April 2011

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BRICS vs War on Libya

Video With growing economies and a population of nearly three billion people, do the U.S. and its Western allies have to listen to what the BRICS countries said at their summit this week? Robery Naimam of Just Foreign Policy tries to answer this question put to him by Russia Today. The BRICS countries represent 40% of the world's population, they're all on the UN security council with two having permanent seats. The BRICS represent a 5th of the global economy. According to Naiman part of the...

Physics of the Future: How Science Will Change Daily Life by 2100

Picture: Mac Funamizu Democracy Now - Dr. Michio Kaku, a Japanese American theoretical physicist and bestselling author, joins Amy Goodman of Democracy Now to talk about his new book, Physics of the Future: How Science Will Change Daily Life by 2100. Kaku outlines a future in which cars will be driven by computers, the aging process will be frozen, and the internet will be surfed in contact lenses.  *** AMY GOODMAN: We continue with Dr. Michio Kaku. His latest book is called Physics of the Future: How Science Will Change...

On Jimmy Manyi and Tahrir Square

Picture: MSN Zalebs Jane Duncan - Is there a place in the South African media for a government newspaper? Cabinet spokesperson and head of the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS), Jimmy Manyi, clearly thinks so.  Plans are afoot for GCIS’ existing publication, Vukuzenzele, to be transformed into a tabloid newspaper. If the proposal receives a cabinet stamp of approval then the paper will appear monthly initially, and then fortnightly. In motivating for the newspaper, Manyi has argued that the...

The Real Fear Factor: Secrecy as the Mask of Power

Picture: harrisonlives.com Dale T. McKinley - Secrecy has always been one of the most dangerous enemies of democracy. Any meaningful democracy, by its very nature, demands openness, transparency and accountability - these are the currencies of democratic freedom. On the other hand secrecy, as human history has so often shown, is the currency of authoritarianism (whatever the ideological variety), of social, economic and political control by those for whom the securing and maintenance of power is the ultimate goal.  And yet, despite...

Unemployment: South Africa's 'Ticking Time Bomb'

Video Rising unemployment in South Africa is spelling disaster for the country's black population, reports Al Jazeera, as it highlights the prevalence of unemployment amongst youth both with and without educational qualifications. According to Al Jazeera, a recent study claims more than half of black youths do not have a job, a situation which the government refers to as a "ticking time bomb."

Surfing Soweto

Video Failed by society in general and by our economic and education systems in particular, dispossessed and disregarded youth from Soweto risk the ultimate sacrifice while surfing on moving trains in an elusive search for affirmation. Surfing Soweto is a documentary that follows the lives of three of the most notorious train surfers in Soweto: Bitch Nigga, Lefa and Mzembe. The original documentary, available for viewing on You Tube, has recently been updated and turned into an 82 minute feature....