From Thinking Outside the Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent
In the wake of the Global Financial Crisis a lot of blame and anger was focused on people who work in finance. Others took a broader approach and believe that capitalism itself is to blame. Naomi Klein’s book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism is often cited by those critical of capitalism and neoliberalism in particular. Klein sees neoliberalism as an ‘evil’ economic approach that has no regard at all for the environment. Climate change is the area that critics mostly focus on. However if we in the western world, and those in developing countries, want to enjoy modern luxuries and future technological and medical advances provided by capitalism should we accept economic and environmental disasters as an unfortunate aspect of capitalism that we just have to live with? Continue reading
Public Articles
Most recent articles
What Does the Future Hold for Apple?
From Thinking Outside the Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent
For the best part of 35 years, the singular vision of Steve Jobs took Apple from a company that made some of the world’s first PC’s into a hugely popular global brand that has changed the way we interact with technology through the introduction of revolutionary products such as the ipod and iphone. Indeed it is hard to imagine any other company that has ever produced such devotion among consumers with people lining up overnight to be among the first to get their hands on the latest phone. When looking at Apple and asking where it is headed it is important to think of it more of a brand than a company. This has been the key to it’s success in the past and holds the key to its future. With Jobs’ death, Tim Cook has inherited the position of CEO and is in the unenviable position of trying to fill Jobs’ sizeable shoes. Of course there will never be another Jobs, so can Cook maintain Apple’s success in the long term. With profits slowing that question is being asked by more and more people. Continue reading
Is it Time To Amend The Right To Bear Arms?
From Thinking Outside the Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent
In the wake of several high profile mass shootings in the past couple of years the ownership of high powered semi and fully automatic weapons has come under close scrutiny. The number of voices calling for tight controls on gun ownership has never been higher. At the same time the powerful gun lobby continues to strongly influence lawmakers in Washington. If gun laws are worthy of scrutiny then perhaps the right to bear arms, in its current form at least, may also need to be analyzed more closely than in the past. In this article the role of the NRA will also be discussed. Continue reading
Obama’s Asian Pivot
From Thinking Outside the Boxe’s Sydney Correspondent
Since 2001 American military operations have unsurprisingly focused on the Middle East – in particular the two wars in Iraq and the current operations in Afghanistan that are drawing to an end. It is not within the scope of this article to question whether these wars were justified or even if they have gone on too long. It is more important at this point to focus on the future. President Obama’s new military strategy is referred to as an ‘Asian pivot’. This change in focus is a response to the emergence of China as a superpower and the fact that the US is growing less reliant on Middle Eastern oil. It also reflects a war weariness on the part of the public and a financial reality where the military budget is being scrutinised in a way that it never has previously.
Symposium 2012: What are your thoughts on the debt ceiling debate that will be forthcoming in 2013?
RMC3: It’s the perfect opportunity for the Republicans to stick it to the Democrats and the President. They need to say they’re not going to increase the debt ceiling and force this issue of massive spending cuts. Let the government shut down. It sure as hell isn’t functioning well as it is. It’s like we’ve got a bunch of dysfunctional derelicts controlling the hardworking American taxpayers’ tax dollars—just spending on anything and everything that comes along. Washington is guilty of financial gluttony. They’re not willing to make any sacrifices because it may not be popular with their constituents or with the voters. And so, they’re spending us into financial oblivion. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: Should the U.S. be involved in removing Assad from power in Syria?
RMC3: No. It’s not our problem. Is he a ruthless dictator? Yes. Has he misappropriated billions of dollars of the Syrian peoples’ money? Yes. Is he killing his own people? Yes. Do we know that the ‘freedom fighters’ are the good guys? No. Do we know that the ‘freedom fighters’ aren’t actually terrorists? No. This is the whole Libya situation all over again. At this point, he poses no clear and present danger to the United States or our allies. If the ‘freedom fighters’ aren’t able to get the job done, that’s their problem. No need for us to get involved in any additional Middle Eastern adventures. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: Will Egypt revert to a dictatorship
Cartwright: Hasn’t it already? Look, here’s the reality. Many people in many countries throughout the world have been ruled by kings or pharos or dictators for much of known history. These people don’t know democracy, and while it’s an admirable goal to spread democracy, it just isn’t feasible. These people can’t handle it. They need the strong arm of a ruler. We’re seeing that in many places. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: What hope do students graduating today have for finding employment sufficient to pay off their student loans? Is there a better way forward?
RMC3: I certainly wouldn’t want to be a kid graduating in this economic climate. It must be pretty daunting and demoralizing to get a degree that put you tens of thousands of dollars in debt only to find yourself either unemployed or else working at a minimum wage job. It’s no secret that the job market sucks, but having said that, there are going to be jobs for those students who excelled in college. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: Can America ever achieve energy independence?
Cartwright: Not as long as Americans are obsessed with driving their cars and aren’t willing to make sacrifices. Hell, they bitch when the price of gas goes up ten or fifteen cents. The way we’re going there is absolutely no hope of achieving energy independence. Continue reading
Symposium 2012: Is it time to legalize drugs here in America?
Michigan: Maybe. People will lie, cheat, steal and kill for drugs. Would this all stop? How much is it costing the taxpayer for health care and to house all the addicts and dealers in prison. Would this all stop? Anyone can buy the drug called alcohol. Look at the lives and expense this drug costs. How many deaths and millions of dollars can be contributed to this legal drug? I guess my answer is NO. Continue reading
Thinking Outside The Boxe 