At a bar a few months ago, I overheard a conversation between two women who, to my mind, were the very epitome of hipsterdom. Their asymmetrical haircuts, tight jeans, vintage T-shirts, fashionable jewelry, Parliament cigarettes and bottles of Pabst Blue Ribbon formed one seamless ensemble of hipster aesthetic so perfect that I knew that one of them had to have a Vespa parked outside. They were engaged in a vigorous debate, striking charismatic poses as they gestured to underline points. I turned my ear to them and strained to decipher their words through the thundering sound of a Journey song somebody had chosen, no doubt in a moment of ironic inspiration, to call forth from the jukebox.
Toward Freedom
In Defense of Hipsters
At a bar a few months ago, I overheard a conversation between two women who, to my mind, were the very epitome of hipsterdom. Their asymmetrical haircuts, tight jeans, vintage T-shirts, fashionable jewelry, Parliament cigarettes and bottles of Pabst Blue Ribbon formed one seamless ensemble of hipster aesthetic so perfect that I knew that one of them had to have a Vespa parked outside. They were engaged in a vigorous debate, striking charismatic poses as they gestured to underline points. I turned my ear to them and strained to decipher their words through the thundering sound of a Journey song somebody had chosen, no doubt in a moment of ironic inspiration, to call forth from the jukebox. |
||
|
||
|
|
||
| Page 47 of 197 |
Once again, developing countries will have to bear the brunt of the global financial crisis originating in the U.S. and other developed countries. The financial positions of many developing countries are much stronger than they were at the time of the financial crises in Asia and Latin America, given their strong foreign reserve positions and generally better fiscal balances. Yet, this does not mean these countries are immune to the crisis originating in the developed countries as suggested by those who claim that the larger developing countries have "decoupled" from the U.S. economy.
For the last few years the U.S. has been negotiating with Poland and the Czech Republic for their cooperation in building a Missile Defense System (MDS) in the two countries in order to defend Europe against a possible threat of attack from Iran, considered by the Bush Administration as a "rogue" state. 
In this interview, Bethlehem Mayor Victor Bartarseh speaks candidly about what life is like for the citizens of this West Bank city. Bethlehem has the highest rate of unemployment in the West Bank and is entirely surrounded by the separation wall. Mayor Bartarseh describes the physical and psychological impact of living with the wall. Subscribe To Our Weekly Email Newsletter
