Global Pulse compares and contrasts news reports on key issues from around the world. Watch new episodes and follow the issues. http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog en-us Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:17:37 -0800 http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/321/in-the-shadow-of-a-wall caf1a3dfb505ffed0d024130f58c5cfa In the latest episode of Global Pulse, host Erin Coker looks at global media coverage of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Watch the episode and share your thoughts below! I remember a talk I had with Danuta Pawlowska, the Polish grandmother of a good friend of mine, in her Warsaw apartment several years ago. A member of the Warsaw resistance during the Nazi occupation, Danuta was closely monitored after the communists took over in the mid 1940s.She recalled a long gossip-filled phone conversation with a close friend. Two hours into the conversation, a booming male voice suddenly burst through the receiver. "Would you just shut up already?" the man groaned. "How much more of this must I listen to?!" I had laughed at the time. For a young American with roots in Warsaw, the idea of a government agent listening to a banal chat with a friend was amusing &ndash; something fit for a dime store spy thriller. In Warsaw's meticulously reconstructed <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/89921956@N00/399017619/" target="_blank">Old Town</a>, today's foreign tourists purchase T-shirts and shot glasses; bursts of bad American pop music filter out of the same fashion chain stores that line Paris' Rue de Rennes or Copenhagen's Strøget. The stylish, boisterous students crowding the bars and cafes have no memory of life in pre-1989 Warsaw.  Yet, if you venture outside of the city center, the medieval architecture gives way to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/heartbeeps/471466181/" target="_blank">monotonous tenements</a>, the color of diesel exhaust. Passing by some of these buildings at dusk is an unnerving, somewhat melancholy experience, and I'll admit that I glanced over my shoulder more than once. For Danuta and millions of others, that reality was life.I was also a child when the Berlin Wall came down.  I remember <a href="http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall/" target="_blank">the now-iconic images</a> of jubilant Berliners  rushing the wall with pickaxes, but I was too young to grasp the larger significance of the event and <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/telegraph-view/6528859/The-Berlin-Wall-fell-and-a-new-Europe-rose.html " target="_blank">what it meant to Germany, Europe and the world</a>.I would like to say that I left Poland with a greater understanding of what day-to-day life must have been like for Europeans, such as Danuta, who had lived under the Soviet regime. Like Warsaw's younger generation, however, that second-hand knowledge can only resonate so much.  The generation gap in Poland has resulted in a new type of barrier, between those who remember and those who came of age in a different time. In the flood of anniversary coverage this week, the most telling, perhaps, is a BBC special report.  Amidst the frenzy of anniversary festivities, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/world/2009/walls_around_the_world/default.stm " target="_blank">Walls Around the World</a> is a sobering reminder of the barriers, from North Korea to Botswana, that have yet to topple. I think of Danuta and of the magnitude of what she witnessed. I wonder which other walls will come down over the course of my lifetime.     Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:35:50 -0800 Link Media, Inc. Europe http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/314/war-and-fallout-what-is-behind-the-pakistan-violence 758874998f5bd0c393da094e1967a72b In the latest Global Pulse episode, <a href="/video/4552/pakistan-at-war">Pakistan at War</a>, <a href="/globalpulse/erin">host Erin Coker</a> asks who is to blame for the violence in Pakistan. Watch the episode and share your thoughts below!Wednesday's market bombing in Peshawar capped off a particularly deadly month in Pakistan amidst a shored up military campaign in the country's western region of Waziristan.  More than 100 people died in Wednesday's attack, many of them women and children. Global media largely attribute the <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33322113/" target="_blank">recent bloodshed</a> to the Pakistani Taliban's attempt to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/world/asia/29pstan.html" target="_blank">destabilize the government in retaliation</a> for recent military efforts to drive extremists from the country's volatile North-West Frontier Province. However, militant violence in Pakistan has been on the rise long before the government launched its new offensive. According to the terrorism database, <a href="http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/pakistan/index.htm" target="_blank">South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP)</a>, terrorist violence killed 2,155 civilians in 2008, compared to 140 in 2003. Similarly, nearly 1800 civilians have been killed in the first 10 months of 2009, exceeding the total number of civilian deaths from 2003 to 2006, according to the SATP. Some international and media experts note that the <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/218930" target="_blank">Pakistani Taliban has absorbed Punjabi militants</a> and other separatist groups, resulting in a new and dangerous band of extremists. These militants are further bolstered by al-Qaeda members who have taken refuge in the country's tribal areas near the Afghan border. This new incarnation of militants, <a href="http://www.cfr.org/publication/15422/" target="_blank">notes the Council on Foreign Relations' Jayshree Bajoria</a>, is "more violent and less conducive to political solutions than their predecessors." <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/10/20/how_to_help_pakistan_win_this_fight?print=yes&hidecomments=yes&page=full" target="_blank">In a Foreign Policy editorial</a>, the Washington, DC-based Atlantic Council attributes Pakistan's inability to contain the growing extremist threat to a lack of modern military might and calls on the U.S. to furnish Pakistan with adequate weaponry to defeat the Taliban. Failure to do so, argues Shuja Nawaz, will result in continued terror strikes on the public.  However, <a href="http://www.riazhaq.com/2009/10/pakistans-intelligence-failures-amidst.html" target="_blank">Pakistani blogger Riaz Haq</a> blames the violence not on a lack of American weapons, but on government intelligence failures. "The best way to stop the increasing carnage on the streets of Pakistan...is to stop the attacks well before they occur," writes Haq. "Unfortunately, however, the intelligence agencies which are supposed to frustrate the blood-thirsty attackers appear totally ineffective, even paralyzed."    While the exact cause of the surge in violence may be up for debate, the toll it is taking on Pakistani civilians is undeniable. The renewed clashes between government forces and the Taliban in North-West Frontier Province have resulted in a <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125603231303996151.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop" target="_blank">second wave of refugees fleeing the fighting</a>, adding strain to <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/worldview/090612/full-frame-swat-valley-refugee-camps" target="_blank">already-crowded camps</a>. According to the U.N., <a href="http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MYAI-7X68P6/$File/full_report.pdf" target="_blank">fighting in South Waziristan has forced an estimated 139,400 people from their homes</a> [PDF link] and could displace thousands more.The latest bombing in Peshawar has also disrupted the lives of Pakistan's urban residents. "The people want to go back to their mundane routines," writes Murtava Razvi in a Dawn editorial. "Youngsters want to go out to the parks, to the beach, to bowl, to eat out. Women want to go shopping unescorted, and men want to go about their daily chores without worrying about families left at home. This isn&rsquo;t happening anymore."   Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:08:31 -0700 Link Media, Inc. South Asia http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/302/from-europe-with-love-nobel-surprise-on-both-sides-of-the-atlantic 577bcc914f9e55d5e4e4f82f9f00e7d4 In this week's Global Pulse episode, <a href="/video/4469/obamas-nobel-war-and-peace-prize">Obama's Nobel War and Peace Prize</a>, <a href="/globalpulse/erin">host Erin Coker</a> asks whether the Norwegian Nobel Committee made the right choice in awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama. Watch the episode and share your thoughts below!Following the unexpected announcement in Oslo last week, much of the domestic press attributed Obama's Nobel win to his international appeal, particularly in Europe.  <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1009/p02s13-usgn.html" target="_blank">The Christian Science Monitor notes</a> the award indicated "a particularly European appreciation" of the U.S. president, while an <a href="http://news.aol.com/article/barack-obamas-nobel-peace-prize-reflects/711836" target="_blank">AOL News headline reads "Obama's Nobel Reflects Europe's Approval."</a>"The puzzled and heated domestic reaction&hellip;is only the latest instance of a gulf in perception between the two sides of the Atlantic," writes James Graff. "The Nobel Committee's decision is a European vote of confidence on the way this particular American president is setting the global agenda."There is little doubt that Obama is popular among Europeans. A recent <a href="http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1376/obama-nobel-prize-global-opinion" target="_blank">Pew Research Center Global Attitudes Survey</a> reported that 93 percent of Germans and 86 percent of Britons said they had confidence in Obama to do the right thing in world affairs. Similarly, 91 percent in France rated Obama favorably -- a dramatic shift from 2008 when only 13 percent of French expressed confidence in George W. Bush.However, even the <a href="http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/europe_reacts_to_obamas_nobel.php" target="_blank">U.S. president&rsquo;s transatlantic supporters were baffled and perplexed by the win</a>, calling the award premature and, like their U.S. counterparts, questioning what Obama had actually done to warrant such an honor.    "It used to be the rule that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to politicians if they could point to tangible political successes," writes <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,654251,00.html" target="_blank">Claus Christian Malzahn in a Der Spiegel editorial</a>. "Awarding him the Nobel Prize now is like giving a medal to a marathon runner who has just managed the first few kilometers."<a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6867711.ece" target="_blank">The U.K.'s Times Online took the criticism even further</a>, calling the decision to award the prize to Obama "absurd," and accusing the committee of making a "mockery" of the award.So if not an endorsement from Europe, what was behind the Nobel shakeup?Some international media outlets point to former <a href="http://www.norway-coe.org/ARKIV/jagland/News/nobel/" target="_blank">Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland</a>, appointed earlier this year to head the Nobel committee, as the driving force behind Obama's win. <a href="http://features.csmonitor.com/globalnews/2009/10/09/the-international-politics-behind-obamas-nobel-peace-prize/" target="_blank">The Christian Science Monitor's global news blog notes</a> that Jagland "has an activist vision for the Nobel as a prize that can spur peace, rather than simply reward its achievement."<a href="http://www.lemonde.fr/ameriques/article/2009/10/10/les-coulisses-d-une-nomination-qui-tranche-avec-la-tradition_1252116_3222.html#ens_id=1249605" target="_blank">France's Le Monde was even more blunt</a>: "The former Nobel Committee president would have never nominated Obama."Regardless of the politics behind the award, the reaction to Obama's Nobel is a reminder that action, not vision, will be most crucial in the president's long-term success at home and abroad.   Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Europe North America http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/296/global-media-on-china-the-worst-of-both-systems d296c101daa88a51f6ca8cfc1ac79b50 In the <a href="/video/4440/china-peaks-world-freaks">latest episode of Global Pulse</a>, <a href="/globalpulse/erin">host Erin Coker</a> asks whether China's 60th anniversary festivities were a display of power for the world or just for Chinese citizens. Watch the episode and leave your comments below!Media worldwide covered China's celebration of 60 years of communist rule, acknowledging <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1924366-2,00.html" target="_blank">China's rise over the past six decades,</a> while also pointing out its <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8285215.stm" target="_blank">spotty human rights record</a> and the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/6249085/China-puts-on-its-Party-best-for-60th-anniversary.html" target="_blank">barring of its own citizens</a> from attending the festivities. Such general wariness of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) celebration may be indicative of a greater global anxiety concerning China's new place on the world stage. In marrying the tenets of communism with explosive economic growth, the country has, perhaps, come to embody the worst of communism and capitalism -- reckless urbanization within the rigid framework of a repressive authoritarian system. The result? A growing power whose rapid industrial expansion and repression of personal freedoms is both a <a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115955597971578257-Rw5Z_NF7IewWdQJ2HrHo0cduenk_20070423.html" target="_blank">detriment to its people</a> and a <a href="http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/63042/g-john-ikenberry/the-rise-of-china-and-the-future-of-the-west" target="_blank">possible threat to western interests.</a>Some experts question the durability of the so-called "authoritarian capitalism" model. "The more open and competitive an economy becomes, the greater the pressure to liberalize political institutions and democratize civil society," <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/01/china-60th-anniversary" target="_blank">notes Tim Dunne in a Guardian editorial.</a> "China wants the former while resisting the latter."For state-run Chinese media however, capitalism remains an opposing ideology that is distinct from both the country's government and its burgeoning economy. A recent opinion piece in the state-run <a href="http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90780/6681433.html" target="_blank">People's Daily extols socialism as the country&rsquo;s historical choice</a>, while an article on the <a href="http://english.cctv.com/program/bizchina/20090927/101438.shtml" target="_blank">CCTV website attributes China's private sector expansion</a> to the country's larger socialist market economy.In <a href="http://web.mit.edu/yshuang/www/" target="_blank">Yasheng Huang's</a> 2008 book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Capitalism-Chinese-Characteristics-Entrepreneurship-State/dp/0521898102" target="_blank">Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics</a>, the MIT professor points to reforms of governance, not market reforms, as crucial for China&rsquo;s brand of capitalism to thrive. "Many of the endemic problems in the Chinese economy today&mdash;massive pollution, corruption, inefficient capital deployment, land grabs, and so forth&mdash;cannot be tackled without&hellip;reforms of Chinese political governance," a <a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE5040IU20090105?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0" target="_blank">Reuters article notes in an analysis of Huang's book.</a> In the end, whether seen as a pure success story, a threat to the west, or the worst of two economic systems, China's continuing rise assures that it will not be ignored.   Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:03:49 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Asia http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/295/us-media-and-the-overseas-invasion 49182f81e6a13cf5eaa496d51fea6406 In this week's special behind-the-scenes episode, <a href="/video/4435/inside-global-pulse">Inside Global Pulse</a>, <a href="/globalpulse/erin">host Erin Coker</a> gives viewers an inside glimpse of what goes into the making of a Global Pulse Episode, particularly the role of international news outlets. Watch this episode below!Since the conclusion of the Cold War, and particularly in the last decade, U.S. coverage of international news has significantly declined. While U.S. news outlets briefly ramped up overseas coverage immediately following 9/11, in recent years <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/01/04/6176" target="_blank">international stories have once again dropped off</a> in favor of nationally focused pieces. In 2008, <a href="http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45300" target="_blank">foreign news coverage was at a record low</a>. Strained budgets and sinking ad revenues have further altered the global media landscape, forcing the <a href="http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=3409" target="_blank">closure of U.S. foreign bureaus</a> from Paris to Bangkok, with foreign correspondents in the traditional sense <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/16/AR2007021601713.html" target="_blank">becoming increasingly obsolete. </a>Ironically, news outlets broadcasting in English have exploded in the last decade. Such newly emerging global news channels include <a href="http://russiatoday.com/" target="_blank">Russia Today</a>, <a href="http://english.cctv.com/01/index.shtml" target="_blank">China&rsquo;s CCTV</a>, <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/" target="_blank">Al Jazeera English</a>, <a href="http://www.france24.com/en/" target="_blank">France 24</a>, and <a href="http://www.presstv.ir/" target="_blank">Press TV from Iran</a>, to name a few.   Why the news invasion? Some experts point to a desire to offer a unique country-specific perspective on a world media stage dominated by CNN and the BBC. A jab, perhaps, at "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/dec/06/france.broadcasting" target="_blank">Anglo-Saxon imperialism.</a>" Others see the phenomenon as propaganda by non-democratic <a href="http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/01/29/chinas-new-propaganda-machine" target="_blank">governments like China</a>, attempting to skew the facts. <a href="http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0713/comcast-al-qaeda-will-americans-tune-to-al-jazeera.html" target="_blank">Al Jazeera English is still reviled by many Americans</a> as promoting anti-western bias at best, and as a mouthpiece for dangerous extremists at worst. Regardless of one's position on these international outlets, the majority of Americans are unable (or unlikely) to tune in. <a href="http://experts.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/06/04/the_international_news_will_not_be_televised" target="_blank">In a Foreign Policy editorial</a>, Cyril Blet, author of Une Voix Mondiale Pour un État, (A World Voice for a State), a book profiling the state of world news, notes that unlike in Europe and elsewhere, international channels in the U.S. are available only via special cable or satellite packages, if at all. The lack of easy access to international news channels, he says, puts Americans at a disadvantage. "When American viewers can't access international news, their ability to take part in global conversations suffers greatly," argues Blet. "The average U.S. television-watcher doesn't ever see the diverse interpretations of any single event that filter in to most TVs across the world."With the Internet making international programming more accessible than ever, this may change in the coming years. But perhaps less important than specific broadcast platforms in international news distribution, is the belief in the value of these global conversations.   Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:36:40 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North America http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/282/the-french-exception-sarkozys-bonus-battle 6a9aeddfc689c1d0e3b9ccc3ab651bc5 For this week's Global Pulse episode, <a href="/video/4359/bonus-battle">Bonus Battle</a>, <a href="/globalpulse/erin">host Erin Coker</a> asks whether France's new bonus restrictions are workable. Share your thoughts and watch this episode below!A leader whose extravagant lifestyle once <a href="http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1697098,00.html" target="_blank">earned him the moniker "President Bling-Bling,"</a> Nicolas Sarkozy has adopted a <a href="http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/wealthofnations/archive/2009/09/07/sarkozy-bullies-french-banks-over-bonuses.aspx" target="_blank">tough stance against financial excess in recent weeks</a>. Following <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gHEh4cIXw5TQVD5ziuZgKBARy3og" target="_blank">national furor over banking giant BNP Paribas' partial use of government bailout funds</a> to finance a one billion euro bonus payout, new rules require French banks to spread bonus payments over three years, with one-third of bonuses to be paid in stocks. If a trader's investments lose money, the trader also loses the bonus.The French president has since taken his bonus battle to the international stage, calling for broad global measures to curb traders' compensation, including a fixed international limit on bonuses. <a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-42437620090914" target="_blank">Sarkozy even threatened to walk out of the G-20 summit</a> if leaders fail to reach an agreement on bonuses. European Commission President José Barroso told Bloomberg television that citizens "are horrified" by banks' use of government funds to pay bonuses, and that international bonus restrictions could <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=abaL5Bm_QXaY" target="_blank">"restore credibility to the financial system."</a>Although American and British leaders agree on the need for financial regulation, they have <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125304930897313465.html" target="_blank">balked at the idea of bonus caps</a>. President Obama is "<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=abaL5Bm_QXaY" target="_blank">reluctant to set individual compensation levels</a>." It is looking like Sarkozy may compromise on the caps, as long as the larger package is put in place.Debates over bank bonuses are also raging outside of the political sphere. Earlier this year, American and British outrage over executive bonuses spurred demonstrations from <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE52I7ZP20090319" target="_blank">Wall Street</a> to <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSTRE5193KD20090210" target="_blank">London</a>. However, as the global economy shows signs of recovery, some experts have questioned the need to quell bonuses. "I don't think, ultimately, people really care that much about banker bonuses," <a href="http://business.theatlantic.com/2009/09/will_the_g20_regulate_bank_bonuses.php" target="_blank">writes Daniel Indiviglio in a recent Atlantic Monthly article</a>. "The only reason they do now is because there was a financial crisis. Once things get better, most of that anger dissipates." He adds: "The bonus culture isn&rsquo;t what caused the financial crisis, it was a culmination of factors."The Washington DC-based <a href="http://www.ips-dc.org/articles/can_europe_pop_the_us_ceo_pay_bubble" target="_blank">Institute for Policy Studies hailed the Sarkozy decision</a>, arguing that European government action "will open up opportunities in Washington for real change to an executive compensation system that now threatens our economy and our democracy."But even some French supporters are doubtful that the global financial world will embrace the measures. "Sarkozy's idea is a good one," Nicolas Bouchard, a 32-year-old Paris-based corporate attorney told Global Pulse in an email. "But it is a difficult one to carry out in a global system.  Paris is a small financial center in comparison with Wall Street or London."One self-described French "utopist" offered another way that Sarkozy could display support for the end of economic excess. In an email to Global Pulse, Alexandre Carpentier, 28, <a href="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_636641.html" target="_blank">challenged summit attendees to forgo luxury hotels</a> in favor of more modest accommodations. "It would help the local economy, there would be less rioting and people would be proud of their leaders," the Paris-based competition lawyer explained.A bit of a stretch? Probably. But a reminder that in a world recovering from financial fallout, public scrutiny is on political leaders as much as it is on banks -- particularly a president trying to distance himself from a "bling-bling" image.   Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:02:37 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Europe http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/276/swine-flu-diary- db8e1af0cb3aca1ae2d0018624204529 For this week's Global Pulse episode, <a href="/video/4322/swine-flu-the-vaccination">Swine Flu: The Vaccination</a>, <a href="/globalpulse/erin">host Erin Coker</a> asks, Will you get vaccinated? Share your thoughts and watch this episode below!When I first learned of swine flu, I dismissed the general reaction as unnecessary panic over something no more threatening than &ndash; well, catching the flu. Inconvenient and uncomfortable, but hardly the second coming of the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol12no01/05-0979.htm" target="_blank">1918 influenza pandemic</a>.Then I caught the H1N1 virus myself. After being diagnosed, I took comfort in the fact that, <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/surveillanceqa.htm" target="_blank">according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>, of the estimated 1 million Americans believed to have been infected with the virus between April and June, only about 593 have died. To provide a bit of perspective, seasonal flu can result in up to 500,000 deaths worldwide each year. So if you do get swine flu, chances are it will not kill you, or even result in serious symptoms. I am living proof, although there were times over the last week when I wasn&rsquo;t so sure."Uncomfortable and inconvenient" is an understatement. I am a generally healthy young person, but I was immobilized by a high fever, chills, severe muscle pain and fatigue. I would be dishonest if I said that there weren't a few scary moments when I felt compelled to inhale deeply to make certain my lungs were still working. The normally benign shadows on my ceiling took on a menacing hallucinatory quality. Would ever feel like myself again? Six days of bed rest, fluids and the antiviral Tamiflu later, I am starting to feel better. So, have my feelings about swine flu changed? Yes and no. <a href="http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/SwineFluNews/swine-flu/Story?id=8525109&page=1" target="_blank">As ABC News reported earlier this week</a>, thousands of people have contracted swine flu in recent months and have made a full recovery. Global mortality rates to date are lower than those associated with seasonal flu -- the World Health Organization (WHO) reports 2,837 H1N1 deaths worldwide -- but health experts have noted that H1N1 may cause more severe illness and death in younger adults and children than does the seasonal flu. <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE57R3DR20090829" target="_blank">Reuters reported that the WHO has also warned of a severe strain of swine flu</a> that can cause acute respiratory illness in otherwise healthy young people. More disturbing is the potential threat to developing countries, which often lack the resources to produce vaccines. A <a href="http://maplecroft.com/Influenza_Pandemic_News_Release.pdf" target="_blank">recent report released by a UK-based global risks intelligence firm (PDF)</a> notes that while Western nations may be at the greatest risk of spreading H1N1, they also have significant resources to contain the proliferation of the virus. In contrast, Sub-Saharan Africa stands out as the area least able to contain an influenza pandemic. Underdeveloped health facilities and the difficulty of accessing doctors in rural areas could pose further risks to vulnerable populations. Nonetheless, as I read recent reports warning of a more aggressive <a href="http://health.yahoo.com/news/afp/healthfluwho_20090823032222.html" target="_blank">second wave of H1N1</a>, or speculations of a <a href="http://www.france24.com/en/20090827-pandemic-virus-could-get-nastier-year-two" target="_blank">deadly mutated super virus</a>, I recall what <a href="http://know-hari.blogspot.com/2009/08/happenings-in-pune-swine-flu-hysteria.html" target="_blank">Indian blogger Hariharan Krishnamurthy</a> wrote in mid-August after a swine flu outbreak killed 20 people in Mumbai and in the western city of Pune: "There is a mass hysteria about the swine flu... The news channels are adding fuel to the fire... and newspapers showing only the negativity... I am not trying to undermine the seriousness of the issue but also so much panic is also not at all required."A good reminder that prudence and preventative measures are best combined with a healthy dose of perspective.  Take it from one of the latest statistics.   Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:44:58 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Europe Sub-Saharan Africa Asia North America http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/270/opposition-detainee-abuse-and-irans-power-struggle 39059724f73a9969845dfe4146c5660e For this week's <a href="/globalpulse">Global Pulse</a> episode, <a href="/video/4300/irans-power-players">Iran&rsquo;s Power Players</a>, <a href="/globalpulse/erin">host Erin Coker</a> asks the question: Are Khamenei and Ahmadinejad playing "good cop, bad cop"? Share your thoughts below!In the nearly three months since Iran's disputed election and the massive street protests that followed, global media have turned their attention to the <a href="http://loln.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/first-hand-testimonials-of-a-21-year-old-iranian-protester-who-was-arrested-on-18-tir-protests-in-tehran-and-taken-to-kahrizak-camp/" target="_blank">internal factional bickering within Iran's ruling party</a>. Allegations of detainee abuse have created further fissures within Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's conservative government, with the country's leadership offering conflicting responses to the allegations. Reacting to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/world/middleeast/25iran.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=iran&st=cse" target="_blank">claims made by opposition candidate Mehdi Karroubi of detainee torture and sexual abuse</a>, Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani vehemently dismissed the allegations as "sheer lies," <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/08/12/iran.detainees.rape/index.html" target="_blank">according to a CNN report</a>. Larijani's remarks contradicted police and judiciary officials who <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124981887021617179.html" target="_blank">acknowledged detainee abuse at the now-shuttered Kahrizak prison</a> and promised to investigate the claims. According to The Guardian, an unnamed Iranian MP said he had <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/27/iran-ayatollah-khamenei-us-uk" target="_blank">proof of the abuse</a>, further contradicting Larijani.As this week's episode points out, Ahmadinejad and the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have also appeared at odds over abuse allegations. According to a <a href="http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=104682&sectionid=351020101" target="_blank">report that ran on the state-controlled Press TV website</a> on August 28th, Ahmadinejad blamed the abuse on an enemy plot, saying that he had evidence which "exonerated revolutionary, military, security and intelligence forces." But three days later, following a report that the detained son of a conservative political advisor had died as a result of abuse, the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8231247.stm" target="_blank">BBC reported that Ayatollah Khamenei promised the young man's father that those responsible would be brought to justice</a>.The confusing signals reflect factional struggles at the highest levels of government, which can only be aggravated by the <a href="http://loln.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/first-hand-testimonials-of-a-21-year-old-iranian-protester-who-was-arrested-on-18-tir-protests-in-tehran-and-taken-to-kahrizak-camp/" target="_blank">Iranian blogosphere's relentless pursuit of allegations of torture</a>, sexual abuse and killings of detained protesters, often through <a href="http://iranian009.blogfa.com/post-49.aspx" target="_blank">chilling personal accounts</a>. On September 2, the <a href="http://www.zamaaneh.com/enzam/2009/09/karoubi-announces-disappe.html" target="_blank">independent Radio Zamanah&rsquo;s website</a> reported that a rape victim and key witness in the case had disappeared. Mentions of the story surfaced several times throughout the day on the microblogging site Twitter, alongside posts like "Regime, No matter how many you execute, torture, or rape. We will never stop. We will never give up on our right to freedom," and, "Saeedeh's body was burned & almost unrecognizable (note that she was arrested from her house, so burning was deliberate)."Even after the dust has settled on the present internal political struggle, it may take more than damage control to bridge the divisions between the Iranian government and its people.   Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:23:40 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Middle East http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/266/the-health-care-debate-in-the-us-and-why-i-care f7664060cc52bc6f3d620bcedc94a4b6 Do you have a health care story? Visit <a href="/realconversations/4/what-is-your-health-care-story">Link TV's Real Conversations webcam site</a> and tell us about it.   Health care reform is the hottest topic in U.S. news media this summer. One question that arises in this debate is whether the government should spend the money to overhaul the old system, or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zoQyF9buRM" target="_blank">use the money to pay off federal deficits</a>? As one of the 47 million uninsured Americans, I think that the health care system in the U.S. is terrible. I earn barely enough to cover my expenses, and at the end of the month, I am left with very little extra cash to spend on something as important and necessary as health insurance. I looked into buying insurance, and since I&rsquo;m very healthy with no prior medical conditions, I expected to see insurance premiums of $50 - $85 a month. I was shocked to find that the lowest premiums started at $150 - $200, excluding dental or vision!! There was no way I could afford those prices. Fortunately, I live in San Francisco, a very conscious and progressive city, where two years ago the City and County introduced a program called "<a href="http://www.healthysanfrancisco.org/" target="_blank">Healthy San Francisco</a>." This program covers primary care for all city residents, and the pay structure is based on income. I have now been with this program for one year and, although it doesn&rsquo;t include major medical care, I&rsquo;m happy. But I began to wonder what would happen if I broke my leg. Would I be able to afford the hospital bills, or would they bankrupt me? A <a href="http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/upload/7773.pdf" target="_blank">survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation</a> [PDF link] found that: "Every week, thousands of Americans file for bankruptcy related to medical costs [and] 42% of adults report having problems accessing health care due to cost." I definitely favor a system of health care that benefits everyone, especially those that cannot afford it. After all, the rich will always be able to afford health care whether it is universal or not. <a href="http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4967/outrageous.jpg" target="_blank">Here&rsquo;s a cartoon that says it all</a>. How do other developed countries manage their citizens&rsquo; health care? <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/countries/" target="_blank">PBS Frontline&rsquo;s "Sick Around the World" website</a> describes how five of the world&rsquo;s developed nations go about taking care of their sick.  A completely socialized health care system might not work in the U.S., but universal care with regulated options that are based on fair-market values just might work. While providing access to all, it will create motivation for insurers and providers to offer the best service they can. In this week's Global Pulse episode, <a href="/video/4269/health-care-america-and-the-world">Health Care: America and the World</a>, host John Hamilton asks for your health care stories. Share your thoughts at <a href="/realconversations">Link's Real Conversations site</a>!   Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:29:14 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North America http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/262/womens-rights-in-afghanistan-then-and-now-has-anything-changed 36660e59856b4de58a219bcf4e27eba3 Is misogyny an inherent part of Afghan culture? No, it's not. As far back as the 1920s, the Afghan government showed support for women. Mahmud Tarzi, Afghanistan's Foreign Minister and the King's father-in-law, was an "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan" target="_blank">ardent supporter</a>" of women&rsquo;s education. In the late 1970s the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Democratic_Party_of_Afghanistan" target="_blank">Soviet-backed People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan</a> gained power and expanded women&rsquo;s rights substantially.After the Soviet war, fundamentalist "Mujahideen" warlords gained power. "Serious wide-spread violations of 'women's rights' by Mujahideen soldiers included rape and torture," writes <a href="http://www.change-links.org/Afghanwomen.htm" target="_blank">Sonali Kolhatkar in Change Links</a>. Eventually, the Taliban seized power, further eroding human rights and basic freedoms, especially for women.The situation of women in Afghanistan has improved since the Taliban rule, but even now remains desperate. Many are still routinely raped, abused and treated like second-class citizens. Then it was the Taliban, now <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/14/afghanistan-womens-rights-rape" target="_blank">President Karzai has passed a law</a> backed by fundamentalist parliamentarians and clerics that legalizes abuse towards Shiite women. When boys grows up seeing how their fathers, uncles or brothers mistreat women in the family, they cannot be expected to see that a women has rights or opinions. By passing laws that further instill abusive treatment of women, Afghan men find justification to continue mistreating them. Karzai himself is part of this mindset, as is indicated in this <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/melanie_reid/article6799629.ece" target="_blank">Times of London editorial</a>: "[Karzai's] wife, Zinat Karzai, a medical doctor...has no voice, is rarely seen in public and is reported to have told an activist that she did not leave the house because her husband did not like it and did not give his permission."<a href="http://www.malalaijoya.com/index1024.htm" target="_blank">Malalai Joya</a>, an Afghan ex-MP and champion for justice and women&rsquo;s rights who is featured in this week's Global Pulse episode, said in an <a href="http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/malalai-joya-the-afghan-woman-who-refuses-to-be-silenced-14448417.html" target="_blank">interview with the Belfast Telegraph</a>, "Karzai rules only with the permission of the warlords. He is 'a shameless puppet'...the only people who get to serve as president are those selected by the US government and the mafia that holds power in our country." She goes on to say that there is no difference between the Taliban and the warlords that are in power now, and that they were the ones that introduced the "laws oppressing women followed by the Taliban."In a country where <a href="http://www.womenforwomen.org/global-initiatives-helping-women/help-women-afghanistan.php" target="_blank">85% of women have no formal education</a>, where women are so desperate for justice that they <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EILH2i-uPCw" target="_blank">set themselves ablaze</a> and where women cannot even step outside of their house without their husband's permission, how can we in the West really believe that Afghanistan is really a democracy and that things are getting better for Afghan women?   In this week's <a href="/globalpulse">Global Pulse</a> episode, <a href="/video/4249/afghan-women-far-from-equal">Afghan Women: Far From Equal</a>, <a href="/globalpulse/erin">host Erin Coker</a> asks whether the media should pay more attention to the struggle of women in Afghanistan. Share your thoughts below!     Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:47:23 -0700 Link Media, Inc. South Asia http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/256/naked-politicians--truth--honesty f718499c1c8cef6730f9fd03c8125cab   In my opinion, nakedness lays bare a person's true nature. It strips away hidden agendas, dishonesty and any sense that the person is untouchable. I could see nakedness playing an important role in the world of politics. I am tired of the deception of politicos. I want the naked truth. A <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/may/11/thenakedtruth" target="_blank">humorous article</a> on the Guardian website speculates that many political careers would end if politicians made speeches in the nude. For example, "If Robert Mugabe had to stand naked before the people of Zimbabwe and justify his actions he'd be gone in seconds." The writer, Richard Smith, muses that nakedness among politicians could go so far as to abolish tyranny. It makes me laugh to think of that.Vladimir Putin has turned heads by gallivanting shirtless around Siberia. Sure, it's easy for Western media to poke fun at the Russian PM, but as <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,503248,00.html" target="_blank">reported by Spiegel Online</a>, the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaja Pravda "ran a 'Be Like Putin' article, instructing men about exercises they can do to develop a robust torso like Putin's.&rdquo; Seems like Putin has found a way to motivate young Russian men to be fit and healthy by showing off his own naked torso!In Belgium, politician <a href="http://www.nee-antwerpen.be/" target="_blank">Tania Derveaux</a>, the leading candidate of the NEE party for the senate, posed nude in a billboard campaign. Sexy and suggestive, these posters might just gain the support Tania needs to win the senate seat.And in Poland, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Party_%28Poland%29" target="_blank">Polish Women's Party</a> used a similar tactic as Tania, albeit a little less suggestive and more political, in their campaign posters. In a <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1564180/Polish-women-strip-off-in-bid-to-woo-voters.html" target="_blank">Telegraph article</a>, party founder and writer, Manuela Gretkowska said, "This poster is intended to shatter stereotypes in the anachronistic world of politics, which is more often dominated by uncommunicative men." According to <a href="http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2007/10/4023/naked_politicians/" target="_blank">Lara Kattan</a>, a writer and professor at Northwestern University, "Most of the major [Polish] parties list female candidates' names on the bottom of electoral lists so they're not seen and not voted for."Nakedness shows that politicians can relax, be at ease and be human like the rest of us.Do we need more nudity in government? Does seeing our politicians without their clothes on give us more confidence in their leadership abilities? I think so. What do you think?         In this week's Global Pulse episode, <a href="/video/4229">World Leaders - NAKED!</a>, host Erin Coker asks why we are so fascinated by seeing our politicians in the buff. Share your thoughts on "Naked Politicians = Truth + Honesty"!     Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:45:57 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Europe Sub-Saharan Africa Asia http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/253/bill-clinton-pleases-north-koreas-kim-jong-il c24cd76e1ce41366a4bbe8a49b02a028 For this week's <a href="/globalpulse">Global Pulse</a> episode, <a href="/video/4198/mr-clinton-goes-to-pyongyang">Mr. Clinton Goes to Pyongyang</a>, <a href="/globalpulse/erin">host Erin Coker</a> asks the question: Did Kim Jong Il win this one? Share your thoughts and read our blog post, "Bill Clinton's Unique Position as U.S. Humanitarian and Diplomat", below!       Bill Clinton's Unique Position as U.S. Humanitarian and Diplomat Did Kim Jong Il win this one? After being held in North Korea for several months, two American journalists finally returned home, thanks to Bill Clinton's deft negotiations with Kim Jong Il. Ultimately, the release of the two young women served the interests of both of these poweful men on the international political stage.  One question that remains is whether it should have been the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, negotiating the return of U.S. citizens. An article on CNN's website commented that, "<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/06/bill.clinton.diplomatic.skills/" target="_blank">Former presidents are used as envoys and undertake humanitarian missions all the time</a>," and, "Hillary herself has said she considered her husband a trusted adviser and could even consider using him where appropriate." In the world of international diplomacy and humanitarianism, acheiving the goal is more important than who achieves it.   Bill Clinton might be the perfect candidate to create an opening on the crucial nuclear issue. As a former president and husband of the current Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, he is in a unique position to be a humanitarian ambassador. He also has charm and recognition that allow him to gain access to the most difficult of places. The video below, from Al Jazeera English, outlines the U.S. media debate sparked by the visit. Not surprisingly, the Obama administration is calling it a humanitarian mission, while former Bush administration officials say Pyonyang is using the reporters as "pawns" to "enhance [the] regime's legitimacy." You decide:       Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:19:07 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Asia North America http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/245/the-real-green-revolution-creates-climate-refugees 0266e33d3f546cb5436a10798e657d97 The term "Green Revolution" is associated nowadays with the increased level of environmental consciousness: businesses changing their operations to incorporate more environmental practices, and the advent of environmental consumerism. Actually the "Green Revolution" was a 1960's term that referred to new varieties of rice and wheat for developing countries that were more drought and pest resistant, more responsive to advanced fertilization methods, and ultimately produced higher yielding crops. A <a href="http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/ib/ib11.pdf" target="_blank">comprehensive report</a> [PDF] on the Green Revolution by the International Food Policy Research Institute describes the background and history of this movement. This "Revolution" was a great way to increase yields of wheat and rice production, alleviate hunger and provide an income to poverty-stricken farming communities in developing countries. But now, 4 decades later, other problems are arising. The land is no longer arable due to the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, polluted waterways, salt build-up and eventual loss of biodiversity on farms. The people forced to leave their land are known as <a href="http://www.towardsrecognition.org/who-are-environmental-migrants/" target="_blank">environmental migrants</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_refugee" target="_blank">climate refugees</a>. More details on the environmental impacts of the Green Revolution can be found on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution#Environmental_impacts" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>.Developing countries, such as Bangladesh and Ethiopia, that could be considered to be among the least responsible for major climate change, are the ones that are being the hardest hit. A video report created by the U.N. Development Program explains the relationship between human development and climate change.   Rice farmers in Bangladesh have lost their crops due to excessive flooding, while farmers in Ethiopia are praying for rain, all resulting in more poverty, starvation and refugees as land becomes less and less arable. However, Indian farmers have taken matters into their own hands by shunning modern agricultural technologies and going back to their traditional ways of farming. According to <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104708731" target="_blank">this article on NPR&rsquo;s website</a>, an Indian farmer named Sharma enjoyed 20 years of an increase in crop yields and subsequent income as a result of the Green Revolution. Then his soil began to deteriorate and he needed to buy more and more fertilizers to grow the same amount of crops. He soon realized that the only way to sustain his crops was to go organic. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/30/gmcrops.india" target="_blank">In another article</a>, the Guardian states that "Sustainable agriculture involves hard work and does not guarantee huge profits, but it will not harm the farmers' health, brings personal satisfaction, and involves fewer financial risks." The U.S., as one of the world&rsquo;s largest consumers, can take a stand in reducing its own unsustainable agricultural practices and become a model for other nations, by increasing the demand for organic farming and native plant propagation. The <a href="http://www.slowfood.com/" target="_blank">Slow Food Organization</a> is a great international proponent of eating locally grown and prepared foods. Furthermore, if we as citizens of this country demand more government subsidies for organic farmers, then perhaps sustainable farming will gain significant momentum. <a href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_7245.cfm" target="_blank">Here is an article</a> that points to how little the government supports organic farming. The International Society for Cow Protection <a href="http://www.iscowp.org/Articles/Vol15%20I%203%20The%20Future%20Belongs%20to%20Organic%20Gardening.htm" target="_blank">talks about how the future lies in organic farming</a>, and industrial farming practices are becoming less and less attractive, especially for small farmers. This video indicates how the future might look if we adopt organic farming practices fully. It seems bright indeed!     And learn more about the current state of the food crisis on our dedicated <a href="/food">Issue page</a>. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:01:08 -0700 Link Media, Inc. http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/242/the-case-for-space-in-the-21st-century- e4a6222cdb5b34375400904f03d8e6a5 Countries all over the world continue the push to explore the final frontier: space.  In the post-Cold War era, India, China and Japan have entered the race. Why go to space? Are there not enough expensive problems on Earth? National pride and security seem to be the obvious reasons, and the lure of untapped mineral resources.In an <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106742521" target="_blank">article on NPR&rsquo;s website</a>, Roger Launius, the senior curator in Space History at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. says, "The moon was just another place for the Cold War to play out... We really went to the moon because of the geo-political rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union -- a competition on a broad front between two superpowers over control of the world."Now that the Cold War has ended, the need to travel and explore space has grown more complex. The space race is no longer confined to the Moon; it includes establishing space stations, satellites for telecommunications and exploring planets, asteroids and meteors as well. Increasingly, the role of exploring space is driven by a need to augment knowledge about the physical universe in order to support the Earth. India, a developing country that has shown significant advancement in space technology, has been launching satellites that have been playing a supporting role in agriculture, water resources, urban development, mineral prospecting, environment, forestry, drought and flood forecasting, ocean resources and disaster management, according to an <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/15/india.space/" target="_blank">article on CNN&rsquo;s website</a>. India's space program founder, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikram_Sarabhai" target="_blank">Vikram Sarbhai</a>, said 60 years ago, "We are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society."On the economical side of things, there are many mineral rich regions on the Moon and possibly other planets that could supplement the Earth's energy needs, therefore leading to a large economic boost for countries that hold rights to these resources. An <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_space_race" target="_blank">article on Wikipedia</a> says, "The Moon is thought to be rich in Helium-3, which could one day be used in nuclear fusion power plants to fuel future energy demands in Asia, which harbors over 60 percent of the world's population and is among its fastest-growing economies." As a result, China has been focused on sending its taikonauts to the Moon. Another <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106864947" target="_blank">article on NPR's website</a> reported Ouyang Ziyuan, the lead scientist with China's Lunar Exploration Program, saying that the aim of China's space program is clear: to advance the country's economic and scientific development. Ouyang says, "We could meet the whole world's energy needs with a hundred tons of helium-3 a year. That means we could supply the Earth with enough energy for 10,000 years."  This is a significant finding, in view of the world's current energy crisis, such as the dwindling oil supplies and increasing climate overload.Considering the reasons above, the quest for newer resources of energy outside our planet might be a justifiable expense. The <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html" target="_blank">International Space Station</a> is a good example of cooperation between nations. Here, space travelers from many different countries work together in cooperation, while governments on Earth continue their rivalries and wars. As <a href="http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan" target="_blank">Carl Sagan</a>, an American astronomer and popular science writer said, "A new consciousness is developing which sees the earth as a single organism and recognizes that an organism at war with itself is doomed. We are one planet. One of the great revelations of the age of space exploration is the image of the earth finite and lonely, somehow vulnerable, bearing the entire human species through the oceans of space and time." Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:12:23 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North America Asia South Asia http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog/post/236/virtual-surveillance-and-hacking--two-versions-of-the-same-thing 01161aaa0b6d1345dd8fe4e481144d84 This week&rsquo;s <a href="/video/4121/cyber-attack-or-media-hack">Global Pulse</a> examines hackers disrupting government websites. But governments are themselves hackers.  The <a href="http://www.eff.org/issues/nsa-spying" target="_blank">Electronic Frontier Foundation describes</a> how the U.S. National Security Administration and AT&T teamed up and &ldquo;engaged in a massive program of illegal dragnet surveillance &hellip; of ordinary Americans.&rdquo; Most analysts say China keeps track of its citizen&rsquo;s computers through the &ldquo;<a href="http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2009-03/2009-03-31-voa12.cfm?CFID=253397922&CFTOKEN=37567981&jsessionid=843016046241f811765c716e398086338793" target="_blank">Ghostnet</a>&rdquo;, and by <a href="http://www.securecomputing.net.au/News/124397,chinese-government-spying-on-skype-users.aspx" target="_blank">spying</a> on communications through Skype. An article in <a href="http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/64494.html?wlc=1247686379" target="_blank">Tech News World</a> says that &ldquo;Russia&rsquo;s apparent effort to shut down Georgian government websites in August (2008) was one of the most public incidents of cyber attacks by a government to date.&rdquo; Even liberal Holland has admitted to spying on a local news agency by means of hacking, as this article from the <a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,515640,00.html" target="_blank">Der Spiegel website</a> indicates.  It makes us wonder, is hacking different from a government&rsquo;s spying on its own people and other countries? One obvious difference is that governments have more resources and personnel than hackers have. Bruce Shneier defines a hacker as &ldquo;&hellip;someone who discards conventional wisdom, and does something else instead. Someone who looks at the edge and wonders what's beyond. Someone who sees a set of rules and wonders what happens if you don't follow them.&rdquo; According to a <a href="http://w2.eff.org/Net_culture/Hackers/hackers_in_the_mist.article" target="_blank">study</a> by Roger Blake at EFF, hackers are &ldquo;mostly male, between the ages of twelve and twenty-eight&rdquo; and, &ldquo;consider themselves misfits and misunderstood.&rdquo; The same study speaks of how hacker communities create their own information economy that values expertise in gathering information, much in the same way a surveillance operation does.  Finally, a handful of accomplished hackers can grow up to become security consultants and &ldquo;get to hack for a living.&rdquo; In other words, they develop new security protocols for codes they are paid to break. So in the end, there is a continuum between hackers and governments that should give anyone pause before condemning one, or the other. Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North America Asia Europe http://www.linktv.org/rss/linktv_rss.gif http://www.linktv.org/globalpulse/blog