Burying the Lead

In a lecture he gave to a group of journalism students last month, a top official at Xinhua, the state news agency, said that the [Shenzhou 5] mission was not so picture-perfect. The official, Xia Lin, described how a design flaw had exposed the astronaut to excessive G-force pressure during re-entry, splitting his lip and drenching his face in blood. Startled but undaunted... Read More

Exporting Asian-America

Korean pop star BoA recently tried to make waves in America with her English single "Eat You Up". It was not a success. There is a well-oiled pop machine in South Korea. It seeks out obscure Asian teenagers from across the globe, signs them into draconian 8 year contracts, and cultivates them in rigorous training camps. After years of intense dance and vocal lessons,... Read More

El Salvador’s Growing Pains: What About the Locals?

In northern El Salvador a dam is being built on the Torola River. The Torola is one of the largest rivers in the country, located in an area in the department of San Miguel known as El Chaparral. The El Chaparral Dam began construction earlier this year and is slated to take 50 months to complete. When finished, it will function as a 65.4MW hydroelectric plant, providing electricity... Read More