Interesting bit at the BBC's news site about the nature of a Dubai:  •  Although frequently described as a city state or even as a country in its own right, Dubai is a constituent member of the federation of United Arab Emirates along with six other emirates. Only one of these, Abu Dhabi … read more »

Drilling down one little bit more, as the tenth anniversary of 2000 comes closer, it strikes me that one of the weird things about the decade, other than how the internet has come to rule our lives without a peep over the downsides, is that the West and the world world received a number of huge …

A very good point being made in the Toronto Star this morning: as part of the new economy that is rising out of the old e-conomy, remember that convergence kills:  •  Today the firm, whose shares last traded at 19 cents, down from a 2000 high of $26, is effectively worthless. Nine years on … read more »

... Did the stimulus work? Here's what you need to think... because that's my job. Telling you what to think:  •  Why not say so? Why can't we take a little pride in the fact that a little government intervention did the trick? Tax dollars in action.What was the alternative? Did you really fall in …

It's starting. That sleepy time in summer when nothing seems to really be happening. The recession is chugging along and society has yet to collapse. It's ten weeks to October's chills but no one is stocking up on sweaters or beef broth yet. There was a perfect game - just the 18th ever. I watched …

I really hadn't asked myself how things were going economically in India for a while. It is surprising given the global recession, then, to learn that India apparently exists on another globe:  •  Among the reforms suggested was the reform of subsidies for fuel, food and fertiliser, a … read more »

I suppose this is a reasonable outcome. Last fall there was a wave of concern if not panic - nothing Icelandic, mind you - and a call for government spending. And the government spent and now we have the bill. Are we happy?  •  News that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is projecting a budget deficit …

Lilacs. It is all about the lilacs. When they are popping, you have the perfect week of the year. When you were in school, it meant classes outside when no one really paid any attention. When you were in university, it meant exams were over and you didn't hate your summer job yet. Now, it means …

We like our crises short and sharp. We like to hear about the big problem on the mid-morning news and have a handle on it by lunch the next day. We mock things that don't play out fast as somehow less worthy. But could it be that we have misjudged swine flu due to its lack of lickity-splitness …