| The Kensington Review |
3 April 2006 |
| Latest Commentary: | Volume V, Number 40 |
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GAO Study Says Pentagon Cost Overruns Threaten Weapon Quantities -- The General Accounting Office, a non-partisan accounting watchdog agency in the federal government, issued a report on Friday that saw very little media attention. It cited cost overruns of 30-40%, says that these overruns are recurring problems, and that they result in fewer weapons reaching frontline troops. Unlike most such studies, however, this one identifies the core problem, and it offers a solution.
Thai Political Crisis Deepens after Boycotted Election -- Thailand has had a history of angry demonstrations, violent repression of the same and the odd military takeover of the government. Yesterday, it broke new ground with an election boycotted by the opposition, and the ruling party lost in some constituencies even though its candidate was running unopposed. The future in Thailand looks equally confusing. Carry Trade Unwinding Hits Iceland and New Zealand -- “Everything is connected to everything else,” said Vladimir Lenin. While he wasn’t talking about the world currency markets, he could have been. Because Japanese retailers, US hedge funds and European banks have been able to borrow cheaply in their currencies and invest those funds elsewhere, the smaller economies of the world now face declining currencies or higher-than-necessary interests rates. Two examples of this are at opposite ends of the world: Iceland and New Zealand. Nigerian Soccer Refs Told Bribes Shouldn’t Influence Decisions -- Truth is stranger than fiction, and in this case, it is stranger than science fiction. The soccer powers that be in Nigeria have told the referees in the Nigerian Football Association that they may accept bribes from teams, but they shouldn’t let the bribes influence their decisions on the field. This is unconscionable. © Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux. |
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