has been delayed.  Fortunately, there is wireless so the time is not completely lost.  Continental Airlines has also graciously taken pity on […]

Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, praised Gaddafi and condemned US military action against his “brother”, the Great Loon, on Chicago’s radio recently. He said: The Nation of Islam mourns the loss of a great brother leader, the ‘Lion of the Desert,’ the ‘Lion of Africa.’ And those who rejoice at his death […]

Luke Johnson compares traditional financial language – like profit motive and competition – and how their definitions are transforming today. Anger over social and economic inequality across the globe is driving people to disapprove of risk-takers and perceive investment banks as demonic organizations. Not without some reason, but Johnson draws attention to a question sweeping […]

I have taken up space in the electronic ether twice before on the general subject of Libya: once on March 22, just days after President Obama ordered a cruise missile attack on Tripoli, and again on August 16, when I raised the prospect of revenge killings on a large scale and what that might portend […]

The evidence is becoming clearer every day: the legal profession has some big changes coming its way. An op-ed in the New York Times asks whether law schools and bar exams are necessary at all: What if the barriers to entry were simply done away with?Legal costs would be reduced because non-lawyers, who have not […]

Don’t expect much in the way of posts for the next 48 hours; I’m leaving Shanghai early tomorrow morning and heading back for the US.  After visiting Guangzhou, Beijing, Chongqing, Shenyan, Anshan and Shanghai, lecturing in universities and meeting with diplomats, experts and journalists, I’m still trying to process it all.The Chinese-US relationship looks to […]

The American corporate establishment is reeling today at the news that the government is bringing criminal charges against Rajat K. Gupta, for many years the head of the most trusted name in corporate consulting.  According to the government, Gupta passed insider secrets to the systematically dishonest Raj Rajaratnam, the disgraced and convicted former head of […]