To an extent, a book, in whatever the language in which it is crafted, can be a matter of subjective reflection; it is up to the reader or critic to draw conclusions. 　The Indian Human Resource Development Ministry’s latest move is testament to what Amartya Sen has famously described as the spread of “unfreedom.” While facts are meant to be garnered, interpretation is free. 　As much was the underlying theme of the pedagogy of the late Ashin Das Gupta, one of the finest teachers of history at Pre

Viewpoints March 24, 2016

At the second presidential debate sanctioned by the Commission on Elections and held in Cebu on March 20, the candidates were asked to answer three questions without explanation, simply by raising their hands if they were in favor and keeping still if they were against. It was a made-for-TV format, but the exercise proved to be a welcome respite from the often heated exchanges that characterized the debate.　The up-or-down format used by TV5 was also a helpful guide to the candidates’ views on lo

Viewpoints March 24, 2016

The value of catastrophic events is that they can help people face up to problems that are otherwise impossible to address. Maybe this will be the case with Tuesday’s horrific attacks in Brussels.Europe is facing a security threat that’s unprecedented in its modern history, at a time when its common currency, border security and intelligence-sharing are all under severe stress. If Europe were a stock, a pragmatic investor would sell it, despite the sunk cost and sentimental attachment. Without r

Viewpoints March 23, 2016

President Barack Obama dangles U.S. dollars before the Castros while Congress stonewalls Puerto Rico’s pleas for debt restructuring. The Tampa Bay Rays take the field in Havana as San Juan fends off New York hedge funds wielding legal baseball bats. The Rolling Stones play a free concert for Cubans; Puerto Rico can’t get no satisfaction.　As Cuba rises and Puerto Rico falls, it’s worth considering the diverging trajectories of these two ex-Spanish colonies that the Puerto Rican poet Lola Rodrigue

Viewpoints March 22, 2016

Hardly a week goes by when an old friend doesn’t contact me with the same question: Could Donald Trump really get elected president?My standard reply is that, at this point, there are two answers: “Yes,” and “Probably not.” Never say never.By all logic, the blustery billionaire has antagonized enough voters that, even if he attracts disaffected white Democrats, he’ll have a difficult time winning a general election. A substantial proportion of Republicans says they won’t support him, even if he

Viewpoints March 22, 2016

Moderate Syrian opposition forces claim they are strengthening their positions against extremists in northern and southern Syria as the Russian military withdraws and a fragile cease-fire takes hold with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.Two rebel commanders described the recent battlefield gains against the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra in telephone interviews Saturday. Their claims couldn’t be verified, and it’s too early to say whether the moderate opposition is truly expanding its

Viewpoints March 22, 2016

Recently, McDonald’s decided to raise wages for many of its hourly restaurant workers. The rise is modest, from about $9 to about $10, but already the company’s executives claim that they are seeing improvements in service quality:　“It has done what we expected it to -- 90-day turnover rates are down, our survey scores are up -- we have more staff in restaurants,” McDonald’s U.S. president Mike Andres told analysts at a UBS conference. “So far we’re pleased with it.”　So far the company’s financi

Viewpoints March 21, 2016

Athletes competing in the ancient Olympic games were venerated for their prowess and ability. Here, on these original Olympiad grounds of now toppled temples and former glory, visitors are reminded of the elevated role honor played within competition.Two thousand years ago, competitors heading toward the stadium tunnel walked between two rows of statues. On their right was a famous marble row of heroic athletes, victors all. On the left, however, stood 16 statues of Olympic cheaters, eternally d

Viewpoints March 21, 2016

President Dilma Rousseff has responded to the Brazilian public’s increasingly loud cry for greater accountability by mocking it. Her blatant attempt to protect her predecessor from prosecution will not end well -- for her or Brazil.　On Thursday, a federal judge blocked the appointment of former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as Rousseff’s chief of staff, where, as a cabinet minister, he would have been shielded from probes by all but the Supreme Court. The judge argued that it would put the

Viewpoints March 21, 2016

Vladimir Putin says he is withdrawing most Russian forces from Syria because his “objectives” have been achieved. How to judge that boast?　On such goals as keeping the dictator Bashar Assad in power, increasing Russian influence in the Middle East, restoring Moscow’s seat at the table of global power, and sending a message of strength to Islamic extremists inside Russia‘s own borders, the jury is still out.　But it’s not too early to consider Russian success on another front: showcasing military

Viewpoints March 21, 2016