Chrisco Spins

Cameroon has a forest for lease. They’re willing to lease it to loggers and have it destroyed. But they’re also willing to lease it to conservationists and have it preserved. Morally, the Cameroonian government is neutral. Actually, to their credit, they’ve stated a preference for leasing it to an environmental group.

The forest is priced at $1.6 million annually and so far none of the deep-pocketed, save the Earth types have ponied up. There’s not a George Soros, a Bono, or a Bill Gates in sight. Hell, Sir Richard Branson could pay for a good decade out of his walking around money. So what’s going on here? (more…)

Let me point you to my friends at Preemptive Karma. Today they highlighted a brutal police beating of a handcuffed woman. There’s way too many of these incidents and way too little punishment for the officers involved. Is it any wonder that so many people distrust the police?

Finally!!! Fidel Castro steps down so I can finally visit Cuba without fear of incurring the wrath (not to mention the $10,000 fine) of the U.S. government. Right? Uhhh… no.

It would seem like the opportune time to back away from the single most anachronistic bit of U.S. foreign policy. But we won’t do that. Nevermind that as a U.S. citizen I am free to travel to and spend money in countries with far worse human rights and democratic credentials than Cuba. I can buy bootleg Versace in China. I can buy a teenage hooker in Thailand. I can buy an AK-47 on the streets of Mogadishu if I’m stupid enough to make the trip. But I can’t buy a beer in Havana? (more…)