Charles Bragg (American, 1931 – )
Bragg was born in St. Louis Missouri in 1931. Both of his parents were Vaudeville performers, so he spent most of his young life traveling on tour with them. During his teenage years, he went to New York’s High School of Music and Art in Harlem. At 18, he ran away with his high school sweetheart, fellow artist, Jennie Tomao.
Before pursuing art, Bragg worked as a cab driver, a truck driver, a stand-up comedian, and a factory worker. He finally settled in California where he began his artistic career. He started by painting portraits of wealthy families, as well as offering lessons. Eventually began to pursue his own creative works. As he started using his own creativity and imagination, he started becoming successful. His works satirized the nature of the society he viewed. His success came from the humor and satirical style of his work. His political beliefs and opinions are very prevalent in his work. He has often referred to himself as “devoted student of the human race” and an “observer.” His works have been showcased in museums and exhibits around the world, and has been commissioned by Playboy Magazine. PBS made a documentary about him called “Charles Bragg – One of a Kind.” He has published a book on his work, “Charles Bragg: The Works! A Retrospective”
Bragg has won many awards, including the Gold Medal for the National Society of Illustrators as well as the Award of Merit from the Art Directors Guild of New York.
Bragg lives in Beverly Hills and continues his artistic career. He has two children, artist Charles Lynn Bragg, and author Georgia Bragg.
Herman Kahn (February 15, 1922 – July 7, 1983) was one of the preeminent futurists of the latter third of the twentieth century. In the early 1970s he predicted the rise of Japan as a major world power. He was a founder of the Hudson Institute think tank and originally came to prominence as a military strategist and systems theorist while employed at RAND Corporation, USA. He was known for analyzing the likely consequences of nuclear war and recommending ways to improve survivability; a notoriety that made him an inspiration for the title character of Stanley Kubrick’s classic black comedy film satire, Dr. Strangelove .
His theories contributed to the development of the nuclear strategy of the United States.
A think tank (or policy institute) is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology issues and in the creative and cultural field. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax exempt status. Other think tanks are funded by governments, advocacy groups, or businesses, or derive revenue from consulting or research work related to their projects.
The following article lists global think tanks according to continental categories, and then sub-categories by country within those areas. These listings are not comprehensive; given more than 4,500 think tanks exist worldwide. In general, this article is an introduction to the think tank landscape, and provides a way to quickly navigate to those of interest.
The Hudson Institute is an American conservative not for profit think tank founded in 1961, in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, by futurist, military strategist, and systems theorist Herman Kahn and his colleagues at the RAND Corporation.
The Institute is committed to innovative research and analysis that promotes ‘global security, prosperity and freedom’. It promotes public policy change in accordance with its stated values of a “commitment to free markets and individual responsibility, confidence in the power of technology to assist progress, respect for the importance of culture and religion in human affairs, and determination to preserve America’s national security.”
The Capital Research Center, a conservative group that seeks to rank non-profits and documents their funding, allocates Hudson as a 7 on its ideological spectrum with 8 being “Free Market Right” and 1 “Radical Left”.
In March 2011, Kenneth R. Weinstein was appointed president and CEO of the institute.
