A Taste of Canaan

<正>Israeli winemakers are starting from scratch in the Chinese market The fact that an Israeli wine master class was held in China for the first time is testament to the Chinese market's formidable power of attraction.Chinese wine distributors,sommeliers,importers and experts were invited to taste some of Israel's best vintages at the Israeli Embassy in Beijing on March 28.     

Krav Maga Takes on China

<正>An Israeli self-defense system gains popularity among Chinese fans By Jacques FourrierMost people might think that introducing Krav Maga to the Chinese would be like carrying coals to Newcastle.After all,China is famous for the diversity of its martial arts styles,and household names such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan have greatly contributed to the worldwide promotion of the kungfu phenomenon.How could an Israeli self-defense and fighting system created only a few decades ago appeal to the Chinese?     

A Heady Brew

<正>Silver Heights brings the French passion for wine to NingxiaIn the midst of a concrete jungle in Yinchuan,capital of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,lies a hidden gem,going by the not inauspicious name of Silver Heights.Silver Heights is not only one of the     

The Opportunistic President: How US Presidents Determine Their Legislative Programs

The president is the most influential policy actor in US politics, and his legislative program greatly influences Congress's agenda. Yet little research has focused on what factors affect the president's choices when constructing his agenda. We develop a theory that determines when a president will include an issue in his program. We hypothesize that presidents structure their agendas around the congressional calendar for consideration of expiring laws and salient issues. Using data over 28 years and across 12 policy areas, we find presidents build their programs around these policymaking opportunities. We assert that presidential agendas are less driven by individual priorities than previous accounts have concluded.     

The “Sin of Omission”? Radio Vatican and the anti‐Nazi Struggle, 1940–1942

Studies and articles have recently appeared condemning Pius XII and Vatican policy during World War II. Pius XII and the Vatican are charged with having committed "crimes of omission". The papacy is accused of having remained silent during the mass killings of the Jews and of passivity when no order was given to the national Churches to act in the Jews' defence. An examination of broadcasts from Vatican radio challenges such conclusions. These broadcasts show that Vatican radio exposed Nazi persecution of the Church and opposed collaboration with Nazism. Furthermore, Vatican radio also appealed to Christians to remain true to their faith's injunctions: to defend the sanctity of life and the unity of humankind. In so doing the Vatican pursued a policy of spiritual resistance to Nazi ideology and racism.     

The examination of typewriter correctable carbon film ribbons

The study of typewritten strokes on paper with an optical stereomicroscope or an optical microscope at high magnifications is deceptive and does not permit differentiation between impressions made with different ribbons, or identification of a certain ribbon brand. With the Scanning Electron Microscope, the identification/differentiation is possible as the structure of the strokes on the paper differs from one ribbon brand to another and is characteristic.