International Business Times

Debunking Conventional Wisdom About Doing Business In China

emaldonado — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:42:12 GMT

One of the things I do with new consulting clients is give them a crash course on what to expect in China, especially if they have never been. Invariably, I get odd questions: “Do Chinese wives have to walk three steps behind their husbands?” “Will monkey brain be served at our business dinner -- and is it rude if I don’t eat it?” “Should I not openly disagree with our Chinese partner so he can save face?” Though I have eaten some strange things -- beaver, donkey testicles, scorpion, silkworms -- I’ve never come across monkey brain.

The Senate's Doing The Bullying For The IRS

emaldonado — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:14:45 GMT

Senators John McCain and Carl Levin have now presided over what Senator Rand Paul rightly called a “show trial.” The Senate Mensheviks have raked Apple Inc. over the coals for its practice of keeping tons and tons of money offshore.

This is money that the Mensheviks sorely need, so they can squander it on things that won’t make life better for anyone outside of K Street.

California's Brown Losing Favor As Budget Talks Draw Closer

emaldonado — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:14:24 GMT

At the beginning of 2013, Californians couldn’t stop singing Gov. Jerry Brown’s praises. But now, just a few months later, Brown seems headed for a crash on the rocks.

With the state budget deadline looming ever closer, Brown proposed a deal including healthcare cuts so wildly unpopular that insurers, doctors and union leaders -- groups that are typically, and notoriously, at odds with one another -- have formed a coalition to fight them.

America Plays The ‘Weak Horse’ In Syria

emaldonado — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:14:47 GMT

In his 2010 book, “The Strong Horse,” Lee Smith counseled that, in the Middle East, what matters in shaping the loyalty of the masses is which “strong horse” -- whether a person or a country -- can impose its will on others.

The title refers to the celebratory remark by Osama bin Laden after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks: “When people see a strong horse and a weak horse, by nature, they will like the strong horse.”

Are The Great Gatsby Movies a Lost Cause?

emaldonado — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:00:06 GMT

The verdict has arrived, and the critics have condemned yet another adaptation of “The Great Gatsby.” This latest Gatsby movie, directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the title character, has been held up as “a multiculti musical mashup,” by the Washington Post, and “an exercise in absurdist excess,” from The Wall Street Journal. Though not universally panned, its reception has been pretty hostile on the whole. We may now expect it to take its place with other failed Gatsby movies, like the 1974 version starring Robert Redford.

Maybe It’s The Lawsuits Stopping Banks From Making Loans

emaldonado — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:24:34 GMT

When New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced this week that he’s going after Bank of America and Wells Fargo for violating the national mortgage settlement agreement, he had a point.

Unfortunately, his point is mostly just at the top of his head. Schneiderman, like many New York attorneys general, is playing politics for the bleachers even though he’s hurting their case.

Joe Francis And Jail: The ‘Girls Gone Wild’ Boob Who Got What He Deserves In Assault Conviction

cjzara — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:52:13 GMT

Photo: Reuters ''Girls Gone Wild'' video series producer Joe Francis arrives at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in Los Angeles, 2008.

After Boston, A Predictable Wave Of America-Bashing

emaldonado — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:20:24 GMT

The “blame America first” crowd that Jeane Kirkpatrick, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called out in her speech to the 1984 Republican National Convention, lifts its collective head at opportune moments.

When death and destruction rain down on America, this odd mix of hard-left, hard-right and hard-middle critics and cranks don’t blame the perpetrators; they blame the victim, often in the most creative ways.

A Lawsuit Against The New York Post Is Good News, But The Tabloid's Death Would Be Even Better

cjzara — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:08:21 GMT

Amid all the heartbreaking news related to the Boston Marathon bombings, it’s nice to know that something positive may come out of the tragedy.

Ezra Klein, As Usual, Meant To Defend Obamacare

emaldonado — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:33:56 GMT

Thank God for the Washington Post’s Wonkbook, a blog run by some Poindexter types who get to use D.C. buzzwords like “narrative,” “meme,” “optics” and “pivot” to make themselves sound important and in-the-know.

At times Wonkbook is insufferable, at others, it’s hilarious -- hilarious in the “they-meant-to-do-it-even-though-they-didn’t-mean-to-do-it” way.

The Future Under Obamacare

emaldonado — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:31:24 GMT

If you want a glimpse into the future of Obamacare, take a look at the hospital where I was born, in a small coal-mining and smelting factory town outside of Pittsburgh.

The mines and factories closed down long ago, and while fracking is bringing some new, younger faces into the area, it’s still mostly comprised of seniors and low-income people. Consequently, the local hospital relies heavily on Medicare and Medicaid payments, and it’s going bankrupt.

Does the U.S. Need More Growth?

emaldonado — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:01:48 GMT

The effect of government debt on economic growth is always a hotly debated topic, and in the past few days the controversy has taken a new turn stemming from a high-profile paper published in 2010.

A Tax Increase For Every Home

emaldonado — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:23:46 GMT

Despite President Barack Obama’s promises that he would never, ever, ever, raise taxes on people making less than $250,000 year, a new analysis from the Tax Policy Center -- citing a new tobacco tax that will hit some low-income families harder than the rest -- indicates he's breaking that oath.

Upon closer examination of the budget, it's revealed Obama raises taxes on middle and low-income families again, and again, and again.

Despite Kermit Gosnell Murder Trial, We Still Aren't Talking About Abortion

emaldonado — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:45:04 GMT

It seemed like a bad horror movie: the gore-splattered floors of a filthy medical facility, with the pervasive stench of urine and animal feces lying around right next to orange-juice containers filled with the viscera -- and the severed feet -- of aborted babies. Could this really be real?

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, And 'For Whom The Bell Tolls'

mikeobel — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 19:01:53 GMT

Like many Americans, I have raged at the two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing. I was even glad when they fatally shot the older one early Friday. Good riddance, you bastard, I thought.

Stakes Too High To Ignore Democracy’s Retreat

emaldonado — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:36:26 GMT

Western thinking about freedom and democracy is marked by a set of optimistic assertions, which include the following:

First, the global advance of freedom and democracy marches ever-onward. Second, economic and political freedoms in a particular nation walk hand in hand, each reinforcing the other. Third, the more a society (particularly its middle class) enjoys economic growth and the higher living standards that normally come with it, the more citizens will push for greater political freedom.

The Game Of Thrones Is A Game Of Coins

emaldonado — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:31:23 GMT

There has been a good deal of buzz in the past few weeks about the premiere of the third season of HBO’s hit series “Game of Thrones.” But for those who have found the show to be too enthralling, never fear, the economists have arrived to ruin the entertainment by turning it into a learning experience.

As it turns out, though, economic lessons are more often found in George R.R. Martin’s original novels than in the recent adaptations, so we need not spoil the story. What we hope is to give viewers a glimpse beneath the surface of the events that occur in the series.

Butchering The English Language To Avoid Saying ‘Saudi’

emaldonado — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:33:22 GMT

A suspect-who-shall-not-be-named-a-suspect is not now in custody.

The nonsuspect is just sitting around a hospital, or some other undisclosed location, under heavy guard, being fully cooperative with the law enforcement officials who paid testament to his cooperation by raiding his apartment and taking away bags of material.

Boston Marathon Bombing: Admiring Chinese React On Weibo

s.song — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:53:55 GMT

As news of the Boston Marathon bombing reached China, in real time, netizens there rushed onto Weibo, China’s microblogging site, to express sympathy for the victims. Many also praised the United States government, media and citizens for their brave and kind reactions, as well as reflected on how China might have reacted differently. Here are some examples from Weibo.

2013 MTV Movie Awards: Worst Red Carpet Looks; Taylor Lautner, Rebel Wilson, Macklemore and More [PHOTOS]

Rebecka Schumann — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:59:44 GMT

The 2013 MTV Movie Awards had no shortage of entertainment Sunday night with everything from host Rebel Wilson flying in a female “Iron Man” suit to Seth Rogen flashing his pubic hair. But perhaps the most amusing aspect of all was the head-scratching, unflattering and sometimes offensive celebrity outfits.

Here are five of the worst looks from the 2013 MTV Movie Awards:

Hana Mae Lee

Los Angeles Wants Feds To Solve Neighborhood Noise Problems

emaldonado — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:20:47 GMT

A group of California politicians has introduced legislation into Congress that would force a federal agency to regulate noise in a local neighborhood.

The Los Angeles Residential Helicopter Noise Relief Act of 2013 would “require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to prescribe regulations,” such as mandated flight paths and minimum altitudes, to reduce noise in the county.

Halting Corrupt New York Politicians Requires Term Limits

emaldonado — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:00:06 GMT

"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours." -- Hunter S. Thompson

Nothing proves Thompson’s theory better than New York politics.

Last week, some prominent New York legislators, most notably Democratic Senator Malcolm Smith and Republican Councilman Dan Halloran -- both representatives of Queens -- were arrested by U.S. District Attorney Preet Bharara on charges of accepting bribes and corruption.

Obama’s Success: The Poor Get Poorer, And The Rich Get Poorer

emaldonado — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:30:55 GMT

President Barack Obama wants your money now. Like, right now.

Talking Points Memo has the details … breathlessly:

“A new provision in Obama’s budget ‘[e]nds a loophole that lets wealthy individuals circumvent contribution limits and [ac]cumulate millions in tax-preferred retirement accounts,’” Talking Points Memo wrote, quoting a budget summary released by the White House, which will reveal its new budget Wednesday.

I can’t wait!

'Mad Men' Season 6 Premiere: When America Ruled The World

gooch7 — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:07:58 GMT

"Mad Men," the AMC show about a New York advertising firm in the 1960s that had its sixth season premiere on Sunday night, is one of the most popular programs on television and has struck a chord with millions of viewers.

Created by Matthew Weiner, who wrote for HBO's extraordinary mafia drama, the "Sopranos," the tales and intrigues involving the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce agency can be viewed and enjoyed on many levels.

Obama Creatively Uses Jobs As Comedy Hour Prop

emaldonado — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:27:03 GMT

The number of people employed in the United States dropped by 496,000 in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, yet somehow, miraculously, the unemployment rate dropped a full basis point from 7.7 percent to 7.6 percent.

That’s because while the White House, the media and economists propagated the things-are-getting-better-for-real line, another 663,000 people dropped out of the workforce.