The Wall Street Journal reports that a number of universities, wary of the public perception that the degrees they offer may not be worth the student loan burden, have taken to hiring highly-paid “CMOs” (Chief Marketing Officers) to build their brands and coordinate their admissions offices’ sales pitch. Although many in academia disdain corporate marketing […]

The Energy Department has just released a report that ought to leave the greens asking: How did we get this so wrong? As the AP reports, the study shows that US carbon emissions have just hit their lowest level in 20 years. How was this reduction achieved? Natural gas: In a surprising turnaround, the amount of carbon dioxide […]

While Egypt’s new president Mohamed Morsi may be willing to strike at Islamist radicals in the Sinai Peninsula, his Muslim Brotherhood comrades aren’t exactly behaving as moderates. New reports suggest that the Muslim Brotherhood may be initiating a campaign of media censorship of unfavorable reports on the government’s abuse of civil liberties. Ahram Online has […]

In part because the United States is asserting its presence in Asia, Chinese scholars have begun voicing opposition to the government’s decades-long policy of non-alignment, which they think is outdated and unsuited to a rising great power. From the FT: “The situation in China’s backyard has become more complicated, and there is a feeling that things are […]

Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff may have crafted a stimulus plan that even deficit hawks could get behind.When the $66 billion plan was first announced, many were concerned that President Rousseff’s ambitious plans to stimulate Brazil’s lethargic economy would involve enlarging the government.Instead, The Financial Times reports, President Rousseff will sell concessions to private companies to build and operate new infrastructure, effectively […]

Looking sharp can be hard work. Many professionals (men especially) would like to dress to impress, but find shopping tedious or confusing.Now some new startups are making it more convenient to achieve that sartorial polish. The Wall Street Journal reports that a number of new enterprises are providing personal stylist services online. There are variations on […]

While the green lobby pushes for electric cars and carbon-trading schemes, a group of scientists and agriculture experts are quietly making serious progress that could reap dividends for the environment. A group of agricultural engineers, including employees of agribusiness companies like Monsanto, are experimenting with techniques to help crops thrive with minimal water. Farmers who have struggled […]

The second stage on my India trip took me to one of the most dynamic places in the world: Mumbai. Hyderabad is a great Indian city; Mumbai is a global metropolis. With more than 20 million people in the metro area, it’s about as big as cities get, and as the financial and entertainment capital […]

Is the smart money getting out of China? There seem to be increased signs that both foreign and Chinese investors are moving their money out of the Middle Kingdom. Here’s the Wall Street Journal: New data published by China’s central bank Tuesday showed China’s banks were net sellers of 3.8 billion yuan ($597 million) in […]

Every year on August 15, the date of Japan’s surrender in World War II, Japanese officials visit the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo to honor the country’s war dead. The shrine honors a number of convicted war criminals, and the visits anger Asian countries that greatly suffered under Japanese rule. This year’s visit comes with tensions […]