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in Mother Jones
by
Bernice Yeung, May/June 2008
Once a notorious Haitian leader and now an alleged fraudster, Emmanuel Toto Constant sits in an upstate New York jail while lawyers get ready to argue his fate, which could end up being a long prison term here or possible deportation to Haiti where a life-term for a paramilitary-incited massacre was overturned in 2005. Yeung is struck by Constant's charming personality but remains unimpressed by his posturing and insistence on the unfairness of being in jail when by rights he should be running for president of Haiti. This fascinating article presents a fair summary of Constant's life and his current predicament.
Posted 1:28, 29 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.
in Mother Jones
by
Jonathan Schwartz, May/June 2008
What are the odds that an Iraqi exile with no diplomatic experience would find a way to inspire skepticism among congressional leaders about a security agreement between the Bush administration and the Iraqi government? Meet Racd Jarrar, trained as an architect, popular as a blogger, and founder of an NGO dedicated to rebuilding his war-torn homeland. Thanks in part to Jarrar's concerted efforts, the 2007 Declaration of Principles, with its controversial section on defense against internal and external enemies, is now under review by congressmen, who are also in contact with their Iraqi counterparts. Informative, with an antiwar tone.
Posted 11:42, 29 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.
in Mother Jones
by
Judith Lewis, May/June 2008
Lewis details the grim history of nuclear power generation -- the promises it held and the disasters it delivered in the form of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. It is a valuable summary of difficulties with nuclear power, from pollution caused by uranium mining and lax regulation, to the construction of capital-intensive nuclear reactors and the safe disposal of lethal and long-lasting radioactive waste. It praises, with caveats, the French experience in nuclear power and is cautiously optimistic that more research and newer technology can lead to cleaner nuclear power.
Posted 4:52, 25 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Shatadal Ghosh
and edited by Brijit.
in Mother Jones
by
Joshua Kurlantzick, May/June 2008
Kurlantzick paints a bleak picture of how increased demand for energy, coupled with the depletion of energy resources controlled by the big oil multinationals, is strengthening some of the least democratic regimes in the world -- and thereby enabling them to indulge in human rights abuses, domestic oppression, intimidation of neighboring countries, and environmental destruction. US energy policy, with misguided subsidies and tariffs, is also to blame. In this evenhanded piece, the author has sympathy for the private sector, reasoning that its sensitivity to public perception, compared to the unaccountability of state-owned entities, makes it more amenable to reform, both environmental and otherwise.
Posted 4:51, 25 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Shatadal Ghosh
and edited by Brijit.
in Mother Jones
by
Josh Harkinson, May/June 2008
Canada conjures up images of pristine forests and crystal-clear lakes. But the mad dash for fuel means that an area the size of Florida that is home to 350-million-year-old tar sand deposits has been stripped and dug up to convert the sands into 173 billion barrels of oil. Canada is now America's leading supplier of oil, despite the fact that using tar sands as a fuel source is highly wasteful and emits three times more greenhouse gases than the usual oil sources. Harkinson astutely points out other flaws in the production process and discusses the negative impact on the local population.
Posted 1:29, 25 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Jacquelyn Gilchrist
and edited by Brijit.
in Mother Jones
by
Mother Jones, May/June 2008
This interview with Errol Morris, director of the new documentary Standard Operating Procedure, features his thoughts on the disturbing photos taken by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. He believes, for example, that Sabrina Harman deserved a Pulitzer instead of a jail term for digital pictures taken of a murdered prisoner. The impossibility of determining specific motivations for human actions, no matter how perverse they may seem in a photograph, whether staged or not, is one theme that greatly intrigues this talented and multiple award-winning filmmaker. The interview is too brief, but the comments are insightful.
Posted 12:56, 25 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.
in Mother Jones
by
Kimberly Lisagor, May/June 2008
The hospitality industry is starting to go eco-friendly. Hotel operators have a vested interest in cutting energy consumption, easing water usage, and promoting recycling options; for instance, utility bills could be cut in half by adopting a greener business model, and some travelers are expressly seeking green accommodations. But not all hotel chains are interested in the trend -- instead the corporate owners insist on strict standards, like providing a set number of convenient personal-care items in small bottles which are rarely recycled by anyone. A chart listing sustainability policies at six chains accompanies this timely article.
Posted 11:03, 25 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.
in Mother Jones
by
Jon Mooallem, May/June 2008
Instead of the post-coital glow, Gary Kremen is now banking on the variety derived from the sun. The erratic, impatient entrepreneur, formerly behind Match.com and porn-marketing site Sex.com, has shifted gears to finance residential solar panels -- and his motive is profits, not altruism. Kremen has adopted a selling approach similar to that of car salesmen offering on-site financing. Armed with software to calculate potential savings, installers travel from house to house pointing out the economic, not moral, benefits of solar panels. The company has had only one taker so far, but Kremen is cautiously optimistic, as seen in this detailed piece.
Posted 10:47, 25 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Ashley Eldridge
and edited by Brijit.
in Mother Jones
by
Laura Rozen, May/June 2008
A fresh face in the green camp is former CIA director James Woolsey, who has installed solar panels on his roof and bought a hybrid vehicle. He has doubts about too much reliance on foreign energy resources, although he doesn't admit any misgivings about going to war in oil-rich Iraq. Rosen's nicely handled interview illustrates the appeal of energy independence to neoconservatives, independents, and even to hawks -- they all see energy self-reliance as a national security necessity. While the Bush administration has had no noticeable interest in energy independence, Woolsey expects that a McCain administration would endorse an energy strategy.
Posted 2:05, 24 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.
in Mother Jones
by
Daphne Eviatar, May/June 2008
Military contractor KBR has so far successfully blocked moves by employees injured in Iraq and by relatives of employees killed there to sue for wrongful death, despite compelling evidence of negligence and failure to protect. The company's legal team has adopted the "political question doctrine" when dealing with the courts. This doctrine claims that due to US military involvement in the area, the contractor cannot be sued unless the US government is also sued. In effect, KBR is being granted immunity from liability. The obvious unfairness of this situation is highlighted in Eviatar's forthright report.
Posted 1:19, 24 April 2008
This abstract was written by
Cath Stockbridge
and edited by Brijit.