LyrArc Article Gist
The small segment of society in Pakistan that controls business, has large agricultural holdings, and the politicians in parliament, all benefit from a system in which they pay very little in taxes. These groups draw the maximum benefit from their privileged position. According to a transparency promotion organization in Pakistan, the average member of parliament in Pakistan has net worth of over $900,000 and pays little in taxes. A senior tax offical says the tax revenues in 2009 were the lowest in the country's history. According to Pakistan's tax rules income taxes are owed by anyone making more than $3,488 a year. Analysts estimate that of the 10 million who should be paying taxes only 2.5 million are actually paying taxes. And the tax collection is extremely poor, so that less than 2% of the population of 170 million pay taxes, with tax collection as a percent of GDP among the lowest in the world. Pakistan's laws do not allow questioning of money transferred from abroad, so a lot of money can be channeled to Dubai and brought back into Pakistan. This is important becuase the burden of this falls on the poor, in the appalling quality of infrastructure and public services, and the widening gap in the quality of life of most people in the country compared to the affluent few. ...

LyrArc Article Gist
The 29 year rule of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, 82 years old, nears its end. Without opportunities for expression and lack of free media, and a people not used to participate in the running of the country; there is considerable uncertainty about what lies ahead.

LyrArc Article Gist
Ageing rulers Mubarak in Egypt at 82 years, and King Abdullah in Saudi Arabia at 86 years. The tightly controlled regimes in these countries and the lack of opportunites for expression of alternative voices, makes change especially difficult. These leaders and their regimes will fade away as new leadership emerges.

LyrArc Article Gist
The Apple iPhone 4 and antenna problems that resulted in dropped phone calls. Steve Jobs's handling of the customer complaints and media coverage. Jobs's willingness to take criticism and risks to come up with new design and Apple's sucess with the iPhone compared to rivals Nokia and RIM which avoided risky designs.