China, once self sufficient in corn, startled world grain markets and bought millions of bushels of American corn this year to satisfy accelerating domestic demand, driven mostly by the evolving eating habits of the Chinese middle class. They want more pork, and pigs want more corn. The Chinese also want more corn-sweetened drinks, like Coca-Cola. […]

From the Washington Times: Three out of four graduates aren’t fully prepared for college and likely need to take at least one remedial class, according to the latest annual survey from the nonprofit testing organization ACT, which measured half of the nation’s high school seniors in English, math, reading and science proficiency.Only 25 percent cleared […]

Moment is a journal on Jewish affairs, founded in 1975 by Elie Wiesel and currently edited, with great imagination and verve, by Nadine Epstein. In its issue of July-August 2011 it carries a cover story, with a shorter piece, on Jewish thinking about life after death. A symposium ranges across the spectrum of contemporary Judaism. […]

It turns out that ruthless, blood-thirsty crackdowns aren’t all that great for business –Bashar Assad’s survival plan is beginning to show some cracks in the form of waning investor confidence and a deteriorating economic outlook.The Syrian central bank is instituting emergency measures to limit the convertibility of the Syrian pound — a sign that its foreign currency […]

From the FT, word that Vladimir Putin is moving ahead with plans to build a 21st century version of the Soviet Union with some of Russia’s neighbors: A customs union he launched a year ago between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan has already removed tariffs and customs controls along the three states’ internal borders. Come January […]

Adam Garfinkle, the editor of the print edition of The American Interest has written two brilliant essays on the “days not weeks” war in Libya — the first at the beginning, the second just published today.  Both essays are required reading; good intentions and weak analysis mixed with wishful thinking frequently get the United States […]

Brewers, bakers, butchers and picture takers can now make money selling what they know as opposed to what they make at Skillshare. Sign up for classes. Sign up to teach. Short circuit the slow and expensive official educational machine and pick up some new skills without taking out a student loan.It sounds like a lot […]

Press reaction to events in Wisconsin remains educational.  The introduction of legislation curtailing union rights and activities for most public employees in Wisconsin was first billed as a victory in disguise: a triggering event that launched the flight of the legislators and a wave of demonstrations that would stop the Republican juggernaut in its tracks.  […]

According to the Washington Post, President Obama has decided to support a continuing government role in the housing market and plans to keep Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac operating with government guarantees into the indefinite future.The decision is a GOP dream come true and could play a significant role in the campaign.If you wanted to […]

Remember this name: Xi Jinping.  You may not think you need to know who the vice president of China is, but he is likely to be China’s next premier and is one of the people who will be making your world. Today’s Washington Post has a gushing profile of him here.The Post is happy to […]