Months ago we saw the first signs that Northern Europe was catching a cold, and the latest data suggests that the cold is here and something worse could be on the way. Germany’s economy is almost at a standstill. The Dutch economy actually shrank by more than 1.1 percent in the third quarter—more than Spain […]

The ongoing disputes over islands in the China Seas have taken a turn toward the absurd. In an effort to bolster its claims of sovereignty, Japan has begun giving Japanese names to small specks of rock that it designates as “islands.” It plans to name several hundred of these over the next year. The WSJ has […]

It’s no surprise that Americans prefer American-made products, but a new survey reveals something a bit more interesting: so do many Chinese. In a survey conducted by Boston Consulting Group, 47 percent of Chinese respondents “somewhat” or “absolutely” preferred goods from the United States. Furthermore, both the Chinese and Americans surveyed said they would pay slightly more […]

Google’s new super-high speed broadband service, Google Fiber, is rolling out in select neighborhoods of Kansas City. The service will offer unprecedented speeds of 1 gigabit per second, over three times faster than the fastest speed on Verizon FIOS. BBC News explains how Google launched the project: Google is able to make the foray into broadband installation because […]

While consumers and gun enthusiasts alike speculate about the future impact of 3D printers, the U.S. military is already forging ahead. BBC News reports that the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command is currently developing its own 3D printer technology. Once operational, the machines would eliminate wait time for deliveries of spare parts and lower the […]

Via Meadia is hiring!We are pleased to announce that Via Meadia is looking for three new staff writer positions: a senior writer and two junior writers.For more information on the senior writer position go here; and the junior writer positions here.

Seven new leaders for China. Seven identical dark suits, white shirts, and red ties (save one) stalked across the crimson stage at the Great Hall of the people on Thursday. The new members of the Politburo Standing Committee are older, on average, than their predecessors. They are conservative, they are all men, and they are […]

In Illinois the pension crisis may be even worse than initially feared. The state legislature is finally beginning to look for solutions, but a new letter released by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club suggests that the system can’t be salvaged. The group does recommend some drastic changes, but warns that many promised benefits […]

Australia’s delicate balance between its long-standing ally, America, and its largest trade partner, China, will be challenged this week, as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta attend annual defense talks. In particular, the U.S. would like to send more marines to a base in Australia and would also like U.S. […]

In an article on the vast wealth enjoyed by China’s top elites, the Financial Times included the following striking passage: Some western diplomats estimate that as much as 40 per cent of China’s military budget is siphoned off through corruption.As a phalanx of senior PLA officers ascended the steps of the Great Hall of the People […]