A truly David vs. Goliath-styled battle is brewing in Pennsylvania coal country where a tiny rural township is suing an alliance of coal mining companies to keep them from setting up shop near their homes. The unlikely NIMBY-advocates come from Blaine Township — located 40 miles southwest of Pittsburgh and home to a mere 600 [...]
Posts under ‘ON OUR RADAR’
WOMAN TO WATCH: Zahra Rhanavard
As the world awaits the final outcome of Iran’s contested elections this weekend, we’re keeping our eyes on Zahra Rhanavard, the rather impressive wife of opposition candidate Mir-Hossein Moussavi. Although she remains cloaked in the chador, Rhanavard is being called by many’s “Iran’s Michelle Obama”! The 58 year-old university professor’s unusually public presence in her [...]
WE SUPPORT: Moroso's Madame Dakar Chair
Debuted at Aprils Salone del Mobile furniture fair in Milan, the Madame Dakar chair is one of a clutch of chic-ethnique pieces set to debut from Italian manufacturer Moroso later this year. The pieces were created by designers Ayse Birsel and Bibi Seck, who view the Madame Dakar Chair as enveloping the body much like [...]
WE SUPPORT: Angolan Hoteliers
It may boast one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, but oil-rich Angola is still recovering from decades of civil war which has left most of its population mired in poverty. But the country is pouring millions to upgrade infrastructure and touristic offerings in advance of next year’s African Nations Cup soccer spectacular — which Angola [...]
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT: Free Speech in Israel
As we’ve regularly reported, Israel — for better or worse — remains the only real democratic nation in the Middle East. Which is why some recent trends have us particularly worried. At issue are new laws currently before the Knesset that would outlaw vocal expressions of grief or mourning on the anniversary of Israel’s independence. [...]
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT: Derek Black
He may be just 20, but Derek Black is the great white hope of the KKK! While still not nearly as well known as contemporary klansman such as David Duke, young Black is quickly making a name for himself in the klan-o-sphere. His Klan bona fides are top-notch, considering he’s the son of former Klan [...]
WE SALUTE: Saudi Lingerie Maverick Reem Assad
Saudi Arabia’s Reem Assad is a one-woman force for change. A lecturer in banking and finance at Jeddah’s Dar al-Hekma Women’s College, she is a leading campaign to make life easier for women in this notoriously male-dominated society. Here target: Women’s lingerie stores. It appears as if nearly every female underwear store in Saudi Arabia [...]
DESIGN WATCH: Dror Benshetrit
We’ve been keeping an eye on Israeli-born/New York-based industrial designer Dror Benshetrit since we met him at a party for his from-the-future Nurai project last year. Since then, Studio Dror has embarked on an ambitious partnership with Target this spring followed this week by the unveiling of his new “Peacock” chair for luxe Italian furniture [...]
TREND ALERT: Pakistani Writers
Despite fears of their nation’s imminent demise, Pakistani writers are emerging as this year’s it-authors. Indeed, according to a report in today’s Financial Times, authors from Pakistan are gaining unprecedented attention on the literary world stage. Need proof? How about the recent success of author Hamid Mohsin, whose book The Reluctant Fundamentalist (above) was shortlisted [...]
DISCOVERED IN EL SALVADOR: Due Studio
Folks on both sides of the Thames are keeping an eye on Due Studio — the first high-end furniture and interior design firm we know of to emerge from the once war-torn nation of El Salvador. Covered in both the new Wallpaper and Monocle magazines, the firm was founded by San Salvador locals Claudia and [...]