Worcester Magazine (Jan. 2000) The flight into exile of one of Tibet’s most revered religious leaders this month once more highlights the continuing suffering of the Tibetan people under China’s 50-year occupation. The Karmapa, head of one of the main branches of Tibetan Buddhism, arrived in India on Jan. 5, after a seven-day trek across [...]
The terrorists cast their votes (Detroit Free Press)
December 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
March 17, 2004 Terrorism this week won a victory that has potentially disastrous implications for the United States in the coming months. Monday’s defeat of Spain’s Popular Party demonstrates that terrorists have the power not only to change lives, but to change governments as well. It is not the first time self-styled jihadis have sought [...]
A Share of the Soil
December 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Worcester Magazine (2000) What would make a perfectly ordinary suburban family from suburban Boston with two jobs, two cars and three kids toss everything and go off and become farmers? Organic farmers, no less..? “I really thought he was going through a mid-life crisis,” recalls Karen Franczyk of the day her husband, Don, announced he [...]
Dwifungsi: The Dual Function of Indonesia’s Military
December 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Published in The Earth Times Magazine (March 2002) There is no issue more pivotal to the future of the terror war in Southeast Asia than the relationship between the U.S. and Indonesia’s generals. Nor is there any relationship fraught with more pitfalls. Under the armed forces’ policy of dwifungsi, the military is responsible for safeguarding [...]
Satish Kumar
December 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Worcester Magazine (1999) At the age of nine, he took vows as a Jain monk. At 18, he began preaching Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent social involvement. A decade later, he set off from India to walk to the major world capitals without a penny in his pocket, campaigning against nuclear weapons. Today, Satish Kumar is [...]
Communications Gap Feeds a Revolution (San Francisco Chronicle)
December 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
May 1998 (JAKARTA) – It all came down to body language. “Things were going fine until he saw that picture,” reports a senior source close to the Indonesian presidential palace. “Then his attitude changed completely.” “That picture” was a photo showing IMF Managing Director Michel Camdessus standing — arms crossed — looking down at President [...]
Habibie Stumbles Through: First week tough for new Indonesian leader (San Francisco Chronicle))
December 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
June 1998 (JAKARTA) – Indonesia ended the first full week of the post-Suharto era a nation drunk on reform after three decades of authoritarian rule. The most striking thing was the sheer volume of political noise. The long-repressed voice of the Indonesian populous was suddenly released in a cacophony of debate, discussion and denunciation. Everyone, [...]
A Family Grieves: Tragedy underlines Worcester’s unique place in the world
December 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Worcester Magazine (Dec. 1999) We are a transient society; a nation of corporate gypsies rarely stopping in one place long enough to learn our neighbor’s names. That’s the conventional view of America at the Millennium. This past week, the country learned that, despite what the book title says, Worcester is not America, at least not [...]
Parent Abuse in Economy Class
December 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
As published in The Jakarta Post & other Asian papers (1995) LOS ANGELES — A middle seat in the back of the plane. Not one of my favorite places at the best of times. A squirming 11-month old on my lap made it particularly enjoyable. My wife, six months pregnant, was stuck in the absolute [...]
Let the Games Begin: Online games becoming a winning play for advertisers
December 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Internet.com (June 6, 2001) When kids log on to the games page of Nick.com, the web site of the Nickelodeon television network, one of the first things they are likely to encounter is banner ad that reads: “You’re a player? Choose a game.” Their choices include the Honeycomb Craver Course, Lunchables Scooter Challenge, Climb Mt. [...]
