About the Schirach Report
The Schirach Report examines globalization trends while discussing the transitions that can constructively ease the conflicts and frictions of the unfolding global era.
The Schirach Report focuses on how ideas and ideologies, new and old, provide intellectual bearings to societies affected by transformative processes unprecedented in scale and speed.
By Paolo von Schirach
January 25, 2012
WASHINGTON – Whatever his presidential credentials, let’s agree that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is not especially diplomatic in his public statements. Sometimes he is deliberately bombastic, just for effect. And so he attacks Romney for being an investor and thus a “bad” capitalist, as opposed to the “good” capitalists who really work hard for the welfare of their employees. So Romney is just a vulture. Now, really? Gingrich likes strong words and punch lines. He loves to stir up a crowd. He wants to deliver the applause line.
But in other cases, things he says “sound” offensive, even when they are not meant to be so. Case in point, now the Hispanic media is trying to get him because he said that “Spanish is a Ghetto language“. “What do you mean, Ghetto language, about a language that is spoken by hundreds of millions of people?” –retorted an appropriately resented Jorge Ramos, Univision anchorman, in a recent interview. (Probable comments among Gingrich supporters: “My Gosh, did Newt really say that? ”Spanish is a Ghetto language”? Did he really manage in one bold stroke to offend the entire 30 million strong Latino population in the US? Have we lost all those votes”? Yes, there is this little matter of the GOP primaries and then an election coming up.) Read the rest of Gingrich Calls Spanish “Ghetto Language”, Bad Choice of Words – But He Meant To Say That Immigrants Who Do Not Speak English De Facto Live In a Ghetto of Reduced Opportunity – Learning English Would Help – Is Saying This Offensive? »
By Paolo von Schirach
January 24, 2012
WASHINGTON – When it come to US energy prices, could there ever be such a thing as “too low”? Well, apparently yes. In the wake of the enthusiastic natural gas drilling that followed the hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) revolution that allowed extraction from vast shale formations in the last few years, there is now a huge gas glut in America. This is a real problem for the large US energy companies, such as Chesapeake Energy, to the extent that gas prices have fallen below development costs. And prices have fallen dramatically. In 2008 US natural gas was priced at $ 14 per million BTU. Now it is down to $ 2.5 per million BTU. Read the rest of Does America Have “Too Much” Natural Gas? Use Additional Supply To Power Thousands Of Heavy Trucks – Reduced Fuel Prices Would Benefit Entire Economy, Reduce Oil Imports »
By Paolo von Schirach
January 23, 2012
WASHINGTON – Whatever will be said and promised in this difficult and already acrimonious 2012 political campaign, America’s long term future and prosperity rests on its ability to continue producing technological innovation. But on this critical variable the signs are not as good as we would like. Aside from US undisputed IT leadership –R&D and design only, mind you, as manufacturing is all contracted to China– there are few areas of obvious American world technological leadership. When all is said and done, there is only one Silicon Valley. And yet, leaving aside the globally recognized icon, there are very hopeful signs elsewhere. They should be noted, and policy makers nationwide should do their best to put in place the right policies that would encourage more of these to come to life. (Anything that makes it easier to translate research into commercial applications would help). Read the rest of America Needs More Innovation – Fort Collins In Colorado Shows How It Can Be Done – A Good University, An Innovation Hub and a Proactive Local Government Created The Foundations – Multinationals Take Notice »
By Paolo von Schirach
January 20, 2012
WASHINGTON – Interesting to find a sophisticated Chinese business leader and intellectual discussing the future of capitalism –in China. Qin Xiao, former Chairman of China’s Merchant Bank an currently Chairman of the Hong Kong based Boyuan Foundation, intervened in the ongoing public forum focused on “Capitalism in Crisis” hosted in the Comment pages of The Financial Times. However, while most of the featured articles deal with the problems plaguing advanced capitalistic economies, Qin Xiao’s intriguing piece, (The long march ahead to a truly capitalist China, January 19, 2012), is about China’s unfinished (according to Qin Xiao) transition from a state run model to a market based economy. Read the rest of China’s Long Journey Will Lead To Democratic Capitalism? This Is The Wish Expressed By Qin Xiao, Former Chinese Banker and Now Chairman Of The Boyuan Foundation »
By Paolo von Schirach
January 18, 2012
WASHINGTON – Paula Deen, well known overweight TV chef who developed a vast following and her own line of products by extolling the great qualities of rich Southern food, has type two diabetes. So what, why should we care? We should we care because her diabetes is clearly a consequence of the truly unhealthy fat and sugary food that she has popularized through her shows and her publications. Paula Deen, along with many other TV chefs, is a major enabler of American obesity and all the dangerous and costly illnesses that come with it. Through popular TV cooking channels they have glamorized unhealthy food and convinced people that it is perfectly alright to eat it. In fact, doing so is an indication of refinement and sophistication. Read the rest of Overweight TV Chef Paula Deen Has Diabetes – And So Do Millions Of Obese Americans Who Learnt How To Cook Her High Fat, High Sugar Meals – Food TV Programs Are Enablers Of The US Obesity Epidemic »
By Paolo von Schirach
January 17, 2012
WASHINGTON – The only mildly reassuring thing about Texas Governor Rick Perry running for the Republican Party nomination is that his chances are slim. How this misinformed man managed to become the Governor of a large state is a mystery. His latest really, really stupid statement is about Turkey’s Justice and Development Party that according to Perry established a Turkish Government that may perceived as run by “Islamic terrorists”. Was this some kind of slip, an unfortunate misstatement? Did Perry mean to say something else? Read the rest of Rick Perry Says That Turkey Is Run By “Islamic Terrorists” – He Also Added That Its Standing In NATO Should Be Reviewed – How Irresponsibly Ignorant Can a Presidential Candidate Be? Apparently There Is No Limit »