Round-up

- The UK director of Amnesty International penned a primer on how the global economic downturn is undermining the human rights of the world’s poor. 150 million people have been pushed into extreme poverty (income of $2 a day) during 2008, because of increased food and fuel prices. Poverty and food shortages have led many to protest, which in turn has prompted their governments to respond with violent suppression. And governments have neglected human rights, focusing instead on the recession, financial negotiations, and bailouts.

- Two writers from the progressive periodical, The Nation, argue that Obama and his administration must strike now – while the Democrats have control over the House; Obama has his mandate; and the general spirit of the American public longs for reform. The writers call on Obama to be less inclined to compromise with Republicans who would like to dilute proposed reforms, and instead push hard for progressive changes to education, energy, and health care.

- Nicholas Kristof discusses the differences between Liberals and Conservatives – temperamentally speaking. Liberals are more likely to slap their fathers, assuming he’s given them permission. And Conservatives are more likely to feel disgusted to find they had inadvertently sipped from a friend’s cup. Kristof then calls for greater understanding and harmonization between the two mutually antagonistic types.

- Some video games are actually good for us. They promote social qualities like cooperation and empathy for others.

- 20,000 Tamil civilians were killed during the last months of the Sri Lankan civil war. This number is about 3 times higher than the official record claims. Reports also show they were killed primarily by the Sri Lankan army – not the Tamil Tigers.