| The Kensington Review |
20 September 2006 |
| Latest Commentary: | Volume V, Number 112 |
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Bush’s UN Speech Signals Evolution in Iran Policy -- Traffic on the east side of Manhattan was miserable Monday and yesterday because the UN General Assembly was starting its latest session. As usual, the statesman, politicians and rodeo clowns who run the various governments around the world turned up for their time in the spotlight. Rarely does anything significant come from their mouths, but yesterday, President George “LBJ” Bush said something about Iran that suggests he might not be a rodeo clown after all.
Thai Coup Topples PM Thaksin -- In the BBC sitcom “Yes, Minister,” fictional politician Jim Hacker said once, “One day your out of your office, and the next day, you’re out of office.” Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has learned that the hard way. While on a visit to New York for the opening of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Thaksin was kicked out of office by his army. What is odd, a great many of the democratic forces as well as investors in the country approve. Zimbabwe’s Inflation Exceeds 1,200% -- The kleptocracy of Robert Mugabe continues to ruin Zimbabwe, one of Africa’s should-be wealthy nations. The latest figures for August show inflation at 1,204.6% (quite why the 6 tenths matters is unclear). Month-on-month, the increase was 211%. At these levels, prices mean nothing, currency has no value, and if goods are on the shelves, they cost 13 times more than a year ago. Even if wages kept up, only a few would benefit. Unemployment in Zimbabwe is running at a Phillips Curve-killing 70%. Princeton and Harvard Drop Early Admission -- The college admission process in the US is part merit, part money and part luck. At Princeton and Harvard, two rather well-regarded schools in two perfectly awful towns, the process just got a bit more sensible with the abolition of early admission. Now if they could get rid of legacies, forget the SATs and remind students that learning is the purpose of a university not handing out sheepskins, things would really be moving in the right direction. © 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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