WASHINGTON When Branko Milanovic, a World Bank economist, published The Haves and the Have-Nots, a study of global income inequality, last year, one of his most striking observations was the extent to which the subject was taboo in the United States.

As Mr. Milanovic explained, I was once told by the head of a prestigious think tank in Washington, D.C., that the think tanks board was very unlikely to fund any work that had income or wealth inequality in its title. Yes, they would finance anything to do with poverty alleviation, but inequality was an altogether different matter.

Why? Mr. Milanovic asked. Because my concern with the poverty of some people actually projects me in a very nice, warm glow: I am ready to use my money to help them. Charity is a good thing; a lot of egos are boosted by it and many ethical points earned even when only tiny amounts are given to the poor. But inequality is different: Every mention of it raises in fact the issue of the appropriateness or legitimacy of my income.

I recalled Mr. Milanovics remarks this week when I found myself on a panel at the Brookings Institution, one of those Washington research groups, discussing income inequality, including the research collected in a new book published by Brookings titled Inequality in America. In reply, Kemal Dervis, the vice president of Brookings, who co-wrote the book and led the panel, joked that if he turns up on the job market next month we will know he overstepped the mark.

It was a characteristically polished line Mr. Dervis is a former Turkish cabinet minister but the truth is that the Brookings event was a sign of the recent sea change in the U.S. public discourse about income inequality.

As recently as this summer, it still seemed like Americans were allergic to any explicit discussion of income inequality. That was the reasoning of Republicans and of many previously nonpartisan wealthy businessmen who responded to President Barack Obamas call for higher taxes on millionaires and billionaires with accusations of class war.

But at the polls in November, something surprising, at least for the Romney strategists, happened. A very muted, democratic version of class war was fought, and the lower classes won. As Mitt Romney put it in a conference call with his donors after the vote, a coalition of less well-off Americans re-elected Mr. Obama because he promised to use government to improve their lot.

Even the patriarch of American capitalists, Warren E. Buffett, has decided it is O.K. to talk about income inequality. In an op-ed in The New York Times and the International Herald Tribune this week, Mr. Buffett pointed out that the wealth of the 400 richest Americans has increased more than fivefold over the past 20 years. As Mr. Buffett put it, my gang has been leaving the middle class in the dust.

The Brookings panel confirmed that assessment and offered three important takeaways about the causes and consequences of rising income inequality. One was that government matters. Like most students of the subject, the assembled economists agreed that rising inequality was driven partly by economic forces like the technology revolution and globalization.

But the state can choose to mute the impact of the invisible hand. Paradoxically, in much of the Western world, and particularly in the United States, even as the power of these economic shifts has become more profound, government efforts to mitigate them have become weaker. As Mr. Buffett pointed out, the effective tax rate paid by the 400 top earners in 1992 was 26.4 percent. By 2009, it had fallen to 19.9 percent even as the pretax gap between the plutocrats and everyone else had widened.

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Income Inequality Sheds Its Taboo Status

London, UK - For historians, it represents a treasure trove of boundless rewards and an opportunity to revisit some of the most enduring myths about Britain's colonial past.

But for some of those still living with the physical and psychological scars, the release of thousands of previously secret government-held documents offers fresh hope of finally gaining a measure of justice for their suffering under British rule.

Last month, a judge in London's high court ruled that three elderly Kenyans could sue the UK government for torture they endured at the hands of the colonial authorities during the 1950s Mau Mau uprising.

The government conceded that the trio, Paulo Muoka Nzili, 85, Wambugu Wa Nyingi, 84, and Jane Muthoni Mara, 73, had suffered brutal abuse, including castration, sexual assault and beatings as a result of their detentions during one of the bloodiest and most enduring rebellions of the British empire's final days. But it argued that the distance from the events over which it was accused meant a fair trial was impossible.

That argument came unstuck when the foreign office was forced last year to reveal the existence of almost 9,000 hidden files brought to Britain from 37 former colonies. The files had been concealed as a consequence of a government policy that any "embarrassing" documents should not be left in the hands of the territories' successor governments.

Among them were several thousand papers relating to the British authorities' handling of the Mau Mau crisis, including details of how senior officials had colluded in the mistreatment of detainees by changing the law to provide legal cover for what they deemed "acceptable punishment", even knowing that what they were condoning equated to torture by international standards.

"If we are going to sin, then we must sin quietly," wrote Eric Griffiths-Joyce, the Kenyan attorney general, in a memo to Sir Evelyn Baring, the colonial governor, in 1957.

Seeking justice

David Anderson, the historian whose painstaking paper trail tracing the documents' transfer from Nairobi finally led to their re-discovery at the government's Hanslope Park archive, said that their contents had been "absolutely critical" to the success of the Kenyans' legal case.

"Although we had a very good general idea of what had gone on in Kenya, we didn't have some of the detail that you would need to make a legal argument," he told Al Jazeera. "But these documents show they discussed it. We now know who was in the room at the time, we know what was said, so we have it, as it were, chapter and verse."

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Archive sheds light on dark British past

LONDON (Reuters) - Anyone dusting off their copy of George Frederic Handel's "Messiah" in the run-up to Christmas this year might spare a thought for the unsung hero of the piece.

Without Charles Jennens, experts argue that the 18th century oratorio would never have been created, robbing Western choral music of one of its greatest works.

Handel House Museum, located in the cozy London home where the German-born composer spent much of his life, is seeking to put the record straight about a man who, for many reasons, has been passed over by history.

"The Messiah would not have been written without him," said the museum's director Sarah Bardwell of Jennens, who lived from 1700 to 1773.

For landowner and patron of the arts Jennens, the words to the Messiah were an expression of deeply held Protestant beliefs, and he was determined that Handel, a composer he had long championed, set it to music.

The words, famously opening with "Comfort ye", are not Jennens' own but carefully selected verses from the Bible as well as a small number of psalms from the Book of Common Prayer.

"If you listen to the words it's all to do with your relationship with God as in the individual, there's none of the big theological questions," Bardwell told Reuters.

"Everyone can relate to the Messiah, even beyond Christianity on some level," she added. "I think that's why Jennens is so instrumental."

FRIEND AND BENEFACTOR

Jennens, whose family fortune came from iron, was a friend of Handel and a major backer, subscribing to his music and providing the texts for "Saul", "Belshazzar", "L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato" and probably "Israel in Egypt".

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Show sheds light on Handel's hidden "Messiah" helper

Los Angeles, Dec 1 (IANS) Actor Matthew McConaughey has lost about 18 kg for a movie role, and despite the drastic weightloss he says he is "as healthy as can be".

He has lost pounds to play a skeletal AIDS victim in his latest movie "The Dallas Buyer's Club", and his lean frame is giving fans some cause for concern.

However, McConaughey insists his extreme dieting isn't taking a toll on his health as he is relying on a healthy diet of fish to keep his energy levels up, reports dailystar.co.uk.

"I feel fine. I really do. I'm eating fresh fish. I'm just eating small amounts. I'm not being starved. If anything, it's as much a spiritual journey as it is physical. I have body soreness. (But) I'm as healthy as can be. My blood pressure, everything's fine," he told TheDailyBeast.com.

The "Magic Mike" star had earlier said he will indulge in a greasy cheeseburger once filming on the drama ends, but he now accepts he won't be able to do so straight away, especially after dieting so much.

"You can't just start eating cheeseburgers and ice cream. Your body will go into shock," he said.

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McConaughey sheds 18 kg for movie role

COMMENTARY | The fallout between 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) and Floyd Mayweather has been well-documented, but it's still hard to decipher how real the beef between the two is.

50 Cent recently made an appearance on Power106.com, and he disclosed more information about his spat with his former BFF.

According to 50, Floyd was the one who initially came up with the idea of a partnership between the two, asking the rapper to help him with Mayweather Promotions prior to his incarceration at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas, NV.

Seeing that Mayweather Promotions was virtually non-existent, 50 said he decided to form The Money Team (now SMS) Promotions, using his personal funds to secure fighters like Yuriorkis Gamboa and Andre Dirrell.

When Mayweather was finally released from the Clark County Detention Center; 50 Cent claims Floyd denied ever asking him for help with his promotion company, refusing to reimburse Jackson for money spent on the business venture in his absence. According to 50's version of events, that was the straw that broke the camel's back, as he felt betrayed by Mayweather.

"When he finally did bring up the actual situation, he acted like he didn't know anything," Jackson explained. "Like, 'I didn't tell y'all to do that, I didn't tell you to do that.' And I'm looking at him, and he's looking at my face, and he's telling me he didn't tell me to do that."

Given the fact there are multiple theories about what caused the drama between Mayweather and 50 Cent, it's hard to tell if there's any truth to the Grammy-winning rapper's version. A while back, FightHype.com released a copy of a letter sent to Mayweather by Tommy Summers -- who was seen palling around with Jackson when "Money" was incarcerated -- which revealed an attempt to oust longtime Mayweather advisor, Al Haymon.

While I'm still a bit skeptical about how real the beef between Mayweather and Jackson really is, it's starting to look like there's some serious tension between the two, and I'm sure we haven't heard the last of it.

David is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and boxing practitioner that has watched and studied MMA for the past 7 years. Follow him on Twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.

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50 Cent Sheds More Light on Beef with Floyd Mayweather

Fundamental Forecast for Gold: Neutral

Gold was off by more than 2.1% this week with the precious metal closing at $1715 in New York on Friday. Prices had fallen more than 2% on Wednesday alone before closing the session down 1.28% with futures volumes hitting record highs early in the week. Immediately rumors circulated of an erroneous "fat fingered" trade after bullion plummeted $25 at the open of futures trade with Reuters reporting the "equivalent of more than 2 million ounces of COMEX gold futures changing hands in less than five minutes." The session was marked by massive swings in equity markets as investors reacted to developments out of Washington with the Dow coming back from a triple digit decline to close markedly higher on the session. The rebound in gold off the lows was satisfactory however, and while we cannot rule out another test of the 1693-1705 region, the broader prospects for gold remain constructive.

With the Fed pledging to maintain its accommodative stance on monetary policy for the foreseeable future, investors are likely to favor gold as a classic hedge against inflationary pressures and with the end of operation twist quickly approaching, the Fed may look to implement other non-standard measures which are unlikely to be sterilized in nature. That said, the Fiscal Cliff threat continues to drive price and could trigger further weakness as prices continue to loosely track equity markets on the downside. If concerns are put to rest before the year's end, bullion should remain well supported as broader commodities advance.

The Fiscal Cliff debate has continued to grip markets with remarks by various members of congress fueling volatility across asset classes. But with major event risk on tap next week, the negotiations are likely to be brushed aside until the deadlock is broken as investors look ahead to interest rate decisions from the RBA, BoE, ECB, RBNZ and the BoC. The flurry of central bank policy meetings lead up to the Labor Department's non-farm payrolls report on Friday where we will get an updated assessment on the state of the US employment sector. NFPs are expected to rise by just 93K for the month of November with the unemployment rate widely expected to hold at 7.9%. Due to the importance of next week's docket, we maintain a neutral stance here while highlighting key levels to watch for as we head into the first week of December trade.

From a technical standpoint gold has continued to trade within the confines of an ascending channel formation off the November lows with prices closing out the week just above channel support at $1714 after rebounding off the key 61.8% Fibonacci retracement taken from the October decline. A break below the this level risks a pullback into the $1695-$1705 support zone with only a compromise of this region invalidating the longer term gold outlook. Near-term resistance stands at the $1735-$1738 pivot zone where multiple longer-term Fibonacci extensions rest with a break above this mark challenging the monthly highs and our secondary objective at $1775 (our primary objective cited two weeks ago triggered last week at $1750). Note that daily RSI has continued to ho ld below the 50-mark with a close below 40 suggest in a deeper correction into figure may yet be at hand. With the start of the week and month holding so much event risk, the December opening range promises to be a telling one as we head into the close of 2012. -MB

DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets. Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from FXCM.

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Forex Analysis: Gold Sheds 2% But Holds Monthly Range Ahead of Major Event Risk

50 Cent - My Life (ft. Eminem Adam Levine)
I do not own the rights to this song. 50 Cent #39;s new single My Life! Lyrics: My life, my life Makes me wanna run away But there #39;s no place to go, no place to go A lot of confusion, it #39;s like illusion Like a movie, got nowhere to go Nowhere to run and hide, no matter how hard I try Yeah, OP I went from back filthy to filthy rich Man the emotions change so I can never trust a b-tch I tried to help n-ggas get on, they turned around and spit Right in my face, so Game and Buck, both can s-ck a d-ck Now when you hear #39;em it may sound like it #39;s some other sh-t Cause I #39;m ain #39;t writing anymore, they not making hits I #39;m far from perfect, there #39;s so many lessons I done learned If money is evil look at all the evil I done heard Im doing what im supposed to Im a writer, im a fighter, entrepeneur Fresh off the sewer, watch me manouver, what #39;s it to you? The track I laced it, it #39;s better than basic This is my recovery, my comeback in My life, my life Makes me wanna run away But there #39;s no place to go, no place to go A lot of confusion, it #39;s like illusion Like a movie, got nowhere to go Nowhere to run and hide, no matter how hard I try While you were sipping your own kool-aid getting your buzz heavy I was in the f-cking sheds sharpening my machete Sipping some of of that revenge juice, getting my taste buds ready To whoop down this spaghetti, or should I say this spaghett-even? I think you f-ck-ng meatballs keep on just forgetting Thought he was finished, m-therf-ck-r, it #39;s only the ...From:Emuser313Views:22 1ratingsTime:04:02More inMusic

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50 Cent - My Life (ft. Eminem

Only in Belize P1427
Parcel: 1427 Price: $565000.00 US. Newly Constructed Executive Riverside Home with Pool DIAMOND REALTY is offering this newly constructed home that sits on the river road and includes a pool and all Mahogany wood double doors that are 8 feet high. This Dream Home has it all. The home is 3 stories, with the third floor being designated for recreation. It includes a 450 gallon Jacuzzi that seats 6 along with the outdoor shower. This exotic home sits on 2 acres of beautifully manicured land, including a RV Home site that is totally self contained. The home itself is 2500sf, built 2012. The 15000 gallon salt water system pool is located just outside of the main house kitchen door. The home contains 2 Bedrooms, 3 Baths with room for other baths if needed. The pool has its own pool side kitchen and living space that measures 25X17 feet. It includes kitchen, dining, and wood burning fireplace with rotisserie, as well as separate full bath. The entire second floor is the Master Bedroom. The huge Master Bedroom has a huge walk in shower with Mexican Bowl double sinks, private veranda off of the bedroom, massive Mahogany doors that open over the salt water pool. The home also has central air conditioning and hot water. This property also includes a separate home for the caretaker, 2 storage sheds, piping from the river for irrigation, hot water, 2 water cisterns, one 1000 gal, and one 600 gal cistern, a massive array of Black Orchards, fruit trees including papaya, mango, line ...From:diamondrbzViews:0 0ratingsTime:01:59More inEntertainment

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Luxury Villa Marbella (Los Monteros) For Sale
VIEW MORE DETAILS AND PRICE: http://www.domusvenari.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Stunning 7 bedroom and 7 bathroom property located in the exclusive area of Los Monteros in Marbella on the Costa del Sol, Spain. This top end property enjoys a large build size of 1100 m2 and ground plot size is stated as 77000 m2. The landscaped gardens are complimented by a lovely water fountain and private swimming pool, surrounded by the panoramic views of both the mountains and the unmistakably calm Mediterranean sea. This home is quality throughout, with lavish bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen with Miele and Gaggenau appliances. Large and light living space with all design work and materials used of the highest standard. The house also benefits from it #39;s very own independently attached staff quarters of 3 bedrooms with living and dining areas, complete with a fully equipped kitchen. Also located outside of the property is a barbeque and dining area, along with two garages with enough space to facilitate six to seven cars. There are also two other sheds which could be converted in to stables with enough space for a riding paddock as well! For more information please visit: http://www.DomusVenari.com or call (+34) 952 831 220 quoting reference R885296 ------------------------------------------------------------ Credits: Music written by Tom CusackFrom:Domus VenariViews:1 0ratingsTime:02:07More inTravel Events

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Luxury Villa Marbella (Los Monteros) For Sale - Video

RIP BRONXDALE HOUSES (42 YEARS OF HIP HOP) SOUNDVIEW SPARK HIP HOP
BRONXDALE HOUSES: THE 1ST HOME OF THE OUTSIDE JAMS INTRO:ONE OF THE ORIGINAL "SAVAGE 7" EX-BLACK SPADES MEMBERS AND FOUNDER SHEDS LIGHT ON THE FORMATION OF THE BLACK SPADES AND THE VERY BEGINNING OF HIP HOP CULTURE WITH MARIO, SPANKY AND TEX IN SOUNDVIEW (SOUTH,SOUTHEAST BRONX) DURING THE SEGREGATION DAYS LET #39;S SET THE HIP HOP RECORD STRAIGHTFrom:R.I.P.BRONXDALE HOUSESViews:13 1ratingsTime:05:37More inEducation

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RIP BRONXDALE HOUSES (42 YEARS OF HIP HOP) SOUNDVIEW SPARK HIP HOP - Video