August Archive

Raising the IQ of Both Countries

Marcus Roberts | 29 August 2012

Record numbers of New Zealanders are heading to Australia.

American Pi

Marcus Roberts | 27 August 2012

A geeky post - the type that we all love!

The Business of Ageing

Marcus Roberts | 22 August 2012

Ageing in Asia is an opportunity for savvy business types.

The Future of Living

Marcus Roberts | 21 August 2012

Some extraordinary ideas are being explored to house the population of the future.

Recession pushes United States birth rate to 25 year low

Shannon Roberts | 18 August 2012

The United States had been one of the few developed countries to maintain fertility rates at close to replacement level. However, the average number of births per woman there is projected to fall to 1.87 this year and 1.86 next year according to consulting firm Demographic Intelligence. Surprisingly, it is now below that of even the British and the French (both at 2.0). The rates are a 25 year low and, sadly, seem in some part to be due to the recession and a rising cost of living and having children.

And in this Corner…

Marcus Roberts | 15 August 2012

The Philippines is locked in a battle about contraception and a heavyweight has joined the debate.

Cuba and a familiar future

Marcus Roberts | 14 August 2012

Cuba is facing the consequences of high abortion rates, low birth rates and high net emigration.

Scotland - we have not forgotten you!

Marcus Roberts | 09 August 2012

An update on the Scottish population.

China: This One Child Policy’s Not for Turning

Marcus Roberts | 06 August 2012

Reasons to fear that the Chinese One Child Policy will be with us for a while yet.

A more urban future for devastated Japan

Shannon Roberts | 03 August 2012

The March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in north-eastern Japan has had a dramatic demographic effect on the country. Firstly, the disaster knocked Japanese women from their perch as the world’s longest living.

No food today, but plenty of condoms

Bernard Toutounji | 02 August 2012

I opened the newspaper a couple of weeks ago to read the headline that Australia will be doubling an aspect of its foreign aid to $50 million to assist the poor women of the world. What a wonderful idea. Perhaps the aid will be going towards vital medication to women in Sub-Saharan Africa; perhaps food and vitamins to women in South Asia; or perhaps it will pay for education and training in more effective farming methods? No. The money will go completely towards ‘family planning’. And not just our $50 million, add to that half a billion dollars from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with a total amount from worldwide governments and the private sector of $2.6 billion.

The Muslim World and Contraception

Marcus Roberts | 01 August 2012

A study of fertility rates in the Muslim world suggests contraceptive use isn't the reason for fertility declines.