davos at Brave New Films

RUTHLESS ANIMAL EXPLOITATION!

2008-10-06T16:19:10Z

Just a brief teaser but will give you the idea if you're paying attention and start to think about why MicroDonation or "MoneySpeech" is so powerful and how this online square with its other functions acts as a "proximity substitute" for conditions under which representative government first arose and operates best. Civilization Systems LLC

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McCain Can't Keep His Story Straight on Hamas (Davos, 2006)

2008-06-12T09:32:56Z

McCain is defending himself from the Jamie Rubin interview by pointing to another interview on the same day in which he had a very different attitude towards Hamas.

So I guess that means that his campaign's defense is that he can't keep his story straight?

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Private Equity Does Davos

2008-01-29T15:50:22Z

A very interesting piece in The New York Times about those warriors for egalitarianism, private equity executives.

Here is the part I found most interesting:

Last week was a good time to check in on the state of private equity, because most of the private equity bigwigs - including Mr. Rubenstein, Henry Kravis of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Stephen A. Schwarzman of Blackstone Group, Leon Black of Apollo Management, Glenn Hutchins of Silver Lake and Jonathan Nelson of Providence Equity - were gathered in one place: Davos, the site of the annual World Economic Forum.
On the one hand, there was a distinct feeling at Davos that private equity was not on the hot seat - at least not as Topic A among the world's economists and financiers. This time it was the sovereign wealth funds that got most of the scrutiny. "We're no longer the object of so much scorn and attention," said Mr. Rubenstein one morning, as he trudged through the snow, wearing a North Face ski jacket over his banker's pinstripes.
On the other hand, back here in the real world, private equity - and all it represents - remains as contentious as ever. Just days before arriving in Davos, Mr. Rubenstein was swarmed by some 50 protesters during a speech at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
The protesters, who were escorted out of the auditorium by the police, had come to protest Carlyle's acquisition of a nursing home company. Among other things, they were championing efforts to establish a union at the company - which of course would impair Carlyle's efforts to cut costs if it were successful.
As a protester with a megaphone challenged him, Mr. Rubenstein shot back - sarcastically - "I think a remedial English course would be helpful." (He later called the protester and apologized.)
When Mr. Rubenstein was finally able to begin his speech again, he began by saying that the Golden Age of private equity - a phrase coined by Mr. Kravis at the peak of the buyout boom - had turned into the "Purgatory Age, where we're going to have to atone for our sins a bit."

First of all, the fact that the face of the Bush playground known as the Carlyle Group (not to mention the bin Ladens in the past), David M. Rubenstein, is admitting that the buyout bosses have committed "sins," tells you that the bad pr they are getting from people like us is registering. They obviously realize all their unadulterated greed is starting to become well known and a liability.

Second, if there are protests at Wharton, then they really are in trouble. I went to Penn and did a minor at Wharton. It is Establishment Central. Donald Trump went there. I haven't seen him wearing flowers in his hair while driving his hybrid lately.

If these guys are being protested by 150 people at Wharton, then you know the jig is up. And they are scrambling to protect themselves.

So, while we appreciate your change in rhetoric, Mr Rubenstein, it is well past time to display it in your behavior (see nursing home and union if you don't get my drift).

Muslim-West Relations on Center Stage

2008-09-29T13:40:54Z

Leaders at the World Economic Forum are reacting to Gallup research on the state of the relationship between Muslims and the West. Dalia Mogahed, executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, checks in from Davos, Switzerland, to discuss their reactions.

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"Don't change your light bulbs. Change your leaders."

2008-06-10T09:39:21Z

Bono, influential activist and rock god, gives his views on fighting poverty and what we need to do in 2008 to change the world.

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Sergey Brin from Google responds to WhyTuesday at Davos

2008-06-12T15:30:37Z

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iVote or Voogle?

2008-10-06T16:51:16Z

UNITED NATIONS, NYC - Jacob Soboroff of Why Tuesday? wonders how can the ingenuity of global corporations like Apple and Google could make our elections more secure.

This video is a submission to The Davos Question.

For more:
http://www.whytuesday.org

http://www.youtube.com/davos

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The Davos Question

2008-06-14T21:30:42Z

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Murdoch Admits He Tried to Shape Public Opinion on Iraq

2008-07-09T13:53:31Z

Rupert Murdoch on whether News Corp. managed to shape the agenda on the Iraq war: "No, I don't think so. We tried…We basically supported the Bush policy in the Middle East…but we have been very critical of his execution."

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MediaChannel: Davos Conversation Project 2007

2008-10-06T16:38:35Z

The exclusive World Economic Forum, held annually in Davos, Switzerland, has opened up the conversation to include independent voices from across the globe. MediaChannel submits this video to applaud this inclusive approach-and to press for more a formal and lasting commitment to support and collaborate with independent media and global citizens.

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