Charles Laffiteau’s Bigger Picture

Last update: Monday, August 1, 2011, 11:55 | By: Charles Laffiteau

The US Chamber of Commerce – a frequent foe of many of President Obama’s legislative proposals – and many American CEOs have spent much of the past year holding numerous educational meetings with members of Congress who are opposed to raising the debt ceiling. In these meetings they have repeatedly warned lawmakers of the adverse impact a US Treasury bond default will have on America’s deficit as well as both the American and global economy.

Could machines replace teachers in South Korea’s classrooms? Andrew Farrell is sceptical…

Last update: Monday, August 1, 2011, 11:55 | By: Andrew Farrell

A variation of the following ‘joke’ has been doing the rounds in Korea for a few years now: in the schoolyard, a little boy – let’s call him Mark – falls during breaktime and scrapes his knee. His teacher – let’s call her Mary – finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him. In 1984? Mark soon feels better and goes back to playing. In 2011? Mary is accused of being a sexual predator, loses her job and faces three years in prison. Meanwhile, Mark undergoes five years of therapy.

An ciníochas ag dul chun cinn san Fhionlainn

Last update: Friday, July 15, 2011, 22:14 | © Metro Éireann

Nuair a chuala an Fhionlainn críochthoradh an olltoghcháin san Aibreán, is iomaí duine ar bhain sé stangadh as, ach i ndiaidh an iomláin bhí súil againn leis. Ba é páirtí na bhfíor-Fhionlannach ba mhó a chuaigh ar aghaidh, agus tháinig roinnt iarrthóirí isteach a raibh clú an chiníochais orthu le píosa maith ama anuas.

Racism on the rise in Finland

Last update: Friday, July 15, 2011, 22:14 | © Metro Éireann

When Finland heard the results of the parliamentary election in April, many people were shocked, but hardly surprised. The party of the True Finns advanced most, and in went several candidates who had been known as racist agitators for some time.

Unfair play

Last update: Friday, July 15, 2011, 22:12 | By: Andrew Farrell

Sport in South Korea so far this year has been mired in controversy, writes Andrew Farrell

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: Friday, July 1, 2011, 17:50 | By: Charles Laffiteau

This week I want to turn my focus to the world’s longest-running conflict: the ongoing disagreement between Israelis and Palestinians. As Middle East advisor Aaron Miller says: “In an existential conflict driven by memory, identity, religion and national trauma, the Israeli and Palestinian capacities to absorb and inflict pain are limitless.”

Do we speak English? Neh!

Last update: Friday, July 1, 2011, 17:50 | By: Andrew Farrell

South Korea’s investment in English language teaching is paying off, says Andrew Farrell. But there’s still a lot left to learn for some...

The World at Home - Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: Thursday, June 16, 2011, 11:37 | By: Charles Laffiteau

Last time out I mentioned that the primary purpose of President Obama’s recent stops in the UK, France and Poland was to reassure that America’s longstanding alliance with Europe was still very important to him. But at the same time, America is also questioning Europe’s commitment to this longstanding alliance.

A big change from Disneyland

Last update: Thursday, June 16, 2011, 11:36 | By: Andrew Farrell

Andrew Farrell marvels at the strange erections of South Korea’s Haesindang Park

Is féidir linn! Yes we can!

Last update: Wednesday, June 1, 2011, 11:46 | © Metro Éireann

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

GOP woes are Obama’s gain

Last update: Sunday, May 15, 2011, 16:33 | By: Charles Laffiteau

Even though the 2012 elections for the US Congress and Presidency are still 18 months away, Republicans actually began their campaigns just after the 112th Congress was sworn into office on 3 January this year.

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: Sunday, May 1, 2011, 13:39 | © Metro Éireann

In order to understand why the US Congress and President Obama are finding it so difficult to reach a bipartisan consensus on addressing America’s budget deficit woes, one first needs to understand the parties’ respective constituencies.

Born in the DMZ

Last update: Sunday, May 1, 2011, 13:39 | © Metro Éireann

There’s something more than a little crazy about that no-man’s-land that divides Korea says Andrew Farrell

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: Friday, April 15, 2011, 21:14 | By: Charles Laffiteau

As I mentioned in previous columns, the Republican Party seems to be enamored of the German’s austerity diet as a cure for America’s budget obesity. This time I want to explore some more prudent methods that economists believe will trim America’s bloated budget deficit without hurting its economy.

Korea goes green

St Patrick’s Day is the perfect time for Irish ex-pats to set things straight about our homeland, says Andrew Farrell I was prepared for the general reaction when I turned up a month ago at the kindergarten where I taught for a year in South Korea, dressed in the same outfit I’d worn for Hallowe’en in 2009. As the head teacher went about introducing each of the 13 foreign teachers to the students, her job was made easier by the costumes they wore. A witch, a ghost, Harry Potter, and even some basketball players. Eventually she got to me.

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: Friday, April 1, 2011, 22:40 | By: Charles Laffiteau

When Senate Republicans in last year’s Congress refused to allow a vote on President Obama’s 2011 federal budget, they essentially set the stage for the political theatrics currently on display in Washington DC. They were hoping that their party would gain control of the House of Representatives in the mid-terms and increase their leverage on the President. But despite their success in achieving this, at least three of those same Senate Republicans then voted against the ridiculous spending bill their party colleagues in the House sent them last month.

Welcome to Itaewon

Andrew Farrell pays a visit to the darker side of South Korea, a haven for hookers, love motels - and US soldiers

Charles Laffiteau`s Bigger Picture

Last update: Thursday, May 27, 2010, 15:24 | By: Charles Laffiteau

The most common myth about immigration in the west is that immigrants take jobs away from native citizens. We know this is a myth because the actual numbers of jobs that immigrants take that could be filled by natives is quite small. This is because immigrants take either highly skilled jobs where there is a shortage of native workers, or very low-skill jobs such as cleaning which natives refuse to apply for.

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