About China

China to see trade deficit in March

2010-03-22T17:56:00.000+02:00

In a forum in Beijing today, Cinese Premier Wen Jiabao spoke against protectionism blah blah blah. The major point to take home, however, is China will see its first trade deficit since 2004 in March, of about USD 8bn.

What does this mean, besides any implication on the currency debate? Well, ever since the beginning of this Great Recession (or GD2, as I would prefer to call it) Chinese exports have been a leading indicator of US consumption. So could this dramatic deficits foretell something more sinister, like a double dip? One month does not a trend make, of course, but this does raise serious alarm, especially in light with all this crazy talk of an official end to recession.

[Via http://econochina.wordpress.com]

China threatens US over currency rate dispute

2010-03-22T09:57:00.000+02:00

Beijing has threatened to retaliate if the United States declares China a currency manipulator and imposes trade sanctions.

The US Treasury is to rule whether China is unfairly holding down its exchange rate to gain a competitive edge in global markets.

Political pressure is growing in Washington to declare China a currency manipulator. Some US senators have threatened to slap duties on Chinese products if Beijing fails to allow the yuan’s value to rise.

Washington says China holds the yuan low so that Chinese goods can enjoy an artificial competitive edge.

Three years ago, Beijing had let the yuan climb 21 percent against the US dollar.

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have both urged China to let the yuan resume its ascent.

The currency debate has caused tension between the US and China. Relations between Beijing and Washington have been deteriorating over a number of issues, including the Pentagon’s arms sales to Taiwan.

[Via http://pakbizjournal.wordpress.com]

The Nine Nations of China: The Metropolis

2010-03-19T09:46:00.000+02:00

THE METROPOLIS

(Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang)

Territory: 216,008 km2 (2% of total)

Population: 147 million (11% of total)

Per Capita GDP: $6,406 (#3 of 9)

Exports as % of GDP: 58%

Net Trade Balance (ex-China): $119 billion surplus

Sleek, stylish, confident—Shanghai certainly makes an impression. Its steel skyscrapers look like rocket ships ready to blast off into the future, taking China along with it. Shanghai is a very young city by Chinese standards, but the Yangtze River delta—known in ancient times as the kingdom of Wu—has always been the most commercial and cosmopolitan part of China. Like the Low Countries at the mouth of the Rhine, it is a flat watery land crisscrossed by busy canals linking a constellation of trading cities. The Back Door may succeed in breaking the rules, but only the Metropolis has the wealth and dynamism to entirely reshape them. Its treasure fleets nearly discovered Europe a century before Columbus sailed, and of the Nine Nations, it is the only one to have displaced the Yellow Land—several times—as China’s political capital.

The Metropolis likes to see itself as China’s bright and beckoning future, but the feelings it stirs in other parts of China are decidedly mixed. While its residents see themselves as adaptable and forward-thinking, to many Chinese they come across as arrogant city-slickers—cliquish, crassly materialistic, and slavishly eager to mimic foreign ways. Shanghai had a pre-war reputation as a neon-lit version of Sodom and Gomorrah, and when China was “Red,” the Metropolis paid dearly for its “Black” capitalist past. Consigned to purgatory for over 40 years, the region bore the brunt of the Cultural Revolution and was starved for development funds—essentially frozen in time—until the early 1990s.

The rebirth of the Metropolis did not take place on its own terms. It was the result of a political decision, made in Beijing, to transform the region into a carefully designed showcase of what China could achieve. The state has poured tremendous resources into industrial parks, infrastructure, and Shanghai’s glittering new financial district, attracting huge amounts of foreign direct investment. But this subsidized, scale-driven growth model—where bigger is always better—makes for an economy dangerously prone to speculation. The best hope for the Metropolis lies not in ever-greater capacity and ever-taller buildings but in smaller, nimbler, entrepreneurial enterprises that draw on the region’s distinctive flair for marketing, design, and fashion.

[Via http://chovanec.wordpress.com]

A tell tale sign of what used to be

2010-03-19T01:50:00.000+02:00

This may seem unremarkable at first glance, but the location was previously a circular turret building which once housed Horn’s Imbiss Stube (Horn’s Snack Bar) and Cafe Atlantic, common meeting places for many Europeans (many of whom were Jewish refugees) who lived in Hongkou district during the 1930s and 40s. Back then, it was known as the heart of Little Vienna. More background here and here.

Its doomed demolition began sometime around September of last year and I watched week by week as the roof and walls came down.

By January of this year, it had become a near empty plot of land, save for the side skeleton of what used to be shophouse fronts.

I found it odd that this worker was building a brick wall around a demolished site. Upon closer inspection, I realised that one of the shop fronts, all of which were made of old stone, was in English.

I came to the conclusion that the place was most likely once owned by a European family. It made the most sense given its location. After the mass exodus of foreigners from Shanghai post 1949, the shop head was covered rather than painted over, with new headers, which evolved from cloth banners to wooden sign boards to what are now mostly plastic sign boxes with fluorescent tube lights attached within.

If you see old shophouse buildings being refurbished, there is a chance you might spot an old stone shophouse front, almost guaranteed to be in Chinese.

A fortuitous deed for posterity, a little tell tale sign of history, but gone the last time I stopped by.

December 2009

[Via http://shanghaistreetstories.wordpress.com]

Google China Partners Want Compenation If Search Firm Leaves

2010-03-17T09:57:00.000+02:00

If Google (GOOG) closes its Google.cn Chinese search portal, it will be tough luck for the American company which looked forward to getting an increasing shares of its revenue from the People’s Republic’s 400 million internet users. It is also tough luck for Google’s partners, most of which use the Google search feature on their sites.

Several companies that sell advertising for Google in China have expressed their concerns to the central government but they hae also warned Google that they may try to get financial compensation from it for loses to their investors and clients. It is an odd request since Google’s trouble in the world’s most populus nation began when its servers were hacked into. Google can make the case that none of its data is safe so long as it keeps Google.cn open and operates it email service in China.

Google’s partners will make the case that its withdrawal from China was a willful act on Google’s part and one that it did not have to take. That may be to some extent true. Google could continue to censor its results and the Chinese government would almost certainly allow it to stay. Google’s partner would contend that its exit from China was not necessary at all.

There may be no morals clause in Google’s agreement with it Chinese partners, nothing that says that Google will always be good and will fight evil wherever it is found. So, Google may take the high ground with two financial risks–on to its revenue in China and one due to losses to partners because of its actions. But, if Google leaves the mainland of its own accord it is likely to swallow hard and pay what may be a higher price for its actions than it expected at first. It is the cost of being morally better than everyone else.

Douglas A. McIntyre

[Via http://247wallst.com]

Daily Comment - 17th March 2010: A Word for Axel Merk – The Debate Over China’s Yuan Peg Continues

2010-03-17T01:31:00.000+02:00

Macro

A Word for Axel Merk – The Debate Over China’s Yuan Peg Continues

The Economist offers a refreshing rebuttal to Crudeman’s … err… sorry, I mean Krugman’s latest tirade over the Yuan Peg in their piece The Return of the “get tough” approach to China this week. In this amusing piece Krugman is dealt with the satire he deserves…

His view of what ought to be done is perplexing. First, he calls on the Treasury department to label China an official currency manipulator. I’m not sure why he believes that anyone in China or America is confused about what the Obama adminstration thinks of the dollar peg. They’ve been quite clear. I’m also not sure what effect this is supposed to have.

And one hardly needs to lift a finger to contemplate how ill-thought out his views are from a political and market stand point.

This is really remarkable. Mr Krugman is careful to explain why we shouldn’t fear that China, as a major creditor, has the leverage to punish America, but it seems as though he has given no thought at all to what leverage America has over China. Neither does he seem to pay the least mind to the potential fallout from such a reckless rush to a more aggressive approach to China. Perhaps the decision to impose these surcharges will have the desired effect. Or perhaps, the Chinese government will retaliate, touching off a trade war at the worst possible economic moment. The potential upside to Mr Krugman’s recommendation is trifling; the potential downside is massive.

But it’s the earlier reference to Scott Sumner which really caught my attention:

As our Leader points out this week, it is probably in everyone’s interest for China to allow the renminbi to appreciate at this point, though I’m sympathetic to Scott Sumner’s argument that during the depths of the global recession, China’s peg was highly stimulative to the Chinese economy and helped to end the global economic freefall. But while appreciation of the RMB would be good for mostly everyone:

[I]t would not be a magic bullet, either within China or outside. Rebalancing China’s economy will require big structural reforms, from tax to corporate governance, as well as a stronger currency. A stronger yuan would not suddenly bring back millions of jobs to America. Since America no longer makes most of the products it imports from China, a stronger yuan would initially act more like a tax on consumers.

This is something which Axel Merk has alluded to as well. I like Axel Merk, he gets straight to the point where it concerns currencies – especially the US Dollar. Readers will know we’ve made reference to him before, he’s a voice growing in stature, in my opinion. Back on 16th March 2010 I wrote about his appearance on CNBC.

For those who think I’m off my rocker for suggesting that the US may not be running a “strong dollar policy” have a listen to what Axel Merk said on CNBC last night – it all starts with the phrase: “…they don’t try to devalue their currency like the US does…” – very open and direct opining here, I’m impressed, worth listening to the end!

The notion that America’s export business will be granted a life line by a revaluation of the Chinese currency is practically not founded on any observations I have made in the real World here in Asia. What America is suddenly going to start exporting sneakers to Vietnam now, as Merk puts it in his latest piece: Strong Yuan in China’s Interest? That’s funny. Also, he alludes to Scott Sumner’s point about a stronger Yuan hike acting like a tax on US consumers, rather than a euphoric liberation of the manufacturing base. The Chinese may have more pricing power than they think, he says. He also comments on how China can use the Yuan to more easily regulate inflation, should they need to – something which we have been saying for some time now (China Basher’s Believe What You Want to Believe) in fact the currency peg in this instance could be a much more effective inflation control-level.

I encourage you to read this, typically entertaining, piece but if you’re too lazy, here are some of the highlights for you [emphasis/edits mine]…

Domestic Demand

It appears to us that U.S. policy makers would want the Chinese government to hand out credit cards to boost domestic demand [haha!]. If the Chinese only spend more, they could buy more U.S. made goods. This has to be taken with a grain of salt; while the Chinese love American brands, most of them are made in China or elsewhere in Asia. Those items China would like to buy, say commodity producers or nuclear technology, the U.S. is far more reluctant to export. Further, the Chinese reject this approach because they don’t want to promote a U.S. style, debt driven consumer boom.
The Chinese, in contrast, like to build consumer spending the old-fashioned way. By raising the standard of living, consumers may be able to afford more and thus spend more. So far, so good. But to boost growth, China almost exclusively seems to focus on infrastructure building, along the lines of: if you build a highway prosperity will come. That approach has been very effective in executing a stimulus plan that actually works; however, we believe infrastructure spending alone is insufficient in fostering a more balanced economy.

Inflation

China’s inflation has reached a 16-month high. The government is struggling to cool what may be runaway loan growth, increasing wage pressures and property prices that are rising at an alarming pace. One of the ways to bet on a stronger yuan is to buy real estate; such “hot money,” or speculative funds, would go away if the exchange rate reflected market forces.

It has become almost a ritual that loan growth explodes early each year, as borrowers fear the government may step in to restrict lending later in the year. It would be far more efficient to work with market forces, i.e. a stronger yuan, than to regulate economic growth. An economy driven by regulation encourages abuse. People will find ways around the rules, causing further distortions and, depending on the scale, they will turn to further regulations and even scandals. Allowing the yuan to appreciate and ultimately float would free up forces to focus on building competitive businesses.

If the yuan is not allowed to appreciate as a valve to contain inflation, the government has to restrict loan growth at banks and try to tame inflation using regulation. These tools are inefficient and, in our assessment, may ultimately fail to contain inflation.

Australia’s central bank just issued a report on the importance of flexibility; the analysis credits the floating exchange rate – and it has been a volatile ride for the Australian dollar – to keep inflationary pressures low.

Value Chain argument

China may be concerned that an appreciating yuan could be too effective in slowing economic growth. After all, many businesses may only be staying alive because their exports are subsidized through an artificially cheap exchange rate. Also, China is concerned about Japan’s experience of having a soaring yen cripple its economy. However, this fear must not be the only guide. China’s economy has long embarked on a course to be ready for a stronger yuan. In particular, China’s low-end industries have gradually moved to lower cost countries in Asia. It is the low-end, low-margin industries, such as the toy industry, that are most price sensitive. Indeed, we fear that countries like Vietnam or the Philippines may engage in competitive devaluation of their currencies should U.S. consumer spending not rebound as we fear.

China, however, is rapidly moving towards what we call the higher end of the value chain. Europe has long ago learned that it can’t compete on price, but has to compete on value-added goods and services. Those in the U.S. calling for a weaker dollar should be reminded that it is unlikely we will export sneakers to Vietnam: it’s simply not possible to depreciate yourself into prosperity.

In the spring of 2008, when import prices in the U.S. rose at a rate of over 20% year over year, it wasn’t only commodity prices that soared: Chinese exporters raised their prices and there was little the U.S. could do about it. Although China and other exporters to the U.S. will always attempt to absorb a higher cost of doing business, such as what a stronger yuan would pose, there comes a point when that is no longer possible. Just as with the experience in the spring of 2008, we believe China has far more pricing power than it recognizes.

Further, a stronger yuan will promote further investment into value added goods and services.

Commodity prices

Needless to say, a stronger yuan would allow China to lower the cost of its imports, particularly commodities. While inflationary pressures may convince China to allow its currency to appreciate, it is access to commodities that will be China’s primary concern over the coming decades. A stronger yuan is in China’s interest to satisfy its appetite for resources.

China is ready

Importantly, China has laid the foundation to allow for a stronger yuan. Its currency watchdog, China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), has been preparing China. Some of the more recent developments include the use of the yuan in international agreements; also, yuan denominated debt is being issued in Hong Kong.

Role of the U.S.

Policy makers in the U.S. should focus on communicating the benefits of a strong currency to China. The U.S. would be more credible in such a debate, if it pursued a strong dollar policy itself. These days, to qualify for the position of U.S. Treasury Secretary, a key credential is to be able to keep a straight face [haha!] while uttering the words, “a strong U.S. dollar is in the interest of the United States.” It would be helpful if more effort were spent encouraging Congress and the Federal Reserve (Fed) to pursue policies to support a strong dollar.

As for Krugman, we’ve been here before, on 6th January 2010 I wrote:

…he randomly fires a shot which this time land in China’s waters – specifically at China’s monetary policy here and here (again, read the comments – they’re much more interesting and probably more informative). The unfortunate Professor Krugman is beginning to look like another comical political caricature of The Administration with a Nobel Laureate badge pinned to his forehead.

Here is a classic example of why great economists do not necessarily make for great investors/traders/politicians/ambassadors/diplomats/etc (take your pick). Krugman must be a talented economist… and this is just a suggestion, but, perhaps he should stick to economics.

Macro Data to Watch:

BoJ Target Rate
Malaysian CPI
South Korean Jobs

Markets

March is proving to be a great month for the S&P, but what’s this? Another asset class is apparently doing better than equities… a certain hybrid security called a “Convertible Bond” according to a Bloomberg article today. Watch this space people!

Dollar index fell and looks to be rolling over. Could this be the end of the Dollar rally? Perhaps… let’s wait and see.

Source: Bloomberg

Global Stocks to Watch:

Great move by Intel after release of a new line of server chips (how geeky does that sound?) – watch the follow-through in the Tech space.
Citigroup – that’s one volatile stock these days! Up 4% last night.
Earnings: Generali, Nike, Porsche, TenCent

[Via http://theinternationalperspective.wordpress.com]

Group Seeks U.S. Funds to Break Chinese Regime's "Firewall" – New Tang Dynasty Television

2010-03-15T09:17:00.000+02:00

A group of human rights advocates have urged the United States government to fund a coalition working towards tearing down the great ‘firewall’ of China.

[Michael J. Horowitz, Hudson Institute]:

“We’re here to announce the submission to Secretary Clinton of two letters.”

The director of Hudson Institute’s Project for Civil Justice Reform, Michael J. Horowitz, announced on Tuesday at a press conference in Washington, DC.

The letters, signed by human rights campaigners from around the world, call on Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton to grant funds to the Global Internet Freedom – or GIF – Consortium.

Established in 2006, GIF is a non-profit organization that’s helping Internet users—mainly in China—break through Internet censorship. It’s mostly operated by volunteers who are adherents of Falun Gong—a spiritual movement which has been persecuted by the Chinese communist regime since 1999.

The Technical Director of the GIF Coalition, Dr. David Tian, says GIF has become the largest anti-censorship project in the world.

[Dr. David Tian, GIF Technical Director]:

“Currently GIF is basically responsible for almost 90% of anti-censorship traffic over the world. Most of our users are from China and Iran, and each country, each of them has about half a million to a million users (per day).”

The United States Congress approved 30 million dollars in the budget this year to tackle Internet censorship in China, Iran and other closed countries.

Hudson Institute’s Michael Horowitz says the U.S. government should live up to its promise.

[Michael J. Horowitz, Hudson Institute]:

“We expect to keep the pressure on the State Department to make its actions live up to its words, it’s as simple as that.”

Dr. Tian says the bottleneck to GIF’s efforts is its server capacity. With government funding, the coalition could upgrade its facilities from 1.5 million, up to 50 million users per day.

via Group Seeks U.S. Funds to Break Chinese Regime’s “Firewall” – New Tang Dynasty Television.

[Via http://kristinasaid.wordpress.com]

This Is How US Agents Sneak Into Pakistan

2010-03-15T01:57:00.000+02:00

For a few hundred dollars, low-paid border guards are allowing entry into Pakistan to spies and agents of multiple foreign intelligence agencies operating in Afghanistan. In this story and video, see how a US lady entered Pakistan through Torkham on Saturday, Mar. 13, 2010, without visa and without the knowledge of Pakistani intelligence officers posted there. This happens in a country that faces terrorism exported by both US-controlled Afghanistan and its Indian ally.

BY SYED FAWAD ALI SHAH:

TORKHAM, Pakistan—Rampant corruption and a weak Pakistani state are helping the entry into Pakistan of spies and terrorists from multiple foreign intelligence agencies operating in Afghanistan. Almost all terror in Pakistan is coming from Afghanistan.

This American woman tried to sneak into Pakistan through Torkham on Afghan border today, Saturday, Mar. 13, 2010, around early afternoon. She was wearing an Afghan woman’s burqa and apparently spoke local dialects. She would have successfully crossed into Pakistan safely hidden among a group of Afghan women but something about her demeanor raised the suspicion of a Pakistani border guard.

However, the border guards, known as Khasadars, made sure that Pakistani intelligence officers posted in the area are not told about this arrest. Torkham is considered a hot station within Kasadar tribal force circles. With salaries that go less than PKR 10,000 per month [less than US$ 130], major checkpoints such as Torkham provide an extra source of income for the Khasadars through bribes from travelers.

The guards kept the woman in a room for about thirty minutes and then let her enter Pakistan in her burqa. She paid the Khasadar guards a handsome amount of money as bribe. According a source in the Khasadar Force who witnessed the whole thing, the woman didn’t panic. She appeared composed and familiar with the ways of the border guards. She knew what to do in such a situation.

Thanks to my contacts in the border force, I was able to make a cell phone video of her passport while the Khasadar chief at the checkpoint talked to her.

Her name on the passport was Zohra Rehmati, which makes her an American from either Iranian or Tajik-Afghan extract.

Over the past four years, a large number of US agents have entered Pakistan through Afghanistan. Several have been arrested in different parts of the country disguised as Afghan men, complete with beards and Turbans and fluent in Pashto, Dari and Urdu. Unfortunately, much of this covert American activity was sanctioned first by the Musharraf government and now by the pro-US Zardari-Haqqani combine in the incumbent government.

Ms. Rehmati, if that is her real name, may or may not be a CIA operative, or one of its private contractors associated with either DynCorp or Xe International. But such lax security in a country that is a target of terrorism, DynCorp managed to create quite a covert network in Pakistan before being busted by Pakistani security last year. DynCorp remains in Pakistan, thanks to backing from both the US Embassy in Islamabad and the pro-US government, despite repeated attempts by the country’s security officials to force the US defense contractor to wrap up its operations here. Xe International, formerly known as Blackwater, also operated in Pakistan until 2005 before being moved to Afghanistan, according to an earlier report in the New York Times. But going by the number of incidents in Pakistan over the past couple of years where US private agents were seen operating in major Pakistani cities, it is safe to say that both contractors continue to quietly operate in Pakistan in one

Private contractors help give CIA the benefit of deniability if an agent is arrested on foreign territory.

CIA has been known to send US citizens of foreign descent to their home countries for espionage.

The most recent example is Roxana Saberi, an Iranian-American who was busted in Tehran carrying sensitive documents handed to her by an informant. Ms. Saberi was sent to Iran posing as a journalist. CIA even managed to get her newspaper accreditation from a major American newspaper. The US government was embarrassed at the arrest because Ms. Saberi was arrested red handed receiving official documents from a contact.

In Pakistan, a State that is falling apart at the seams, with no central figure or department to control the rot, is providing the perfect environment for meddling in the country not only by the United States, UK, India and other established powers based in Afghanistan, but also by a puppet regime like that of Mr. Hamid Karzai and his spymasters, who in eight years are in a good position today to wreak mayhem inside Pakistan while the politicians in Islamabad and the military in Rawaplpindi have little recourse beyond words of appeasement or caution during closed-door meetings with foreign powers in Afghanistan that are never translated into action to reestablish Pakistan’s writ domestically and in the region.

Mr. Shah is an independent journalist based in Peshawar.

[Via http://thepeopleofpakistan.wordpress.com]

Silicon Valley 3.0

2010-03-12T09:45:00.000+02:00

Green-Energy might be next wave of innovation in Silicon Valley and pundits are naming it Silicon Valley 3.0. The report talks about the following areas:

The next great wave of innovation

Part 1: Silicon Valley has assumed a leading role in the global competition to develop renewable energy and other clean, green technologies.

The innovators | The adopters

Star technologies: solar, smart grid

Part 2: The two sectors are already reshaping the way we use energy.

Fierce global competition in cleantech

Part 3: Silicon Valley’s ability to innovate its way to the top is far from guaranteed.

I suggest that it is worth reading this report which outlines the competitive landscape as well especially from China 100 billion clean tech research fund which is bigger than the Obama administration’s $70 billion in economic recovery funds for the Cleantech sector. I am optimistic that new wave of innovation will take place in this sector as research and development is being focused in this area. Europe is also hoping to lead the way especially Scandinavian countries.

Now the technology as only renewable resource is being utilized to solve the climate change and energy problems not only import substitution but to become really independent as well!

[Via http://krishnabhandari.wordpress.com]

Pakistan Navy to participate in DIMDEX 2010

2010-03-12T01:56:00.000+02:00

Doha—Pakistan Embassy has announced the participation of Pakistan Navy in DIMDEX 2010. Two Pakistani Navy ships and a submarine will be in arriving at the Doha Port on March 28 to participate in DIMDEX 2010 exhibition and seminar, according to Pakistan Embassy in Qatar.

Units participating include PNS Zulfiquar, a frigate recently commissioned in Pakistan Navy. The ship is fitted with state of the art weapons and sensors and carries a Z9EC helicopter, according to a Qatari newspaper The Pennisula.

The ship is part of the F-22P Project which encompasses construction of three frigates in China and also envisages complete transfer of technology for the construction of fourth ship at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.

PN Submarine Humza is also going to be present in Doha during the exhibition. The submarine was constructed by Pakistan Navy in collaboration with DCNS of France.

Hamza is the first submarine to incorporate Mesma which is an air independent propulsion system installed to achieve an increase in submerged endurance.

The submarine by virtue of its weapons and sensors outfit, equipment efficiency, stealth and well-knit crew is fully capable of undertaking variety of missions.

Third unit to be present at the DIMDEX is PN Missile boat Quwwat. PNS Quwwat was constructed at the Karachi shipyard in 2006.—Online

[Via http://thepeopleofpakistan.wordpress.com]

Statement of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the 51st Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day

2010-03-10T09:03:00.000+02:00

March 10th 2010

Today marks the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan people’s peaceful uprising in 1959 against Communist China’s repression in Tibet, as well as the second anniversary of the peaceful protests that erupted across Tibet in March 2008. On this occasion, I pay homage to those heroic Tibetan men and women, who sacrificed their lives for the cause of Tibet, and pray for an early end to the sufferings of those still oppressed in Tibet.

Despite the great hardships they have faced for many decades, Tibetans have been able to keep up their courage and determination, preserve their compassionate culture and maintain their unique identity. It is inspiring that today a new generation of Tibetans continues to keep Tibet’s just cause alive. I salute the courage of those Tibetans still enduring fear and oppression.

Whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, it is the responsibility of all Tibetans to maintain equality, harmony and unity among the various nationalities, while continuing to protect our unique identity and culture. Many Tibetans in Tibetan areas are working in various responsible posts in the party, government and military, helping Tibetans in whatever way they can. We recognise the positive contribution that many of them have made up to now, and obviously when Tibet achieves meaningful autonomy in the future, they will have to continue to fulfil such responsibilities.

Read more at source 51st Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day

Webcast of the ceremony in Dharamsala commemorating the 51st Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day.

View

Photo Gallery: Escape into Exile http://www.dalailama.com/gallery/category/0 ->>>>><<<<<-

[Via http://sjpaderborn.wordpress.com]

China supports Pakistan on Kashmir: FM Jiechi

2010-03-10T01:44:00.000+02:00

CHINESE Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi’s remark, during a press conference at Beijing the other day, that his country has neither changed its policy on the Kashmir dispute nor would it abandon Pakistan in difficult times, is only an expression of the reality on the ground. The Chinese have gone out of their way to help Pakistan, even losing the lives of their citizens in the process.

The construction of several crucial infrastructural projects, in economic as well as defence fields, gave a wholesome push to our industrial and commercial activity and lent muscle to our military machine. And Mr Yang’s reference to the possibility of making additional sale of arms and aircraft to Pakistan in the context of continuing to “expand practical means of cooperation” is the latest manifestation of the deep understanding existing between the two countries.

The Chinese support to Pakistan through thick and thin has never been in doubt, for one thing because the causes that the two countries pursue are of unquestionable legal and ethical validity. Islamabad benefited a great deal from the help it received from Beijing, which, unlike the rest of the aid-giving world, has invariably been without any strings. However, there has always been a strong feeling in patriotic political circles that Pakistan has, most unwisely, missed or at least balked at making full use of the opportunities that came its way to further cement the bilateral relations. Its successive ruling classes have invariably had, it is a great pity, misplaced fascination for the so-called friendly Western nations, which refused to give their help to Pakistan when it was most needed. Nevertheless, close bonds between Beijing and Islamabad have continued to exist, thanks more to the former than anything else because it looks at our failings with an understanding eye. Another reason for their close bonds is pure pragmatic considerations, which oblige neighbouring countries to have a harmonious and helpful existence.

It is in pursuit of the Chinese vision of a peaceful region, concern for “all-weather” friend Pakistan and regard for justice that Mr Yang stressed the need for an early solution of the Kashmir issue. He expressed Beijing’s readiness to assist in tackling it.

To set at rest any doubt about the existence of a strong relationship with Islamabad, Mr Yang counselled that no one should believe that the Pak-China friendship was in search for any material advantage. One would like to imagine that this reaffirmation would jolt our leadership out of their sweet dreams of gainful association with the US and other Western nations, and make them realise that, with hostile forces ganging up on us, further strengthening our relations with China was also the strategic need of the time.

[Via http://rupeenews.com]

Avatar was nicked from my online site

2010-03-08T09:55:00.000+02:00

A Chinese author claims that the plot of the 3D flick Avatar was nicked from a book he published online.

Beijing-based scifi writer Zhou Shaomou believes that Cameron ripped off his online novel Tale of the Blue Crows and he wants a billion for the rights. Shaomou said that much of Cameron’s Oscar-nominated film was yanked from the Chinese author’s 1997 space epic novel.

He said that in his novel that their space journey took them six years but in Cameron’s movie the journey takes them five years nine months and 22 days. Well that is a direct lift then. He admits he does not think he has a chance of suing Cameron, but he thinks it is worth a crack.

The Tale of the Blue Crows tells the story of remote-controlled human clones that explore distant star systems. Later in the novel there are blue aliens and memory transference is used as a plot device.

bron: www.fudzilla.com

[Via http://wocview.wordpress.com]

A Book and a Chat with "Julia Hoban"

2010-03-08T01:54:00.000+02:00

There are some guests that one has on a radio program that you just can’t get enough of, that you want to chat away for hours two, or as in the case of my special guest on “A Book and a Chat” you ask back for second or third appearances.

Today I am so please to have as my guest on the show “Julia Hoban“, author of the fantastic novel “WILLOW“, which wile produced as a YA novel has been enjoyed, as Julia explains during the show by readers of all ages, not just in the America’s but now all over the world.

As always Julia provided a fascinating incite not only to the latest news about her book, but in the art of writing, something that will be of interest and I hope help many inspiring authors.

Not only that, but Julia kindly set up a competition for me to run on my blog, details of which can be found towards the end of this blog..

Also during tonight’s entertaining show, we heard about the books success around the world from already being on its second print in Spain, to being launched in Germany, China and Taiwan. The book is also being launched in the UK this month though under a different name, becoming “SCARRED” a name which in many ways describes the book better than Willow”

As part of the pre-launch work in the UK Julia shared with us a wonderful article, she wrote for the The Daily Telegraph, one of the top newspapers in Britain.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/shoppingandfashion/7369893/The-power-of-a-parasol.html

The show was littered with interesting incites and anecdotes, which was enjoyed by all those who were listening or in the chat room, and is sure to be a much followed up show.

HERE ARE THE CONTEST DETAILS:

“In Willow there are references to several books, all except one of these books actually exist, though some might be not that easy to find online.

QUESTION: What is the one book mentioned in Willow whose name Julia made up?

The contest will close this Friday March 12th, with the winning entry receiving a $25 Barnes and Noble voucher. Entries must be made in the blog comments area on my main site.

(http://abookandachat.blogspot.com).

So listen to the show or down load the link for a very enjoyable forty-five minutes on “A Book and a Chat with Julia Hoban“

Oh… and don’t forget to enter the contest!

Barry

Direct Link:

“A Book and a Chat with Julia Hoban”

or you can download the mp3 file of the show from

“Julia Hoban”

Barry Eva (Storyheart)

[Via http://storyheart52.wordpress.com]

2010 Deep Research Report on China Wind Turbine Blade Industry

2010-03-05T09:52:00.000+02:00

2010 Deep Research on China Wind Turbine Blade Industrytwas published by QY Research Wind Energy Research Center on Jan 2010. Since 2009, the price of China’s wind turbine blade has dropped substantially, Some companies have started down the contract price. Some wind turbine blade manufacturers have begun to appear underemployment problem.On the development trends of current domestic wind power equipment market, supply and demand tension has been greatly eased with the original manufacturers and the new large-scale expansion project inputs. However, we believe that prospects of the whole wind power equipment manufacturing remain favorable, despite the huge profits time has slowly away, but is still a relatively high profit margins in manufacturing industries and the future market scale will be further expanded.

On July 24, 2009, China Development and Reform Commission published the Notice on Wind Power on the Pricing Policy. It stipulates that the whole country will be divided into four categories of wind power resource areas according to the situation of wind power resources and engineering construction conditions, and then the corresponding wind power electricity price benchmark will be fixed. Since August 1st of 2009, the wind power electricity price benchmark in Chinese four resource areas will be 0.51 RMB (0.074 USD) Kw/h, 0.54 RMB (0.079 USD) Kw/h, 0.58 RMB (0.085 USD) Kw/h, and 0.61 RMB (0.089 USD) Kw/h separately. We believe that the new pricing policy will have a favorable impact to enhance the operator’s profitability and stimulate the development of China’s wind power industry. As for the unreasonable redundant construction in wind power industry, the government also has introduced some relevant control measures, which is undoubtedly good news to the existing industries and enterprises. The original “long-term renewable energy development plan” for wind powers by 2020 the total installed capacity is determined by 30 million kilowatts, and now that goal may be adjusted to from 100 to 150 million kilowatts, 30 million kilowatts and the goals may be able to achieve in 2011. We believe that the policy of this series will make wind turbine blade industry maintain a continued healthy growth.

More Information:

http://www.aarkstore.com/reports/2010-Deep-Research-Report-on-China-Wind-Turbine-Blade-Industry-13453.html

[Via http://aarkreport.wordpress.com]

China's Forgotten Muslim Admiral: Zheng He

2010-03-05T01:22:00.000+02:00

Zheng He ranks among the world’s greatest seafarers.Nearly a century before European explorers started out, he was commanding great fleets of huge shipsThe ships groaned with valuable cargo and travelled epic distances, from China to the coast of Africa.China has been through periods of overlooking Zheng He. But since the 1980s, he has had a revival in the People’s Republic.Nick Baker finds out more about the man who was a eunuch, a Muslim, possibly a giant, and one of the world’s most important historic naval figures.

via BBC World Service – Documentaries – China’s Forgotten Admiral.

[Via http://islam1o1.wordpress.com]

SHANGHAI DECLARES INDOOR SMOKING BAN AHEAD OF EXPO

2010-03-03T09:50:00.000+02:00

Restaurants and office buildings in China’s commercial capital Shanghai are scrambling to set up nonsmoking areas as the city bans lighting up in indoor public spaces ahead of the World Expo.

There is rising awareness of the health risks of smoking in China, by far the world’s biggest tobacco-consuming country, and this modern city of 20 million is cleaning up its act as it prepares to host the Expo, which begins May 1.

That six-month event, which will showcase the theme “Better City, Better Life,” is expected to attract 70 million people, with exhibits from 192 countries. Most of the visitors will be Chinese from other cities where tobacco use is less strictly controlled.

“The regulations are not going to work. China is at least 50 years behind advanced countries, and people here lack self-discipline,” said Xu Baofeng, a manager at a mobile phone service outlet, who was standing inside the shop with his head sticking outdoor as he smoked.

“You can see the NO SMOKING sign on our wall, but many people just ignore it,” Xu said, saying that some male customers fight back or complain to higher managers if staff try to stop them.

Even before the ban took effect Monday, most major public facilities in Shanghai, including many shopping malls and all subways and subway stations, banned smoking.

Now authorities have penalties to apply, and have signed up thousands of volunteers to help enforce the ban.

First-time offenders will get a warning. If they resist, they face fines of 50 yuan to 200 yuan ($7 to $30).

For the full article: Mail Times – AP

[Via http://jollygoodnews.wordpress.com]

China to increase minimum wage

2010-03-03T01:55:00.000+02:00

China is increasing its minimum wage across the board (the wage rate is set at provincial or even city level) in order to alleviate its labor shortage problem and also to help developing its domestic market. On the heels of recent announcement from Jiangsu to raise minimum wage by 13%, Shenzhen (a leading manufacturing hub down south) is to increase its wage rate by at least 10%. This trend is likely to be replicated throughout the nation.

By increasing labor’s share of profit, China is effectively making its exporters less competitive and reduce its trade surplus to placate the protectionist voices in key markets. The increase wages will go towards enhancing domestic consumption and building a middle class. A much better way to address the global imbalance than revaluing the RMB, which will only benefit China’s competitors.

[Via http://econochina.wordpress.com]

Pump Six and other stories by Paolo Bacigalupi

2010-03-01T17:52:00.000+02:00

I hesitated a long time over whether to buy this story collection, not because I didn’t think they’d be any good, but because it seemed to be a lot more expensive than similar books. I ended up paying about £13.50 for it, which is pretty good, considering that it now appears to be out of print, and is selling for around £50 second-hand.

I might have to get me some of that second-hand action, because my other fear – that I’d already read a lot of the stories in the collection – proved to be all too true, and I should have checked the list of contents.

This slim – 235 page – volume contains 10 stories, and I’d read 4 of them before. If you take account of the length of these stories, I’d read close to half the book, which is why I wouldn’t pay £50 for it.

Bacigalupi writes fascinating, if bleak, stories set in a depressingly convincing future. Imagine that the big agrochemical companies get their way and somehow manage to corner the market in copyrighted seedstock (helped by a few genetically engineered plant diseases which kill of the remaining non-copyright crops). Imagine that the oil runs out and that we start to measure everything we do in terms of the energy it takes to do it vs. the amount of energy you get from it. Imagine that we somehow end up losing essential scientific and engineering skills, because our manufacturing industry dies and nobody chooses to study those things any more.

These – and other – scenarios make up the background of these stories of individuals struggling against the systems under which the labour, looking for a little taste of freedom, or a reason to live.

If, like me, you regularly read Gardner Dozois’ annual collections, you may already have read “The Fluted Girl” (surgically modified twins play their own bodies as musical instruments); “The People of Sand and Slag” (almost-indestructible canon fodder who can regrow their own blown off limbs encounter a real dog); “The Calorie Man” (a reluctant trader tries to help a scientist who has the secret of genetically modified seedstock); and “Yellow Card Man” (a Chinese refugee in Thailand tries to find work in a crowded and mercilessly indifferent city).

These are powerfully imagined stories which choose not to overplay their implied criticisms of our present, but they are nevertheless thought provoking.

There’s a novel, The Windup Girl set in the same future as “The Calorie Man” and “Yellow Card Man”, which is in my pile of books to read.

Recommended, if you can get hold of it!

[Via http://bobsbooks.wordpress.com]

Flashback to 2009

2010-02-26T09:39:00.000+02:00

2009 was quite a year for me! Things were busy for me at work until I got laid off in April. I took a deep breath and moved on to a fascinating and eventful rest of the year. I started thinking how long I should break before start looking again, the long list of books I had wanted to read, where I should be traveling, and the list goes on.

The highlights of my 2009 were that I reconnected with my family and traveled to new places and learned a new culture. The most memorable moments were attending my niece’s high school graduation and moving her to college, and attending my two nephews’ high school graduation in Texas and spending time with them. I was so preoccupied with work and my life that I felt that they are already grown before I could realize it. The most fascinating experiences were in China.

I experienced a few shockers in China, especially Beijing and Shanghai, one about the road, the other about police cars. I also learned more in-depth about the Chinese culture, especially first hand experience of the importance of guanxi, the role of women, and the wine culture, which I will write about in subsequent blogs.

I am grateful for such a wonderful 2009.

[Via http://judyshares.wordpress.com]

China to put billions of dollars to North Korea to keep Influence

2010-02-26T01:55:00.000+02:00

Radio Free Asia, Feb. 25, 2010-

SEOUL— China’s reported plans to invest billions of dollars in North Korea reflect Beijing’s bid to prop up the regime and keep a dominant role in the region rather than to lure Pyongyang back to multilateral talks, analysts say.

A number of state-owned Chinese banks and other companies are close to a deal to invest nearly U.S. $10 billion in North Korean infrastructure, after talks with the official Pyongyang-based Taepung International Investment Group, Seoul’s Yonhap news agency has reported.

The report couldn’t be immediately confirmed.

The investment earmarks funds to build railroads, harbors, and homes in North Korea, the report said, adding that more than 60 percent of the investment would be put up by Chinese banks.

The deal, with North Korea’s State Development Bank, is expected to be signed next month, Yonhap said.

Winston Yang, a China analyst and professor emeritus from Seton Hall University, gave three reasons for the injection of Chinese funds into North Korea.

“The first is that it will increase [Beijing's] control over North Korea and its influence there. The second is that Beijing fears that Kim Jong Il will fall from power,” Yang said, adding that North Korea’s current economic woes have left millions hungry.

“The third reason is, I believe, that there is a sense in which it goes against the wishes of the United States,” he said.

Yang cited strains in U.S.-China ties stemming from U.S. arms sales to Beijing’s arch-rival Taiwan, a threat from Google to withdraw from China, and a meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and Tibet’s exiled leader, the Dalai Lama……. (Radio Free Asia)

[Via http://chinaview.wordpress.com]

Kid in the Cockpit

2010-02-24T09:56:00.000+02:00

No, it is no movie that I talking about! Today’s story is about the Aeroflot Flight 593. The Aeroflot Flight 593 was a Russian Airlines Air bus passenger airliner. What was special about this plane? Well nothing, except that the Aeroflot crashed in a hill in remote Siberia on 23 March 1994, killing all the 75 passengers and crew on board.

Illustration of A310 F-OGQS. Credits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroflot_Flight_593

What is unique about the crash of the Aeroflot 593? Well, voice and flight data recorders later revealed that the pilot’s 15-year-old son Eldar Kudrinsky was seated at the controls, not the pilot!

In 1994, the USSR had just disintegrated and a new Russia had emerged. Hence many Chinese businessmen were travelling to Russia to see the new emerging market. On this particular flight to Hong Kong, the relief pilot,Yaroslav Kudrinsky, taking advantage of the discount rates provided by the airline to him, was taking his two children for their first visit overseas. During the flight, he invited his children t0 visit him in the cockpit.

Here is what happened. [credits: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_accidents_and_incidents]

With the autopilot active, Kudrinsky, against regulations, offered to let them sit at the controls. First his daughter Yana took the pilot’s left front seat. Kudrinsky adjusted the autopilot’s heading to give her the impression that she was turning the plane, though she actually had no control of the aircraft. Next, his son Eldar Kudrinsky took the pilot’s seat. Unlike his sister, Eldar applied enough force to the control column to contradict the autopilot for 30 seconds.

What nobody knew was that by doing this, he completely disconnected the aileron’s autopilot: the flight computer switched the plane’s ailerons to manual control while maintaining control over the other flight systems. The plane did not audibly signal a warning that this had occurred, although an indicator light did come on. It apparently went unnoticed by the pilots, who had previously flown planes with an audible warning signal. The first to notice a problem was Eldar, who observed that the plane was banking right. Shortly after, the flight path indicator changed to show the new flight path of the aircraft as it turned. Since the turn was continuous, the resulting predicted flight path drawn on screen was a 180 degree turn. This indication is similar to the indications shown when in a holding pattern, where a 180 degree turn is intentional to remain in one place. This confused the pilots for nine seconds.

Soon the plane banked past a 45-degree angle (steeper than it was designed for). This increased the g-force on the pilots and crew, making their bodies feel much heavier than usual, and making it impossible for the Captain to replace his son at the controls. After banking as much as 90 degrees, the remaining functions of the autopilot tried to correct the plane’s altitude by putting the plane in an almost vertical ascent, nearly stalling the plane. The co-pilot and Eldar managed to get the plane into a nosedive, which reduced the G-force on the pilots and enabled the Captain to take the controls. Though he and his co-pilot did regain control, their altitude by then was too low to recover, and the plane crashed at high speed, killing all aboard. The wreckage was located on a remote hillside approximately 25km from Mezhdurechensk in Kemarovo Oblast, southwest Siberia.

[Via http://prit4u.wordpress.com]

Who's pulling the Puppet Strings?

2010-02-24T01:45:00.000+02:00

Ok, now I’m officially terrified. Here’s the propaganda coming out of Eastern Germany. Stamps proclaiming these bulbs as the almighty solution when they’re actually the problem.

It may be too late. These bulbs are in our worldwide consciousness as being good for the environment even though they’re all made in China, the US closed all its ight bulb factories, they’re considered toxic and hazardous, have plastic packaging, cause additional Mercury and coal production, no warning labels and have to be taken some place special to recycle them.

And we’re being convinced they’re ‘Green’.

Please educate yourself about the negative global effects these have on the planet from job losses to becoming toxic, hazardous waste once they break or burn out.

We have a choice. We can not blindly accept that changing to these light bulbs is the right thing to do. Please look into the additional Mercury production that the hundreds of million of these will fuel. How much is a hundred million? Well only 200 million Frisbees were ever sold since the 50’s if that helps put it on perspective.

They are Hazardous Waste once they burn out and will contaminate the water supply according to our own EPA:

PLEASE boycott these until every single town either has a pickup program or there is a Toxic Waste facility in all towns that don’t have Ikea or Home Depot (those are two places that will recycle them, if you or your neighbors bother to double bag them in plastic and drive them over…if they’re not broken…if they’re broken, it’s your problem).

Thank you to:

otitismediamc.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/eussrstamps

for keeping this topic alive.

[Via http://stoppingatthegreenlight.wordpress.com]

The Legend of Chen Zhen (2010) 40 Second Teaser News Clip.v2

2010-02-22T09:48:00.000+02:00

While China is traumatized by military cliques during the Warlord Era in the 1920s, Shanghai (上海) is the cynosure of all eyes. People see it as both Hells Kitchen and Heavens Gate. One of the citys most memorable heroes has to be Chen Zhen, who single-handedly avenges his mentors death by killing all the Japanese at a dojo in Hongkou, only to be showered with bullets while making his legendary flying kick. Vanished from the public eye ever since, he has been taken for dead though his body is never found.

Seven years later, a wealthy entrepreneur called Koo returns from abroad and makes a grand entrance on the Shanghai social scene by befriending the notorious mafia boss of the city. This mysterious man is none other than Chen Zhen in disguise who dwells in a world of nefarious means in order to infiltrate the criminal empire. He soon discovers a clandestine collusion between the mafia and the Japanese.

Disguised as a caped crusader at night, Chen sets out to dismantle with his martial arts skill the evil collusion that plaques the country. One of his foremost missions is to ferret out the assassination list prepared by the Japanese.

bron: www.youtube.com

[Via http://wocview.wordpress.com]

How to Make Chinese Meat Buns

2010-02-22T01:52:00.000+02:00

Nikuman (肉まん; derived from 肉饅頭 niku (meat) manjū) is a Japanese food made from flour dough, and filled with cooked ground pork or other ingredients. It is a kind of chūka man (中華まん lit. Chinese-style steamed bun) similar to the Chinese baozi (包子), Also known in English as pork buns.

Nikuman are steamed and often sold as street food. From about August or September, through the winter months until roughly the beginning of April, Chūka man are available at convenience stores, where they are kept hot.

[Via http://multiculturalcookingnetwork.wordpress.com]

Google Cyber Attacks traced to Chinese Schools

2010-02-19T17:50:00.000+02:00

The recent attacks on google and other US companies that were traced to China have more specifically been traced to two Chinese schools, one that has ties to the Chinese Military. The same investigators who have traced the attacks to the schools also believe that the attacks may have started as early as April but were only recently detected. Although the Chinese government still denies they were involved in the attacks, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to believe their stance as more fingers continue to point to their involvement.

To read the entire article, click here.

[Via http://iprotectyourdata.wordpress.com]

25: Happy Chinese New Year

2010-02-19T01:43:00.000+02:00

From about four in the afternoon Saturday until now, there have been a constant display of fireworks exploding in the air and on the ground. The myth is that the fireworks and wearing red clothing scares away evil spirits (Nien in particular). To really experience the Chinese New Year, my program ventured out into the rural Chinese province, Shanxi.

Our first stop was Taiyuan, a “small” city with 3.4 million people, on New Years’ Eve. While we ate, drank, and were merry, I unfortunately succumbed to my first allergic reaction in China. While my friends went out and shot off fireworks, I turned in for the night and slept 11 hours while my body recovered.

Fortunately, there was much of the trip that was left. On New Years’ Day, we visited the Jinci Temple and the Qiao Family’s Compound. The thousand-year-old temple was absolutely breathtaking. After living in a world of buildings and steel and pavement, the gently falling snow and carefully placed trees and shrubbery had quite the effect on all in the program. The Qiao Family’s Compound did not have the same kick to it. After paying 400 kuai (58USD) for a meal for 11 (we got ripped off big time), the compound was little more than a few rooms and some painted dummies. I would definitely not return.

That night, we arrived in Pingyao, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Everyone was so kind there! When we got off the bus, we were greeted by a group of gawkers, demanding to help us with our luggage and take pictures. We had to walk a short distance (1/4 of a mile?) to get to the hotel because the bus wasn’t allowed within the city walls. Once we saw our rooms, we knew we were in real rural China.

My roommate, Soomi, and I shared a queen-sized bed, which really was a wood plank with a blanket over it, that took up 80% of the room. The bed left enough room to get to the bathroom and the shower (which dribbled instead of sprayed when turned on). The second night we were there, Soomi, Sandi, Shelle and I all had a sleepover in the bed. OH THE CUDDLES!

Exploring Pingyao was an enjoyable experience. Lauren, Arete, Soomi, Chris, and I made a group. Together, we thrusted weapons at each other, rode a taxi that was a motorcycle tacked on to a cart, explored an ancient temple and ancient wall, and closed out the day with a liondance and massage. Though we were exhausted by the end of the day, Pingyao comes highly recommended.

[Via http://abroadburger.wordpress.com]

Legality of Indian Claim on Kashmir

2010-02-17T09:21:00.000+02:00

Following the World War-II, there has been an unremitting resistance by the people of Subcontinent against the ruling British colonial power. Under the swelling pressure of the people of subcontinent, the British Government finally had to announce the partition of the Subcontinent on June 3, 1947. However, the British Parliament formally passed “The Indian Independence Act-1947” on July 17, 1947. As per provision of Article-I of the Independence Act, India was to be partitioned into two Dominions namely “India” and “Pakistan” from 15th day of August 1947.

However, Article 7 of the Indian Independence Act very clearly states that from 15th August 1947, “the suzerainty of His Majesty over the Indian states lapse and with it lapses all treaties and agreements in force at the date of the passing of this Act between His Majesty and the rulers of Indian states”. Consequent upon this, all powers and functions, which were exercisable by the British Government in relation to the Princely States, also ceased.

All agreements of British governments with either rulers or states also lapsed on 15th of August 1947. Since the state of Jammu and Kashmir was a Princely State with a special autonomous status, therefore, it can be very conveniently said that on 15th day of August 1947, the Maharaja Sir Hari Singh was not the permissible ruler of the state of Jammu and Kashmir as all his treaties with British India lapsed on that day. Once he was not a ruler of the state, he had no right to sign the instrument of accession (if at all he signed that) with the new Indian dominion. This title to the state was granted to him by the British Government (East India Company) under the Treaty of Amritsar (Kashmir Sale deed) signed on 16 March 1846 and lapsed on the appointed day of 15th August 1947.

Besides, on July 25, 1947 in his address to special full meetings of the Chamber of Princes held in New Delhi, Lord Mountbatten categorically told all princes of Princely States that they were practically free to join any one of dominions; India or Pakistan. He however clarified that, while acceding to any dominion they could take into account geographical contiguity and wishes of the people. In case of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, either of the above factors was favouring state’s accession to Pakistan, but Maharaja Hari Singh did not accept this basic precondition of accession.

Indian claim that its forces landed Srinagar Airport on October 27, 1947, only after signatures on Instrument of Accession by Maharaja and the Indian government is also fallacious. Indeed, a heavy contingent of Patiala State was involved in fighting against the Kashmiri rebellions in Uri Sector on 18 October 1947, which means that they were very much inside the State`s territory much earlier than October 27, 1947.

On 24 October 1947, Kashmiris formally declared their independence from Dogra Raj and established their own government with the name of Azad (Free) Kashmir Government. Following this Maharaja Hari Singh sent his deputy Prime Minister Mr. R.L. Batra to New Delhi for Indian military assistance to his Government against those revolted and tribal from NWFP who joined their brethrens against a tyrant rule. He (Batra) met the Indian Prime Minster and other prominent Indian leaders and requested for assistance without making any mention or promise of state’s accession to the Indian Union. The Indian government instead sent Mr. V.P Menon (Indian Secretary of State) to Kashmir to assess the situation on the spot by himself on 25 October 1947.

After assessing, the situation in Kashmir Mr. V.P Menon flew back to New Delhi on 26 October 1947, together with Kashmiri Prime Minster Mr. Mahajan, who met top Indian leadership, seeking military assistance. He was refused to get that until state’s formal accession with India. On this Kashmiri Premier threatened the Indian leadership that if immediate military assistance was not granted, he would go to Lahore for negotiations with Pakistani leadership over the future status of the state. In a parallel development, Sheikh Abdullah met Indian Premier, Jawaharlal Nehru, on the same day, October 26, 1947, who agreed to despatch military assistance to the Kashmir government.

As stated by Mahajan, the Kashmiri Prime Minister, that V.P. Menon accompanied him to convince Hari Singh for accession of the State with India on 27 October 1947. Under the compulsion, Hari Singh signed the instrument of accession on the same day i.e. 27 October 1947, which was later taken to Lord Mountbatten (Indian Governor General), who also signed that on the same day (27 October), which was practically difficult. V.P. Menon, however, states that all these formalities of signatures were completed on 26 October 1947, which is impracticable. This version, however, seems concocted as even contradicted by pro Indian Kashmiri Premier. Both however are unanimous on one point that Indian state forces landed at Srinagar airfield in the morning of 27 October 1947 and a battalion of Patiala State received them there, which was already there.

In his travel account, Kashmiri Prime Minister Mahajan has described that he had refused to return to Kashmir and hand over powers to Sheikh Abdullah until Srinagar airfield had been physically taken over by the Indian forces. This creates doubt as to whether Mahajan and V.P Menon even went to the State (Jammu) for getting the signatures of Maharaja Hari Singh on the Instrument of Accession before 27 October 1947. This is further confirmed by variation in the statements of V.P. Menon and Mr. Mahajan (Kashmiri Prime Minister) regarding their travel to Kashmir either on 26 or on 27 October 1947 for getting the signatures of Maharaja Hari Singh.

However, whatever be the case the factual position is that; Maharaja Hari Singh was not in favour of State’s accession to Indian Union therefore, he only requested the Indian government for military assistance without any pre-condition of accession. Indeed, the accession documents and letters to Lord Mountbatten were initiated through the Joint efforts of V.P Menon and pro India Kashmiri Premier Mahajan, as wished by Indian Government and Hari Singh was forced to sign it on the evening of 27 October 1947 or thereafter. Whereas, Indian forces landed on Srinagar airport on the early hours of 27 October 1947. The time calculation of Mr. V.P Menon’s (Indian Secretary of State) visit to Srinagar, Delhi, Jammu and vice versa does not fit in with the concocted story of the signing of the Instrument of Accession.

Even if there is an instrument of accession between Maharaja Hari Singh and Indian government, it provides a number of safeguards to the state’s sovereignty, e.g. Clause 7 of the instrument says, “Nothing in this instrument shall be deemed to commit me in any way to acceptance of any future constitution of India …”. Whereas, Clause 8 of the Instruments says, “Nothing in this Instrument affects the continuance of my sovereignty in and over this state…….”.

Supposedly, the all instrument of accession was signed by the Maharaja and Indian government, it was clearly mentioned in his reply to Maharaja’s letter by Lord Mountbatten that after the restoration of law and order in the State of Jammu and Kashmir and the expulsion of the raiders, its future will be decided in accordance with the wishes of the people of the State. The same stance was taken by UNO in its over 23 resolutions, passed from time to time. Besides, over the years, Indian leadership had been reiterating their commitments to Kashmiris, Government of Pakistan and to the world community that after the restoration of peace in the state, its future would be decided as per the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir through UN mandated plebiscite. However, with the passage of time India refused to fulfil her commitments/obligations, which means she had ill designs right from the very beginning. Nevertheless, implementation of these resolutions and the fulfilment of Indian commitments is still awaited.

Another significant fact is that, had there been any accession treaty between the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian government, why it could not be published in the Indian White Paper of 1948? This has left a great disbelief regarding the conclusion of any such agreement. Yet another very serious reservation arises, had Kashmir been part of the Indian Union, why it was given a special status under the provision of internal autonomy through Article 370 of the Indian constitution? It is momentous to mention that the Indian government did not accord a similar status to any other state under this provision. Indeed, out of 560 Princely states, over five hundred joined India, but none was accorded this special status.

Through this status and a number of commitments, India kept luring in Kashmiri masses to become its part. Upon failure of winning their commiserations, India forced its way, through a fake assembly resolution in mid 1950s and thereafter started calling the state as its integral part. United Nations, however, through its resolution, No.2017 of 30 March 1951 and S.3779 of January 24, 1957, made it absolutely clear that; any action which Kashmir Constituent Assembly may have taken or might attempt to take to determine the future shape of state or any of its part would not constitute the disposition of the state and that election of State’s Constituent Assembly cannot be a substitute for plebiscite. Thus, this act of India was a blatant violation of the UNSC resolutions that India had accepted too.

Inaccuracy of Indian claim of accession can be judged from the top-secret letter addressed to British Government by Mr Alexander Symon, UK High Commissioner to India. In this letter, he briefly described the events until 4.00 P.M on October 1947, as; ten Indian aircrafts loaded with arms and troops were despatched to Kashmir from New Delhi on the morning of 27 October 1947. Until 4 P.M of 27 October 1947, Mr V.P. Menon has not reported from Jammu, which mean accession documents were either not signed or signed by Hari Singh on 27 October 1947, and there were only rumours of Kashmir accession to Indian Union without any confirmation.

Indian antagonistic approach can be imagined from the fact that Kashmiri Administration had requested for a Standstill Agreement with both India and Pakistan. Pakistan, however, accepted this offer but India owing to its pre-planned evil designs did not accept it. Instead of accepting it, India started interference in state’s affair through leaders like Sheikh Abdullah. Finally, they paved the way for illegal interference in the state’s affair through military invasion by her forces in October 1947.

From July to October 1947, with the connivance of Indian leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Patel, and V.P Menon, three Kashmiri Prime Ministers were changed one after the other. Pandit Kak, the State’s Prime Minister, was indeed favouring state’s accession to Pakistan or to keep it independent. He was a strong opponent of states accession to India, in spite of being a Hindu Pandit. Mahajan, who replaced Pandit Kak as new Prime Minister was a non-Kashmiri. He was a Judge of East Punjab High Court and has been the member of Radcliff Award, and hence a party to giving away the Muslim majority areas of Gurdaspur to India. He was very close to the top Indian leadership. To get him appointed as a Prime Minister of the state was through a planned strategy to force Maharaja from all around for surrendering to Indian Union.

In the light of the above-mentioned facts it can be very conveniently said that the Indian claim over the state of Jammu and Kashmir is completely illegitimate and unsubstantiated. India is negating its own commitment with Kashmiris, Pakistan and world community. Indian leadership should realize this and adopt a realistic approach for the solution of this outstanding issue as a goodwill gesture. Let UNO settle it under its auspices through plebiscite as per its resolutions.

Dr. R M Khan

[Via http://siyasipakistan.wordpress.com]

Hudson Taylor

2010-02-17T01:01:00.000+02:00

J. Hudson Taylor (1832-1905)

My last post featured a challenge from a young soldier stationed in Iraq. It was a challenge to every soldier of Christ to read the Bible and , more importantly, DO what it says.

Coincidentally, I came across a similar challenge in J. Hudson Taylor’s autobiography. Mr. Taylor was one of the first missionaries to inland China and started the China Inland Mission. He was kind of a radical among missionaries of the time as he and his fellow workers gave up their refined English clothing for Chinese dress and traded their tea and crumpets and silverware for rice and fish and chopsticks. see below:

His writing style is a little more, shall we say,” stuffy” than Stephen “Blu” Mack, soldier in Iraq’s, but the message is just as loud and clear, though written almost 150 years ago. Enjoy! Or as J. Hudson Taylor might have said, “Be enriched to the fullest degree!” ~~ Note: He’s talking about the time before he became a Christian: “It may seem strange to say it, but I have often felt thankful for the experience of this time of skepticism. The inconsistencies of Christian people, who, while professing to believe their Bibles,were yet content to live just as they would if there were no such Book, had been one of the strongest arguments of my sleptical companions; and I frequently felt at that time, and said that if I pretended to believe the Bible I would at any rate attempt to live by it, putting it fairly to the test, and if it failed to prove true and reliable, I would throw it overboard althogether. These views I retained when the Lord was pleased to bring me to Himself; and I think I may say that since then I have put God’s Word to the test. Certainly it has never failed me. I have never had reason to regret the confidence I have placed in its promises, or to deplore following the guidance I have found in its directions.” ~ J. Hudson Taylor Let’s pray the chopstick prayer: “Oh, Father in heaven, you are so good. You gave us the Bible to show us how to live (2 Timothy 3:16) and you gave us the Holy Spirit to help us to do it (Acts 1:8). May I please be like a pair of chopsticks in Your hand, doing whatever you will. In Jesus’ name, amen!” Here’s a book you might want to buy and read with your family about Hudson Taylor. Click on the pic for ordering information.

[Via http://gloriadelia.wordpress.com]

Bull turns tables on tiger

2010-02-15T09:50:00.000+02:00

A Chinese zoo’s bid to restore a tiger’s natural instincts by putting a live bull in its cage backfired when prey turned hunter.

Yancheng Zoo, in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, put the one-year-old bull into the white tiger’s enclosure, reports Modern Express.

Keepers expected the rare tiger, called Tang Bai Hu, would kill and eat the animal as it would have done in the wild.

Tang Bai Hu did try to attack the bull – but the bull turned the tables by charging the tiger which fled in terror, much to the amusement of visitors.

The tiger tried again but could not get the better of the bull which pushed him away and, at one stage, even seemed to bite the tiger back.

Zoo spokesman Chang Yihai admitted that a live bull might have been too much for the 15-year-old tiger which normally eats chopped beef or chicken.

“Our tigers’ hunting skills are long forgotten. They live a very comfortable life here, with a big house, swimming pool and sports field,” he said.

“But their wild nature has been lost, which indirectly causes the degeneration of their immune system and reproductive ability.”

The zoo had not given up – but would try offering Tang Bai Hu live chickens next time and build up from there, he added. Tang Bai Hu is the zoo’s only adult white tiger. He and his two cubs, Charles and Harry, are the stars of the zoo’s big cat show.

bron: www.ananova.com

[Via http://wocview.wordpress.com]

Chapter 3: Aim For The Ricochet Economy

2010-02-15T01:56:00.000+02:00

The Ricochet Economy – It is one of the fastest growing economies of the world and there are many business opportunities: It’s interesting to note that in year 2003 the total foreign remittance from developed countries to developing countries was $93 billion. As on year 2009 according to World Bank the total remittance would triple and would be close to $300 billion. There are so many business opportunities in this remittance business and one of the major developments in remittance is the launch of MMT (Mobile Money Transfer) service by Bangladesh which could potentially reduce costs to 1 percent of the transfer amount. The project will be implemented by Grameen Phone (a subsidiary of Grameen Bank which has pioneered mobile access to rural areas in Bangladesh). – According to India’s Economics Times.

There are two new innovations compared to other developing countries with successful MMT implementation: (1) This service is targeted primarily for cross-border transfers unlike domestic transfers, and (2) It will use a network of ATM machines for withdrawing money instead of having to go to a designated agent.

The Local Immigrant Diaspora – There are ample local opportunities to cater to immigrants in US: According to the book the number of immigrants in US increased 57% between 1990 and 2000. With the increase in immigrants there have been successful ventures, which have catered to these populations. For example Sulekha.com, China.com and others have been very successful at reaching out globally but there are a lot of local immigrant websites that cater to locally communities in US. One notable local website is apnatriangle.com that caters to local Indian communities in Raleigh/Durham area in North Carolina. This website is very popular among Indian communities in Raleigh/Durham area and provides a medium for people to connect.

The Vonage Way: Vonage is a very good example of how a company that is marketing in the developed world by looking for ways to reach immigrant population. Vonage provides free long distance international calls using VOIP to 60 countries – like India, Mexico, Canada and others. For example by tapping into immigrant Indian population Vonage has been able to reap tremendous reward and has forced companies like Airtel, Reliance, Tata and others to reduce their call rates. It is important to remember that Internet and other technologies are a potent force that can give a company competitive advantage over others.

[Via http://mbagrad2010.wordpress.com]

China Ready to Dump US Securities

2010-02-12T09:55:00.000+02:00

(c/o ZeroHedge)

This is serious. The Asia Times reports today that China is ready to start selling off its US Treasury Notes, ostensibly as a “punishment” for the recent US sales of arms to Taiwan. I and others previously warned about what would happen if China decided to let go of its dollar holdings – the gist is that China is the only thing standing between the US and catastrophic inflation. Previously these fears were pooh-poohed by establishment figures with the familiar arguments: “China needs us more than we need them”, “Who will China sell its surpluses to?” I even heard someone say, “Without us, the Chinese will be cavemen”. Well, it looks like China might have found itself a new trading partner, if this Asia Times article is any indication:

Dollar-denominated risk assets, including asset-backed securities and corporates, are no longer wanted at the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), nor at China’s large commercial banks. The Chinese government has ordered its reserve managers to divest itself of riskier securities and hold only Treasuries and US agency debt with an implicit or explicit government guarantee. This already has been communicated to American securities dealers, according to market participants with direct knowledge of the events.

It is not clear whether China’s motive is simple risk aversion in the wake of a sharp widening of corporate and mortgage spreads during the past two weeks, or whether there also is a political dimension. With the expected termination of the Federal Reserve’s special facility to purchase mortgage-backed securities next month, some asset-backed spreads already have blown out, and the Chinese institutions may simply be trying to get out of the way of a widening. There is some speculation that China’s action has to do with the recent deterioration of US-Chinese relations over arm sales to Taiwan and other issues. That would be an unusual action for the Chinese to take–Beijing does not mix investment and strategic policy–and would be hard to substantiate in any event.

Where do you think we’re getting the money to prosecute these $5,000 per second conflicts in the Middle East? Where did the money for our $2,500,000,000,000 (and counting) bank bailouts? China. They make our money real. Without their manufacturing powerhouse backing us up, our dollars are worthless. What, you think the world is going to value our “service economy” at $13,000,000,000,000 per annum if that money weren’t backed by Chinese promises? Well, those promises are now increasingly under threat.

Be afraid.

[Via http://pavanvan.wordpress.com]

Google to build high-speed broadband network

2010-02-12T01:49:00.000+02:00

SAN FRANCISCO — In an ambitious bid to revolutionize how consumers use the Internet, technology giant Google Inc. said it will build a network that would be 100 times faster than what is available for many users today.

Entering territory tightly controlled by telecommunications carriers, Google announced Wednesday that it will build and test an experimental high-speed fiber-optic network that could be available in several communities and reach as many as 500,000 people. The service could be available as early as next year, an analyst said.

Consumers in those communities will be able to sign up for the service, which would offer connection speeds of 1 gigabit per second, the company said. Many high-speed home Internet connections operate at less than 10 megabits per second.

The possibility of becoming Google’s test case immediately set off a flurry of interest among consumers and businesses frustrated with the high cost and low speed of Internet access. West Sacramento, Calif., Portland, Ore., and Houston, among other cities, have already set up “Bring Google Fiber” groups on Facebook.

“We would absolutely be interested in participating,” said Kevin Tonoian, city technology services manager for Santa Clarita, Calif.

Google, which considers broadband access a linchpin to extending its Internet empire, has been pushing for the U.S. to catch up with Asia and Europe in the availability and speed of broadband Internet, calling broadband the “dial tone of the 21st century.”

Google has argued that building a national broadband infrastructure is today’s equivalent to building the nation’s highway system, and would create jobs and stimulate economic development.

Faster and more widely available Internet access would also help Google get its products in front of more consumers and encourage new Internet uses such as viewing high-definition video or medical records.

“Google is trying to create a broadband utopia,” Forrester Research analyst Doug Williams said. “It wants to show regulators, government officials and other service providers what’s possible if you follow this model.”

Analysts say Google is using its political clout and deep pockets to show regulators and lawmakers the promise of speed and access in an industry historically in the tight grip of telecommunications carriers.

Google, which operates the world’s most popular search engine, has grown into a technology powerhouse with tentacles spreading into a wide variety of devices and services, but has no plans to invest tens of billions into rolling out a nationwide network, the company said. Instead Google is hoping that its experimental network would prod cable and phone companies to offer cheaper, speedier access on a broader scale, said Mike Jude, an analyst at research firm Frost & Sullivan.

Google would not say how much it would spend on the project, but Broadpoint AmTech analyst Ben Schachter estimated it could cost anywhere from $60 million to $1.6 billion, which would put only a slight dent in Google’s cash reserves of about $25 billion. Google plans to pay for the network without government subsidies.

“We are putting our money where our mouth is,” Google product manager Minnie Ingersoll said.

Google has urged the Federal Communications Commission to encourage such experiments. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski applauded Google. “Big broadband creates big opportunities,” he said in a statement.

The FCC set up a task force to propose a national broadband plan, which is due out next month. The task force has estimated that it could cost up to $350 billion to upgrade networks. The plan is expected to call for releasing more wireless spectrum for broadband use.

Google has a track record of flexing its muscle to overturn obstacles to open, unfettered Internet access. In 2008, Google bid more than $4 billion in a government auction for wireless spectrum. More recently it has lobbied in Washington for greater availability of wireless spectrum and for net neutrality.

Google is making big moves elsewhere in the telecommunications industry. Last month, it debuted a touch-screen mobile phone called Nexus One and opened an online store to sell it. In 2008, Google invested in Clearwire, which provides Internet access using a technology called WiMax.

The National Cable & Telecommunications Association said Wednesday that it would “look forward to learning more” about Google’s test program. The trade group, whose members include Time Warner Cable and Comcast Corp., said the cable industry plans to spend billions of dollars on top of the $161 billion it has already invested over 13 years in a national broadband infrastructure, which is currently available to 92 percent of homes. Verizon said it alone was investing $23 billion in its fiber-optic network.

Industry watchers said they hoped Google’s entry into the marketplace would spur competition and innovation but tempered their enthusiasm. In most places across the country, consumers have one or two options for high-speed Internet, usually from their cable or telephone provider. Service providers have been pouring tens of billions of dollars into upgrading their networks, but the speeds they are aiming for are not nearly as fast as what Google is proposing. Until now there has been little competitive pressure to force providers to take more aggressive action.

“The promise it represents is exciting,” said Ed Black, chief executive of the non-profit Computer & Communications Industry Association. “But people shouldn’t assume that this means we’ll suddenly have an amazing new player.”

[Via http://afteramerica.wordpress.com]

Senior Chinese Military Officers Propose Selling U.S. Debt

2010-02-10T09:49:00.000+02:00

Senior Chinese military officers have suggested that China sell off some U.S. bonds to punish Washington for its latest round of arms sales to Taiwan.

According to Reuters, the calls for retaliation came from officers at China’s National Defence University and Academy of Military Sciences.

“Our retaliation should not be restricted to merely military matters, and we should adopt a strategic package of counter-punches covering politics, military affairs, diplomacy and economics to treat both the symptoms and root cause of this disease,” said Luo Yuan, a researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences.

“Just like two people rowing a boat, if the United States first throws the strokes into chaos, then so must we.”

While these threats don’t represent fixed government policy, the open demands for retaliation clearly underscore the domestic pressures on Beijing to deliver on its threats to punish the White House over the arms sales.

bron: wallstreetpit.com [9-2-2010]

[Via http://wocview.wordpress.com]

Fear Factor Season 3

2010-02-10T01:55:00.000+02:00

I am heading back to the Dongzhimen food market…again…for the third time. I have some friends who haven’t been so I am going because let’s face it watching friends eat crazy food you should never actually put in your mouth is funny! The problem, I have been two times before the easy stuff is no longer a challenge to me. Stinky tofu, done! Starfish, done! Grubs, done! Shark, done!

So here it is my dear friend Leslie the southern belle who “decided to peace” has bribed me. She wanted to try scorpion and didn’t get the chance. SO if there is video documentation of me doing so then I get a care package. Well I guess there is only one thing to do……

The trouble, it means eating a scorpion, or as we have defined it; chewing and swallowing one bite. So tonight beer in one hand skewer of scorpions in the other I will take the challenge. I mean when have I ever shied away from a challenge? It can’t be any worse than chugging pints of malt vinegar can it? That is what I am going to have to tell myself. Wish me luck!

[Via http://jeninchina.wordpress.com]

Is the US Already Bankrupt and trading in Fake Gold?

2010-02-08T09:49:00.000+02:00

“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (around the banks), will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”

Thomas Jefferson

Rank Country CAB USD, bn 1 People’s Republic of China 371.833 2 Germany 252.501 3 Japan 210.967 4 Saudi Arabia 95.762 5 Russia 76.163 6 Switzerland 70.797 7 Norway 59.983 8 Netherlands 52.522 176 Greece -44.218 177 Italy -52.725 178 Australia -56.342 179 United Kingdom -105.224 180 Spain -145.141 181 United States -731.214 [2]

://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_current_account_balance

This is a list of countries and territories by current account balance (CAB), based on the International Monetary Fund data for 2007, obtained from the latest World Economic Outlook database (October 2008).

The current figures will be a lot worse, as this chart comes from before the credit crisis hit.

This Credit Crunch financial crisis is just a re-run of the 1929-1933 Great Depression and US bankruptcy.

The previous credit crunch was brought on by the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 and the introduction in a big way of fractional reserve banking. This lead to the stock market bubbles of the 1920’s and the resultant market crash. It took 20 years to bankrupt the US after deregulation and fractional reserve banking.

Today we are facing the same issues. 20 years ago the financial world was deep into Regeanomics and Thatcherism ,de-regulating the financial markets and suprise suprise 20 years later we face bankruptcy! When will we learn?

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/33/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/the-record-of-the-federal-reserve/

It seems the financial markets have learned. This time the attempted fascist coup on the US and UK establishment looks like its going to work.There is a trail of premeditated evidence this time and a stench of despiration and it all comes from the same people that tried this in 1933 . It also seems that in the Endgame its the Chinese Bankers and NOT Wall Street that will win.

Here is how free market capitalsim is supposed to work, aka ,the BOOM and BUST economy

1.Availability of credit allows money to flow between savers and borrowers.

2.Resources and funds are allocated to various projects or investments during a boom phase.

3.Eventually borrowing becomes excessive and leads to malinvestment,

4.At this stage, adherence to free market theory would allow for an efficient cleansing period and a healthy recovery period. How? Irresponsible and unprofitable businesses fail. Bad debts get liquidated. Excess resources go on sale, flow into more stable ventures and pool together with more profitable resources controlled by healthy corporations or entities

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article6497.html

In this case, the irresponsible and unprofitable businesses are the Wall Street and UK Banks. They should of been left to fall ,thier assets stripped and put into the market place to be bought by responsible and profitable businesses at low prices as the market place will be flooded with assets. In this case ,the responsible and profitable businesses are Credit Unions(Trade Union banks) and Chinese banks or Saudi banks for example.

Instead we had a banker bailout .We “nationalised” the banking industry! Of course “they” do not call it nationalisation ,but when the taxpayer is the main share holder YOU ARE A NATIONALISED INDUSTRY!!! But actually this was all part of the Fascist plan.

“Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power”

Benito Mussolini

TODAY we run a Fascist business model, Banks can now run with PRIVITIZED PROFITS and SOCIALIZED LOSSES!!!!!!

The United States has transformed itself, the most radical degraded aspects having occurred in the last eight years. Many might object or cringe at repeated mention of the Fascist Business Model implemented by the Clinton Administration, and carried to extreme by the Bush II Administration

The Fascist Business Model has criminal fraud & corruption as its chief characteristic, alienation & resentment as its chief foreign effect, and systemic failure & collapse as its chief outcome.

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article6447.html

REMEMBER THE BAILOUT ? IT WAS A LOT BIGGER THAN ADMITTED!!!

Remember that bailout $700 Billion….Well it was actually $23.7 TRILLION and it still has NOT WORKED!!

FED GAVE Banks Access to 23.7 TRILLION DOLLARS NOT $700 Billion!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDJc0PZV-Bk&feature=player_embedded#

TODAY DRUG MONEY KEEPS THE BANKS RUNNING. EXPLAINS THE BUMPER OPIUM CROPS IN AFGHANISTAN!!!!!!

Drug money saved banks in global crisis, claims UN advisor

Drugs and crime chief says $352bn in criminal proceeds was effectively laundered by financial institutions

Antonio Maria Costa, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said he has seen evidence that the proceeds of organised crime were “the only liquid investment capital” available to some banks on the brink of collapse last year. He said that a majority of the $352bn (£216bn) of drugs profits was absorbed into the economic system as a result.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2009/dec/13/drug-money-banks-saved-un-cfief-claims

Thw War On Drugs , another fake war that ended in total defeat for the US!!!!!

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/war-on-drugs-another-us-failed-war/

BEHIND THE SCENES DIRTY DEALS ARE BEING MADE!!! Western free market capitalism is DEAD,the fascist coup is in place !!!

BUSINESS LOBBY GROUPS BUY OR BRIBE CONGRESS

According to a study by The Center for Responsive Politics, special interests paid Washington lobbyists $3.2 billion in 2008—more than any other year on record. This was a 13.7 percent increase from 2007 (which broke the record by 7.7 percent over 2006).Business and real estate associations and coalitions were among the organizations that ramped up their lobbying expenditures the most last year.

The American Bankers Association spent $9.1 million in 2008, a 47 percent increase from 2007. Other industry groups that spent more in 2008 include the Private Equity Council, the Mortgage Bankers Association of America and the Financial Services Roundtable.

The US Chamber of Commerce remained the number one spender on lobbying in 2008, spending nearly $92 million—more than $350,000 every weekday, and a 73 percent increase over 2007—to advocate for its members’ interests. Pro-business associations as a whole increased their lobbying 47 percent between 2007 and 2008.Pro-Israel groups, food processing companies, and the oil and gas industry increased their lobbying expenditures the most (as a percentage) between 2007 and 2008.

Open Secrets.org

Title: “Washington Lobbying Grew to $3.2 Billion Last Year, Despite Economy”

Authors: Center for Responsive Politics

February 2, 2010 Warning: This is Not Another Wall Street Conspiracy Theory, These are the Facts

What the House Committee heard, overwhelmingly, on Wednesday was that AIG had to be bailed out because if it wasn’t, the financial implosion that would result would send unemployment to 25% and America into the tailspin of another Great Depression.

http://moneymorning.com/2010/02/02/aig-collapse/

THE MARKETS ARE BEING MANIPULATED

Trader on Bloomberg says markets are manipulated and volumes ‘ficticious’.Not only are the new high tech/high speed transactions giving big banks an overwhelming trading advantage over retail investors, they’re also creating a false impression about the health of the stock market.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4cRYI2×60Q&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwhatreallyhappened%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded

BUT THE NUMBERS STILL JUST DO NOT ADD UP!!!

By President Obama’s own optimistic projections, American deficits will not return to what are widely considered sustainable levels over the next 10 years. In fact, in 2019 and 2020 — years after Mr. Obama has left the political scene, even if he serves two terms — they start rising again sharply, to more than 5 percent of gross domestic product. His budget draws a picture of a nation that like many American homeowners simply cannot get above water.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/us/politics/02deficit.html?hp

ALL THIS EXPLAINS WHY THE FED DOES NOT WANT TO BE AUDITED!!!!!! ITS ALREADY BANKRUPT AND FRAUD IS THE ONLY THING KEEPING IT AFLOAT!!!!

http://www.ronpaul.com/2009-04-01/ron-pauls-bill-to-audit-the-federal-reserve-now-has-50-co-sponsors/

HOW DID WE GET IN THIS SITUATION …SIMPLE DE-REGULATED FRACTIONAL RESERVE BANKING! ITS WHAT BANKRUPTED THE US IN 1933 AS WELL. COINCIDENSE , INCOMPITENCE OR CONSPIRACY?

According to the New York Federal Reserve Bank, fractional reserve banking can be explained this way….

“If the reserve requirement is 10%, for example, a bank that receives a $100 deposit may lend out $90 of that deposit. If the borrower then writes a check to someone who deposits the $90, the bank receiving that deposit can lend out $81. As the process continues, the banking system can expand the initial deposit of $100 into a maximum of $1,000 of money ($100+$90+81+$72.90+…=$1,000).”

http://www.newyorkfed.org/aboutthefed/fedpoint/fed45.html

THIS YEARS SHORT TERM DEBT REPAYMENTS $ 3.5 TRILLION

one of those numbers that’s so unbelievable you have to actually think about it for a while… Within the next 12 months, the U.S. Treasury will have to refinance $2 trillion in short-term debt. And that’s not counting any additional deficit spending, which is estimated to be around $1.5 trillion. Put the two numbers together. Then ask yourself, how in the world can the Treasury borrow $3.5 trillion in only one year? That’s an amount equal to nearly 30% of our entire GDP. And we’re the world’s biggest economy. Where will the money come from?

How did we end up with so much short-term debt? Like most entities that have far too much debt – whether subprime borrowers, GM, Fannie, or GE – the U.S. Treasury has tried to minimize its interest burden by borrowing for short durations and then “rolling over” the loans when they come due. As they say on Wall Street, “a rolling debt collects no moss.” What they mean is, as long as you can extend the debt, you have no problem. Unfortunately, that leads folks to take on ever greater amounts of debt… at ever shorter durations… at ever lower interest rates. Sooner or later, the creditors wake up and ask themselves: What are the chances I will ever actually be repaid? And that’s when the trouble starts. Interest rates go up dramatically. Funding costs soar. The party is over. Bankruptcy is next.

When governments go bankrupt it’s called “a default.” Currency speculators figured out how to accurately predict when a country would default. Two well-known economists – Alan Greenspan and Pablo Guidotti – published the secret formula in a 1999 academic paper. That’s why the formula is called the Greenspan-Guidotti rule. The rule states: To avoid a default, countries should maintain hard currency reserves equal to at least 100% of their short-term foreign debt maturities. The world’s largest money management firm, PIMCO, explains the rule this way: “The minimum benchmark of reserves equal to at least 100% of short-term external debt is known as the Greenspan-Guidotti rule. Greenspan-Guidotti is perhaps the single concept of reserve adequacy that has the most adherents and empirical support.”

The principle behind the rule is simple. If you can’t pay off all of your foreign debts in the next 12 months, you’re a terrible credit risk. Speculators are going to target your bonds and your currency, making it impossible to refinance your debts. A default is assured.

So how does America rank on the Greenspan-Guidotti scale? It’s a guaranteed default. The U.S. holds gold, oil, and foreign currency in reserve. The U.S. has 8,133.5 metric tonnes of gold (it is the world’s largest holder). That’s 16,267,000 pounds. At current dollar values, it’s worth around $300 billion. The U.S. strategic petroleum reserve shows a current total position of 725 million barrels. At current dollar prices, that’s roughly $58 billion worth of oil. And according to the IMF, the U.S. has $136 billion in foreign currency reserves. So altogether… that’s around $500 billion of reserves. Our short-term foreign debts are far bigger.

According to the U.S. Treasury, $2 trillion worth of debt will mature in the next 12 months

CHINA NOW CALLS THE WORLD ECONOMIC SHOTS. CHINA IS DUMPING DOLLARS!! CHINA WANTS GOLD AND ASSETS!!!!

China alarmed by US money printing

The US Federal Reserve’s policy of printing money to buy Treasury debt threatens to set off a serious decline of the dollar and compel China to redesign its foreign reserve policy, according to a top member of the Communist hierarchy.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/6146957/China-alarmed-by-US-money-printing.html

US USING FAKE GOLD TO PAY ITS CHINESE DEBT!!!!!!

In October of 2009 the Chinese received a shipment of gold bars. Gold is regularly exchanges between countries to pay debts and to settle the so-called balance of trade. Most gold is exchanged and stored in vaults under the supervision of a special organization based in London, the London Bullion Market Association (or LBMA). When the shipment was received, the Chinese government asked that special tests be performed to guarantee the purity and weight of the gold bars. In this test, four small holed are drilled into the gold bars and the metal is then analyzed.

Officials were shocked to learn that the bars were fake. They contained cores of tungsten with only a outer coating of real gold. What’s more, these gold bars, containing serial numbers for tracking, originated in the US and had been stored in Fort Knox for years. There were reportedly between 5,600 to 5,700 bars, weighing 400 oz. each, in the shipment!

THE CHINESE ACCUSE THE US OF MANUFACTURING THE FAKE GOLD!!!!

Roughly 15 years ago — during the Clinton Administration [think Robert Rubin, Sir Alan Greenspan and Lawrence Summers] — between 1.3 and 1.5 million 400 oz tungsten blanks were allegedly manufactured by a very high-end, sophisticated refiner in the USA [more than 16 Thousand metric tonnes]. Subsequently, 640,000 of these tungsten blanks received their gold plating and WERE shipped to Ft. Knox and remain there to this day.

According to the Chinese investigation, the balance of this 1.3 million to 1.5 million 400 oz tungsten cache was also gold plated and then allegedly “sold” into the international market. Apparently, the global market is literally “stuffed full of 400 oz salted bars”. Perhaps as much as 600-billion dollars worth

DA investigating NYMEX executive

Manhattan, New York, –Feb. 2, 2004. A top executive at the New York Mercantile Exchange is being investigated by the Manhattan district attorney. Sources close to the exchange said that Stuart Smith, senior vice president of operations at the exchange, was served with a search warrant by the district attorney’s office last week. Details of the investigation have not been disclosed, but a NYMEX spokeswoman said it was unrelated to any of the exchange’s markets. She declined to comment further other than to say that charges had not been brought. A spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney’s office also declined comment.”

The offices of the Senior Vice President of Operations — NYMEX — is exactly where you would go to find the records [serial number and smelter of origin] for EVERY GOLD BAR ever PHYSICALLY settled on the exchange.

SO HOW IS AMERICAN GOING TO PAY ITS DEBT NOW?

This Fascist coup could actually fail, and the Chinese just step in and takeover without a shot being fired.Whether this was the plan all along OR the bankers just never thought they would be out scammed by the Chinese I cannot tell, BUT what the future seems to hold is a global fascist NWO being run by the Chinese Communist party with Rupert Murdoch , the boys from Google and the Wall Street bankers all making their money in Chinese YUAN!!!!!

ARE WE SEEING THE CAPITALIST USA’S SOVIET UNION COLLAPSE MOMMENT? WILL THE US PROVE ITSELF LESS MORAL THAN THE USSR AND PUT THE TROOPS ON THE STREETS?

Thousands of Troops Are Deployed on U.S. Streets Ready to Carry Out “Crowd Control”

Members of Congress were told they could face martial law if they didn’t pass the bailout bill. This will not be the last time.

By Naomi Wolf the author of Give Me Liberty (Simon and Schuster, 2008),

SO WATCH OUT IF YOU PLAN TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST FUTURE BAILOUTS ETC…

So looking only at short-term debt, we know the Treasury will have to finance at least $2 trillion worth of maturing debt in the next 12 months. That might not cause a crisis if we were still funding our national debt internally. But since 1985, we’ve been a net debtor to the world. Today, foreigners own 44% of all our debts, which means we owe foreign creditors at least $880 billion in the next 12 months – an amount far larger than our reserves.

Keep in mind, this only covers our existing debts. The Office of Management and Budget is predicting a $1.5 trillion budget deficit over the next year. That puts our total funding requirements on the order of $3.5 trillion over the next 12 months.

So… where will the money come from? Total domestic savings in the U.S. are only around $600 billion annually. Even if we all put every penny of our savings into U.S. Treasury debt, we’re still going to come up nearly $3 trillion short. That’s an annual funding requirement equal to roughly 40% of GDP. Where is the money going to come from? From our foreign creditors? Not according to Greenspan-Guidotti. And not according to the Indian or the Russian central bank, which have stopped buying Treasury bills and begun to buy enormous amounts of gold. The Indians bought 200 metric tonnes this month. Sources in Russia say the central bank there will double its gold reserves.

So where will the money come from? The printing press. The Federal Reserve has already monetized nearly $2 trillion worth of Treasury debt and mortgage debt. This weakens the value of the dollar and devalues our existing Treasury bonds. Sooner or later, our creditors will face a stark choice: Hold our bonds and continue to see the value diminish slowly, or try to escape to gold and see the value of their U.S. bonds plummet.

IF THE FAKE GOLD CAN BE TRACED “WITHOUT DOUBT” TO THE US (and it seems it can) THEN THE US IS ALREADY BANKRUPT!!!! AND THE CHINESE HAVE THE USA GREASED UP AND OVER A BARREL!!!!!

SO MAYBE US TREASURY BONDS WILL BE ISSUED IN CHINESE YUAN!!!!

U.S. Govt Yuan Bond Threat to U.S. Dollar

The Chinese are in town to meet with the USGovt officials on continued debt support. The public will surely NOT be told what is discussed. One informed contact wrote this morning that the US lies as a terminal patient in the Intensive Care Ward, and seeks a death with dignity from its Chinese creditor doctors. The challenge to China is to protect its main core of US$-based reserves, and to protect future investments.

The USGovt might soon issue bonds, except not in US$ denomination, but rather in Yuan currency. Out of the gate (with debt signposts), the USGovt must purchase gigantic swaths of Yuan and pay with USDollars. The result is a quantum decline in the US$ exchange rate

BUT MAYBE THE CHINESE WANT MORE!!!!!!!!!

Rumors are ripe that in a March 2009 trip to Beijing, Secy State Hillary cut a deal promising Eminent Domain on US property in return for continued USTreasury Bond support. So maybe a shopping basket of thousands of homes, hundreds of commercial buildings, scads of idle industrial plants, and a few million acres of farmland are soon to be seized by the Chinese in exchange for USTreasury Bond debt. One must wonder. The American people, i.e. USA Inc shareholders, will be the last to know in this criminal syndicate environment, a hatched cloud from the Fascist Business Model. Seemingly on a quarterly basis, something must be handed to the Chinese for continued USTBond support. The USTreasury officials and USFed have lied through their teeth about avoiding direct monetization.

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article12386.html

The US Embassy in Beijing confirmed the deal to the source. Hillary closed the deal. A quid-pro-quo agreement was struck, continued USTBond purchases in return for Eminent Domain option to exercise by China for property seizure, “ to physically take, inside the USA, land, buildings, factories, perhaps even entire cities.” The concepts of colonization and carpet-bagging should come to mind!

This is just another phase of the New World DisOrder, BUT do NOT expect the US Government OR Wall Street to let YOU know what is REALLY going on!!!

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/a-short-history-of-global-domination-or-rockefella-rothschild-and-the-capitalist-communist-nwo-con/

BUT IF THE PEOPLE START GETTING TOO RESTLESS EXPECT TO BE SENT OFF TO SOME FAKE WAR. ITS GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY AND THERE ARE TOO MANY OF CONSUMERS ON THE PLANET!!!

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/war-on-drugs-officially-lost-another-fake-us-war-another-total-us-defeat/

AND A FINAL WORD FROM THE SELF PROCLAIMED BRIGHTEST AND BEST!!!!!!!

Finacial spokespersons give thier opinion on the finacial recovery

Financial spokesperson No.1

“ROOLS , ROOLS!!!!! We don’t need no stinkin ROOLS!!”

Financial spokesperson No.2

“OK everybody , just give us the money and no-one will get hurt!!!”

Financial Spokesperson No.3

“Here is your Chinese phrase book, its only 100 American Yuan!”

A last note . Bankers are the best suited for unemployment.WHY?

Well they are non-productive members of society , so society does not loose anything when they are unemployed.

They have thier own house and assets so do not need state subsidy.

SO WHY ARE WE FINANCING THESE INCOMPITANT CRIMINALS????

It seems they cannot even organise a piss-up in a brewery, or run an economy even when THEY print all the money !!!

PREDICTION

As this is a re-run of the 1929-1933 US bankrupcy and in this case we started our collapse in 2007/8 ,expect the bankrupcy to happen 2011/12. We should still manage to limp through 2010 , with a fake “pump and dump” recovery as the BIG players try to cash out before total collapse!! .China will become more of a World and economic influence,they already are keeping the US economy running. This is Chinas nuclear option. If it dumps its 2 Trillion of dollar assets on the market the dollar collapses and China looses 2 Trillion in dollar assets . BUT as China has been financially divesifying its reserves ,its NON-DOLLAR ASSETS will rise significantly in value with a dollar collapse. Thus in theory ,China could actually dumps its dollar assets , and immediately bankrupt America and NOT LOOSE ANY MONEY DOING SO!!!!!!

“Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value —- zero.” – Voltaire

“You have to choose between trusting to the natural stability of gold and the natural stability of the honesty and intelligence of the members of the Government. And, with due respect for these gentlemen, I advise you, as long as the Capitalist system lasts, to vote for gold.” – George Bernard Shaw

The modern banking system manufactures money out of nothing. The process is perhaps the most astounding piece of sleight of hand that was ever invented. Banking was conceived in inequity and born in sin . . . Bankers own the earth. Take it away from them but leave them the power to create money, and, with a flick of a pen, they will create enough money to buy it back again . . . Take this great power away from them, and all great fortunes like mine will disappear, for then this would be a better and happier world to live in. . . . But, if you want to continue to be the slaves of bankers and pay the cost of your own slavery, then let bankers continue to create money and control credit.[38]

- Sir Josiah Stamp, Director of the Bank of England, 1927

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/government-should-go-on-strike-to-prove-they-are-worth-thier-money/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/uk-government-blackmailed-into-war-blair-covers-mps-paedophile-ring-and-the-dunblane-massacre/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/evidence-mounts-for-us-complicity-in-christmas-false-flag-terrorism/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/12/29/usa-harbouring-terrorists-should-the-un-declare-war-on-this-rogue-terrorist-nation/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/12/28/alternative-viewing-for-the-new-year/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/uk-government-does-what-its-israelli-masters-tell-it-again/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/yugoslavia-another-blair-illegal-war-of-agression-and-the-icc-kangaroo-court/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/eu-to-hand-over-financial-transactions-data-to-us-government/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/anthrax-swine-flu-and-government-bio-terrorism/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/zionism-modern-nazism/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/libertarian-vs-authoritarian-todays-real-politic/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/us-government-making-a-killing-on-war/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/criminal-bankers-explainedjail-not-bail/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/10/05/philippines-another-us-fake-war-in-the-making/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/10/05/us-government-terrorists-still-in-power-iran-contra-to-911/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/how-much-does-government-cost-and-is-it-worth-it-no/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/the-fedbank-bailouts-and-fascist-coups-the-great-depressionnaziscommies-and-the-bush-family/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/09/13/somali-pirates-guided-by-london-intelligence-team-report-says/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/iranian-oil-bourse-the-real-reason-for-war-with-iran/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/are-us-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-well-intended-mistakes-what-we-now-know-from-the-evidence/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/09/03/the-record-of-the-federal-reserve/

http://cuthulan.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/a-short-history-of-global-domination-or-rockefella-rothschild-and-the-capitalist-communist-nwo-con/

[Via http://cuthulan.wordpress.com]

New Definition of Parental Alienation Syndrome

2010-02-08T01:19:00.000+02:00

What is the Difference Between Parental Alienation (PA) and Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)?

by Douglas Darnall

In Dr. Richard Gardner’s second edit of parental alienation syndrome, he defined PAS as “a disorder that arises primarily in the context of child-custody disputes. Its primary manifestation is the child’s campaign of denigration against a parent, a campaign that has no justification. It results from the combination of a programming (brainwashing) parent’s indoctrination and the child’s own contributions to the vilification of the targeted parent.” He went on to emphasize the point that if “true parental abuse and / or neglect is present” and the child’s animosity is justified, PAS would not be an appropriate explanation for the children’s feelings.

Gardner describes what the severely alienated child will look like. To better understand PAS and help prevent the damage its causes children and families, I am suggesting that parents and the courts must understand the process that leads to PAS. Therefore I am defining parental alienation (PA), rather than PAS, as any constellation of behaviors, whether conscious or unconscious, that could evoke a disturbance in the relationship between a child and the other parent.

My definition of Parental Alienation is different from Dr. Gardner’s original definition of PAS in 1987: “a disturbance in which children are preoccupied with deprecation and criticism of a parent-denigration that is unjustified and/or exaggerated.” I am placing the emphasis on the brainwashing process while Dr. Gardner’s definition goes a step further to explain that the term is similar in meaning to brainwashing except that he adds the additional component of the child becoming active participant in the denigrating the targeted parent. In effect, the child has been successfully brainwashed.

With either definition, the motivation for the alienating parent has both a conscious as well as “a subconscious or unconscious” component.

The children themselves may have motivations that will make the alienation worse. Their hedonistic outlook for immediate gratification or their desire to avoid discomfort makes them vulnerable allies for siding with the alienating parent. The children become an advocate for the alienating parent by becoming the spokesperson for their parent’s hatred. They become the soldiers while the alienating parent is the general directing the action in the background against the targeted parent. The children are frequently unaware of how they are being used. It is most important to understand that if the child is angry and refuses to visit the targeted parent because of actual abuse or neglect, the child’s behavior is not a manifestation of PAS. This is why the issue of false allegations is so important.

Another difference in what I am outlining in my book (“Divorce Casualties: Protecting Your Children From Parental Alienating“) is my emphasis on the alienating parents rather then on the severity of symptoms. I believe this is important because parents (both mothers and fathers) must be able to honestly look at their behavior, identify the symptoms of alienation (not just the symptoms of PAS), and learn strategies for preventing PA regardless of whether the parent is the alienator or the targeted parent. I believe that alienation is a reciprocal process where both parents get caught up in alienation.

Dr. Gardner’s most controversial solution for dealing with severe alienation was to remove the children from the alienator’s home and place the child with the targeted parent. Later, however, he recanted his recommendation, saying that the children “are likely to run away and do everything possible to return to [the alienating parent's] home (Gardner, 1992).” Dr. Gardner then recommended “transitional sites” such as friend or family member’s house, a community shelter, or hospital. Each site would have a different level of supervision and resources to help the children and targeted parent. Hospitalization would be used only as a last resort.

Dr. Gardner’s definition emphasized the point that the child must be an active participant with the alienating parent in degrading the targeted parent. My definition of Parental Alienation (PA) focuses more on the parent’s behavior and less on the child’s role in degrading the victimized parent, because alienation can occur well before the parent’s hatred for the other parent permeates the child’s beliefs about the victimized parent. This definition is necessary if parents are going to recognize the risk they have for unconsciously falling into a pattern of alienation if they don’t take corrective action. By the time the children have come to agree with the alienating parent’s propaganda, it can too late to prevent the significant damaging effects of the alienation. *(See Note at the end of this article for an important new finding.)

Also, Dr. Gardner’s definition states that the criticism of the other parent must be unjustified and/or exaggerated. I do not believe this is necessary. One parent can alienate the children against the other parent simply by harping on faults that are real and provable. Divorced parents need to understand that their children need to love both parents if at all possible, even if they themselves have years ago ceased to love their ex-spouse or ex-partner. They should help the children to dwell on the other parent’s good points rather than the faults.

It is important to keep in mind that that alienation is not about the horrible parent or “bad guy,” versus the targeted parent or “good guy.” The “bad guy-good guy” roles rotate. The same parent can be both the alienator and the victim, depending on how he or she is behaving. It is not uncommon for a targeted parent to retaliate with alienating behavior against the other parent. At this point, the parents have reversed their roles. This process can occur well before PAS manifest itself. The problem now is that the alienation escalates back and forth, each parent retaliating against the other. What does this do to your children? It is this vicious cycle that must be prevented or stopped.

You can’t assume that the targeted parent is without fault. Targeted parents can become alienators when they retaliate because of their hurt. Now they are in the role of the alienator and the other parent becomes the victim. The roles become blurred because it’s now difficult to know who is the alienator and who is the victim or targeted parent. Often both parents feel victimized. Alienation is a process, not a person.

Understanding parental alienation is paramount for a child’s welfare and a parent’s own peace of mind. Divorced parents, grandparents, judges, mediators, attorneys, and mental health workers all need to understand the dynamics of parental alienation, recognize the symptomatic behavior, and execute tactics for combating the malady.

Published by: ABP World Group International Child Recovery Service

Visit our web site at: www.abpworld.com

[Via http://abpworld.wordpress.com]

100205 - [Pic]Woo Hyuk - China 04 -05/02/2010 (shock)

2010-02-05T08:48:00.000+02:00

OMG!!!! Look his hair, he look so hot in hair style of young singer today XD~~~~. Love his smile : x : x : x. He still young and look like a tennager XD~.I want to go to Beijing T_T

Source : Allforhot

Reupload by me

Note:click image to see full

[Via http://chotiblog.wordpress.com]

Some facts about US military presence around the world

2010-02-05T01:15:00.000+02:00

As of the latest figures, the number of active US troops in countries that we are not at war with is greater than the number of troops we have in countries that we are at war with. Think about that for a second.

As of September 30, 2009 (the most recent figures available at this time), the United States has about 251,000 troops deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or some other current operation, but there are about 263,000 American troops who are not engaged in any of our current wartime operations but who are nonetheless stationed in nearly 150 other countries around the world. Among these, there are over 50,000 American troops stationed in Germany, over 30,000 troops in Japan, nearly 25,000 in South Korea, and nearly 10,000 in the United Kingdom and Italy each. There are five more countries that have over 1,000 American troops in them, and 138 countries that have fewer than 1,000. On top of all that, there is a further 20,000 troops who are afloat on ships at various places around the world. And remember, none of these troops are fighting in any wars. They’re just there.

It is true that September 30th was four months ago now and the specific numbers may have changed slightly since then, but they appear to stay relatively steady over the years judging by past reports. The only major change, if it has even taken place yet, was the president’s announcement that we are going to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. That addition will increase our number of operational troops, but they are more than likely going to be deployed from the 1.1 million active troops on American soil or floating in American waters, so the number of non-operational troops simply stationed around the world will probably not decrease. So the initial statement made above may not be entirely true anymore, but even when all of those extra 30,000 troops are deployed to Afghanistan, we will still have a number of troops stationed around the world that equates to roughly 90% of the number of combat troops we have. That’s still pretty unnecessary, wasteful, etc. But then consider the fact that we are also now withdrawing combat troops from Iraq, so we very well may continue to have more troops in countries we are at peace with than those in countries we are at war with. (see note 1 below)

Either way, having so many active troops stationed all around the world essentially doing nothing (see note 2 below) is incredibly expensive. The annual salaries alone of those 263,000 troops cost American taxpayers almost 14 billion dollars every year at the average military salary of $52,000. Nevermind the cost of training them, housing and feeding them, purchasing and maintaining all their equipment and the bases they stay at, and so on. Thankfully, these are troops stationed in countries that we are not at war with so there shouldn’t be any cost in lives (except in accidents like the American helicopter crash that happened a few days ago in Germany), but the monetary cost is absolutely enormous. This, along with various other things, is the kind of unnecessary expense that bloats our military budget out of proportion.

The United States military budget accounts for over 40% of total global military spending, even though our country’s population makes up only 4.5% of the world population. Over 4% of our GDP is spent on the military, twice the global average of 2%. In dollars, the United States military budget is more than 7 times higher than the next most heavily funded country’s military, which is China’s, but our population is less than a quarter of theirs. Do the math and you’ll discover the US spends about 31 times more money on our military per citizen in the country than China does. Per number of active troops, the US spends about 15 times more than China does.

So what have we learned? The United States has troops placed literally all around the world for no necessary reason, and we spend excessive and unreasonable amounts of money on them. Take a look at what we are doing and you will see that our enemies have every right, and good reason, to accuse us of military imperialism. We must reduce our military budget significantly and we must withdraw our troops from every country we don’t have a good reason for being in. We have got to stop being so provocative.

Notes:

1. It should be said that in a case like Afghanistan, the proper wording is that we are at war in the country, not at war with the country. We are fighting specific people inside the country, not the country as a whole. Afghanistan in general is not our enemy.

2. I full realize that the troops we have in countries we are at peace with are not doing “nothing” as I said, but our presence in most countries is simply unnecessary. Most of the “preserving the peace” arguments are a bunch of bullshit. One cannot make a reasonable argument that rich European countries or Japan (the places we have most of our non-operational troops stationed) can’t afford to protect themselves. They all have militaries of their own. Yes, we do have treaties to help protect certain countries if they should come under attack (like Japan), but having American troops permanently stationed there is just not necessary. Maybe we need to reconsider some of these agreements.

[Via http://axisofenlightenment.wordpress.com]

More feeble-minded Chinese women duped to be drug mules by foreign men

2010-02-03T09:52:00.000+02:00

Foreign drug traffickers are duping an increasing number of Chinese women, especially young victims, into carrying drugs into China, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) has said.

“A rising number of foreign drug traffickers are using the Internet as a tool to recruit or trick Chinese women to transport and receive drugs in China,” a statement from the GAC said late on Tuesday.

A number of the women met African men online and later agreed to be the recipients of the packages sent by their “boyfriends”, but what they did not know was that the packages contained illegal substances such as cannabis and heroin, GAC said.

China customs recently detected two packages sent to the country from overseas, each containing about 4 kg of cannabis. They were sent to two Chinese women who said the senders were their “online boyfriends” and they did not know what was in the packages, the GAC said.

China customs cracked more than 150 cases of transporting drugs via post and special delivery last year, almost triple the number in 2008. More than 250 kg of drugs were seized in mail and 80 suspects were detained, the GAC said.

Young women are especially being targeted by foreign drug traffickers both online and offline. The customs in Guangzhou, Haikou and Shenzhen cities have busted a series of drug smuggling cases carried out by women who are born after 1980 and it has become a trend, the authorities said.

Young women are seen as easily manipulated or tricked into transporting drugs, especially when money and relationships are involved. The drug traffickers also believe they are not obvious targets of the customs officials.

According to a case revealed by the GAC, a 22-year-old Chinese woman surnamed Luo who studied in Malaysia was detained last March when she tried to pass customs officials with two luggages containing drugs.

Luo said she agreed to carry the luggage from Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia, to China for her Nigerian classmate after accepting a $2,000 fee. She was allegedly not aware that she was smuggling drugs.

In another case, a 25-year-old Chinese girl surnamed Li reportedly met a Nigerian black man called Frank in January last year in China and soon fell in love with him. Two months later, Frank asked Li to go to Malaysia and pick up some “samples” for him.

Li said she was suspicious then that the samples might be drugs but she still agreed to the request because she loved her boyfriend and was promised 10,000 yuan as fees for her help. Li was detained by the customs as soon as she returned to China with her boyfriend’s goods.

Chinese customs nabbed more than 2,110 kg of drugs during its crackdown on drug trafficking last year, a rise of 150 percent year on year.

The customs cracked 15 cases, each involving more than 10 kg of drugs, and busted 506 drug smuggling cases last year, up 34 per cent year on year. It also seized 553 suspects, 8 percent more than the number a year earlier.

bron: www.chinadaily.com.cn [28-01-2010]

[Via http://wocview.wordpress.com]

China: Signatory to the Charter 08 Sent to Shanghai Mental Hospital by Police

2010-02-03T01:38:00.000+02:00

Radio Free Asia, Feb. 2, 2010 -

HONG KONG— Chinese dissident He Jian, a signatory to the Charter 08 petition calling for broad political and democratic reforms, has been confined to a Shanghai mental hospital, according to knowledgeable sources.

He frequently circumvented China’s so-called Great Firewall software to outmaneuver China’s aggressive online censorship, posting articles on Twitter and other overseas Web sites in support of Charter 08 and its drafter, Liu Xiaobo.

Liu was sentenced in December to 11 years’ imprisonment for initiating the manifesto.

Police in Shanghai’s Putuo district detained He at the Putuo Psychiatric Health Center “two or three days ago,” sources said Tuesday.

An officer contacted by phone at the Putuo Police Station declined to comment, saying he wasn’t “involved in particular cases.”

But an official at the Putuo Psychiatric Health Center confirmed that He had been confined there.

“Mr. He Jian is now in the hospital,” one staff member said, “on Psychiatric Ward No. 3.”

A nurse on the ward said he was in bed no. 48, but added, “You have to talk to the chief duty doctor to know more about him.”

“He was sent in by police … two or three days ago,” she said.

Calls to He’s mother, Zhang Xiaoyun, rang unanswered Tuesday.

Last post on Twitter

He had posted online that, for signing Charter 08, he has received death threats from Shanghai authorities and been held in a “black jail” or illegal detention center.

Plainclothes police also beat his mother, he wrote.

His last known communication was a Twitter posting on Jan. 26, in which he disclosed that a local police officer had phoned his mother to ask that he report to police the following day.

He hasn’t been seen since, friends say.

He Yongquan, a Shanghai rights activist, said Tuesday that Shanghai is now seeing a harsh crackdown on dissidents.

Charter 08 demands a new Chinese constitution guaranteeing human rights, the open election of public officials, and freedom of religion and expression……. (more details from Radio Free Asia)

[Via http://chinaview.wordpress.com]

2010 Worldwide Exam Preparation & Tutoring Industry Report-Aarkstore Enterprise

2010-02-01T09:39:00.000+02:00

The Exam Preparation & Tutoring Industry report, published annually by Barnes Reports, contains timely and accurate industry statistics, forecasts and demographics. The report features 2010 current and 2011 forecast estimates on the size of the industry (sales, establishments, employment) for the 47 largest world countries, such as Japan, China, India, Russia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, UK, France, Germany, Italy and U.S.. The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, including educational services for degree and non-degree tests and classes.

For more information please visit:http://www.aarkstore.com/reports/2010-Worldwide-Exam-Preparation-Tutoring-Industry-Report-35632.html

PH.NO. 919272852585

[Via http://aarkstore.wordpress.com]

Walled Gardens: The fate of iTunes has been written before

2010-02-01T01:53:00.000+02:00

Remember ‘walled gardens‘? It was a popular concept in debating the blossoming of social networks a few years ago. Today Facebook – having surpassed the United States and moving toward China and India in population – is far more open than the walled communities it was once compared to – AOL and CompuServe. But Facebook is still a walled community. On Facebook you play by Facebook’s rules. For the most part we citizens of FB are content. In exchange for giving up some of our freedom we get an easy to use interface and a safe way to explore and experience the fascinating tools of Web 2.0.

With this week’s announcement of the iPad I have been again thinking about walled gardens. Put aside the debates about the device itself. Consider instead the iPad’s contribution to a shift that is taking control of content distribution from publishers, studios and record labels and putting it in the hands of hardware manufacturers.

Unlike the battles over Beta and VHS, SD Cards and Memory Sticks, or HD DVD and Blue Ray, the stakes here are higher because the devices themselves now carry the stores on them. Once you buy a Kindle or iPad, you effectively lock yourself into the content they offer through their convenient, online and embedded stores. Conversely, for content producing industries that are struggling with the digital disruption, popular devices like iPods deliver literally millions of potential customers. So if iTunes says a song will cost $1.29, or Kindle pegs e-books at $9.99, what’s the label or publisher to do? Turn away millions of customers by rejecting the platform?

Companies like Apple and Amazon are vying to position themselves between content sellers and content buyers. They are, in this sense, becoming gatekeepers.

And if you have gates and gatekeepers, then you must also have walls.

Again with the training wheels.

We’ve been here before. Recent history provides some insights that we might use to consider the future of Apple or Amazon controlling the distribution of digital content. AOL and Internet Explorer serve as interesting precursors to the current situation. In both cases, people demonstrated a consistent behavior that seems to be showing up again in consumer behaviors today.

That human behavior is this:

When the Internet was new (to the general public, anyhow), people were apprehensive and unsure. They asked for a safe entry point. Insert American Online. AOL was the Internet with training wheels. While most of us were discovering chat rooms and instant messaging, a minority of web surfing pioneers eschewed AOL and struck out on their own. They came back with stories of wonderful things you couldn’t get on AOL. The more people heard the more curious and discontented they became. Eventually, as all citizens of walled communities do, they started to think beyond the walls.

No sooner had the newly liberated masses escaped AOL for the wide open Internet than they began to again feel a little disoriented and apprehensive. The Internet was big and open and wild. While they didn’t want the walls of AOL they admittedly needed some help navigating this digital wilderness. Along comes Internet Explorer, conveniently bundled in your operating system. IE provided people comfort, usability and essentially training wheels via a familiar (enough) user interface and a brand they had known and trusted for some time (Microsoft).

As with AOL, some brave innovators opted not to dine on what Explorer was serving. Again people began to hear that IE rendered the web a certain way. In fact it sometimes ignored web pages completely. As with life in AOL, when those Internet pioneers came back with tales of something better beyond the confines of IE people again demanded the walls come down.

Today Apple, Amazon are providing the same training wheels as we get oriented to digital content delivery. We people are just getting comfortable with digital music and e-books. So, as with web surfing in the late 90’s and web browsing in the early millennium, we’re willing to accept the training wheels again. Shiny, touch-screen training wheels that make the whole experience easier.

“But today we can still go out on the Internet, using our browser, and pull down any content we want,” you might be thinking. That is true. But if you want to play content on the sexy news devices – the same innovative devices that deliver instant access to your online community, the convenience of portability, and of course the social cache that you’re cool – you have to choose the content those device manufacturers are selling.

Just as it happened for ISPs and then Web browsers so I am guessing it will happen with mobile social-media devices. It’s easy to get swept up in the talk of paradigm shift, but these empires built by AOL, Netscape, Microsoft, Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, Amazon and Apple are in truth transient. Sometimes they live decades. Sometimes just years. No doubt some pioneers are out there right now, toiling away in anonymity, hacking at the walls being built, sneaking content onto iPhone and iPads and Kindles. Some day they will return with wonderful stories of all the great things to be enjoyed were we all not tethered to iTunes or the Kindle store. At that time people will begin to chip away at the very walls being built right now.

The Internet is famous for the phrase ‘Information wants to be free.’ This ‘openness’ is an inherent conflict with the commercialization of the Internet. In some sense, it is a necessity. It keeps people wanting more which forces businesses to continually innovate.

[Via http://cyncerely.com]

China asks Peru to rescue Chinese Taiwan tourists

2010-01-29T09:44:00.000+02:00

Peruvian authorities have agreed to a request by China to airlift 20 stranded Chinese Taiwan tourists from Machu Picchu after torrential rains and mudslides closed the historic city over the weekend, embassy sources said Wednesday.

The request came after the Chinese Foreign Ministry received an emergency call from the leader of a Taiwan tourism agency who appealed for help via the Chinese embassy in Lima.

Five people were killed and about 2,000 others were stranded at the World Heritage site in eastern Peru’s Andes mountains after the heaviest rains in 15 years triggered flash flooding and caused numerous mudslides.

Peruvian authorities have promised to send more helicopters to Machu Picchu to help evacuate the tourists after the heavy weather interrupted railway service between the city and Cuzco.

“Five helicopters are on standby to evacuate about 2,000 tourists stranded in Machu Picchu and an aircraft with food and support will arrive in the area shortly,” Tourism Minister Martin Perez said.

The Chinese embassy said the Chinese Taiwan tourists have received drinking water and food from local authorities.

Five days of torrential rains in the Cuzco region have destroyed bridges, 250 houses, and hundreds of hectares of crops. Rail operator Perurail suspended train service Sunday.

Alberto Bisbal, disaster prevention director at Peru’s Civil Defense Institute, said Perurail and the government were working to clear rocks and mud from the tracks and service might be able to resume Wednesday.

Machu Picchu, a pre-Columbian Inca ruin site located 2,430 meters above sea level, is Peru’s top tourist destination. About 1 million people annually visit the site about 1,100 km southeast of Lima.

bron: www.chinadaily.com.cn [27-01-2010]

[Via http://wocview.wordpress.com]

Toyota car recall goes global

2010-01-29T01:53:00.000+02:00

Toyota announced plans to recall 1.1 million more cars in the US a day after saying it was suspending sales of eight popular US models, bringing the total number of cars recalled in the US to almost eight million. The number of cars in the recall involving gas pedals has grown to at least 5.3 million. According to Toyota, the cars included in the recall were manufactured between March 19, 2009 and January 25, 2010 in Tianjin, China. The vehicles included in the floormat-related recall include:

2005-2010 Toyota Avalon
2007-2010 Camry
2009-2010 Corolla
2008-2010 Highlander
2009-2010 Matrix
2004-2009 Prius
2010 Tacoma
2007-2010 Tundra
2009-2010 Venza

2007-2010 Lexus ES350
2006-2010 IS250
2006-2010 IS350

2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe

Most, but not all, of the vehicles involved in the stuck pedal recall are also involved in the other recall. They are:

2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe

2009-2010 Toyota RAV4, Corolla and Matrix
2005-2010 Avalon
2010 Highlander
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-2010 Sequoia

and some 2007-2010 Camrys.

Waging 10 year war on Taliban then making peace with same Taliban!

2010-01-27T09:43:00.000+02:00

Stanley McChrystal, the senior US general in Afghanistan, has told the Financial Times he believes a negotiated settlement would be the right way to end the Afghan conflict. His comments have fuelled a debate on the merits of talking to the Taliban.

Can negotiations end the war?

The appeal of dialogue to end the Afghan conflict has a whiff of alchemy about it: great in theory but extremely difficult in practice. The biggest problem may be that the Taliban feel they are winning. US troop deaths more than doubled in 2009. Gen McChrystal hopes his surge of 30,000 troops will convince his opponents they are better off negotiating but admits that Taliban attacks are likely to spike. “They have got to create the perception that Afghanistan’s on fire,” he told the Financial Times. With Nato allies already eyeing the exit, the Taliban may believe their long-term goal of regaining power in Kabul is within their grasp.

Who could help facilitate dialogue?

Pakistan played midwife at the birth of the Taliban and, along with Saudi Arabia, was one of only three countries to recognise the movement when it ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Reports of efforts by Islamabad and Riyadh to broker talks have surfaced repeatedly. Both are US allies that would use their leverage over any peace process to expand their influence in Washington. Pakistan, in particular, would want to be rewarded with greater backing in its competition with India.

How would talks happen?

Even contacting the Taliban is a complex process involving intermediaries bearing scraps of paper: the leaders shun telephones that could be used to trace their location. Abdul Salam Zaeef, a former Taliban ambassador who lives in Kabul, helps facilitate contacts with the Taliban’s leaders, but organising face-to-face talks would be complex. Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, which also recognised the Taliban government when it was in power, might be the most plausible venues for initial meetings between low-level representatives.

Although many insurgents loosely pledge allegiance to Mullah Mohammed Omar, the movement’s founder and spiritual head, he was a renowned recluse even before fleeing the 2001 US invasion. Distinguishing key Taliban decision-makers from mid-level commanders who control only small groups of fighters would be tricky.

So what’s the problem?

Too many to list. It is hard to see Mr Omar, who once ruled Afghanistan as emir of an austere theocracy, accepting a role under the current western-style constitution. Although the Taliban has recently stressed it does not pose an international threat, its leaders are conscious of the ire they earned in the west for allowing Osama bin Laden, the head of al-Qaeda, to organise the September 11 2001 attacks from Afghan soil. Mistrust on all sides runs deep.

What about other insurgent leaders?

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who leads the insurgency in several eastern provinces, is most likely to cut a deal. A former prime minister, he founded a party called Hezb-e-Islami, a faction of which already shares power in Kabul. A father-and-son team from the Haqqani family who run a fiefdom straddling the Pakistan border are less biddable.

Can Taliban fighters simply be bribed?

Maybe. Western countries gathering in London for a conference on Thursday will pledge funds for a scheme outlined by Hamid Karzai, the president, to try to lure Taliban foot soldiers with job offers. Details remain sketchy. Insurgents may simply accept the incentives then return to the fight. The central problem remains: the Taliban may simply believe it can outlast the west. (Q&A: How do you get the Taliban to negotiate By Matthew Green in Kandahar )

[Via http://thepeopleofpakistan.wordpress.com]

Global Supply Of Rare Earth Elements Could Be Wiped Out By 2012

2010-01-27T01:45:00.000+02:00

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

(NaturalNews) It’s the bubble you’ve probably never heard of: The rare earth bubble. And it’s due to pop in 2012, potentially devastating the industries of western nations that depend on these rare elements.

What industries are those? The automobile industry uses tens of thousands of tons of rare earth elements each year, and advanced military technology depends on these elements, too. Lots of “green” technologies depend on them, including wind turbines, low-energy light bulbs and hybrid car batteries. In fact, much of western civilization depends on rare earth elements such as terbium, lanthanum and neodymium.

So what’s the problem with these rare elements? 97 percent of the world\’s supply comes from mines in China, and China is prepared to simply stop exporting these strategic elements to the rest of the world by 2012.

If that happens, the western world will be crippled by the collapse of available rare earth elements. Manufacturing of everything from computers and electronics to farm machinery will grind to a halt. Electronics will disappear from the shelves and prices for manufactured goods that depend on these rare elements will skyrocket. *Click for Full Article*

This will be sure to start WWIII…

[Via http://iquestionauthority.wordpress.com]

US-Hikmatyar peace deal brokered by Pakistan

2010-01-25T09:48:00.000+02:00

RupeeNews

KABUL—One of the three main leaders of the Afghan insurgency, mercurial warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, has a long history of switching sides, and once fought against his current Taliban allies.

Now, he has held out the possibility of negotiating with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and outlined a roadmap for political reconciliation, opening what could be the most promising avenue for Mr. Karzai’s effort to peacefully resolve the conflict.

It is far from certain that any talks with Mr. Hekmatyar will begin, let alone succeed. But in contrast to Taliban leader Mullah Omar and allied insurgent chief Sirajuddin Haqqani, who refuse any talks with Kabul as long as foreign troops remain in the country, Mr. Hekmatyar took a much more conciliatory line in a recent video.

“We have no agreement with the Taliban—not for fighting the war, and not for the peace,” said Mr. Hekmatyar, who commands the loyalty of thousands of insurgents. “The only thing that unites the Taliban and [us] is the war against the foreigners.”

Unlike in previous videos, where Mr. Hekmatyar used a Kalashnikov rifle as a prop and expressed support for al Qaeda, in the latest tape, recorded in late December and provided to The Wall Street Journal by his aides in Pakistan, he assumed a professorial tone, wearing glasses and a black turban as he spoke in a quiet, soft voice.

Mr. Hekmatyar, who is 59 years old and lived in exile in Iran when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, built his movement over the last three years into a formidable force. His men dominate the insurgency in several eastern and central Afghan provinces, such as Kunar, Laghman and Kapisa, according to American intelligence estimates.

At the same time, a legal wing of Hizb-e-Islami, an Islamist party that Mr. Hekmatyar founded in the 1970s, participates in the Afghan parliament, with 19 of 246 seats. One of its leaders is minister of the economy in Mr. Karzai’s new cabinet. Though the legal Hizb-e-Islami denies formal links with Mr. Hekmatyar, many of its senior members are believed to maintain communications with the grizzled warlord, and openly support the idea of bringing him into the government.

Mr. Hekmatyar’s “reported willingness to reconcile with the Afghan government” has already become a key factor working against the militancy because it “causes concern that others may follow,” the U.S.-led international forces’ intelligence chief, Maj. Gen. Michael Flynn, noted in a recent presentation. In addition to subtracting fighters from the battlefield, such a reconciliation would boost the legitimacy of the Kabul government.

Currently, fighters of the three main groups—Mullah Omar’s Taliban in the south, where the bulk of combat takes place, the Haqqani network in the southeast, and Mr. Hekmatyar’s men in its strongholds—cooperate with each other, at least on the tactical level, American intelligence officials say.

But, while Mr. Haqqani made a formal oath of allegiance to Mullah Omar, recognizing him as his overall leader, Mr. Hekmatyar repeatedly refused to make such a pledge. In the tape, he said he spent “a couple of months” with Mullah Omar and al Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahri in 2002, but insisted that he “had no direct or indirect contact with them since then.”

He also said that the main reason he’s fighting American forces is because the U.S. allied itself with his bitter Afghan enemies after the Taliban’s downfall in 2001.

“It’s just a convenience for Hekmatyar to be with the Taliban,” says Marc Sageman, a terrorism expert who, as a Central Intelligence Agency officer in Pakistan, worked with Afghan insurgent leaders in the late 1980s. “Hekmatyar’s main goal is Hekmatyar. He’ll do anything that will help him out—it all depends on the deal he’s going to get.”

In the tape, Mr. Hekmatyar outlined his political program, calling for elections under a neutral caretaker government once U.S.-led forces withdraw, predicting that Hezb-i-Islami will win 70% of the votes, and saying that he would accept an impartial international peacekeeping force. While the Taliban brand Mr. Karzai a traitor, Mr. Hekmatyar promised to support the Afghan president should he stop being subservient to his American backers.

“Negotiations with the Afghan government will not be fruitful unless the foreigners give the Afghan government the authority to start negotiations independently—but unfortunately it has not been given this authority yet,” Mr. Hekmatyar said in the tape.

Similar overtures by Mr. Hekmatyar in recent months failed to produce any breakthrough. And, while some Afghan and American officials have already explored indirect contacts with Mr. Hekmatyar, the U.S. government so far refuses to make a meaningful distinction between him and the two other man insurgent chiefs.

“Each one has a different origin and orientation,” says Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. “But all work together and are linked to al Qaeda.”

A Pashtun former engineering student from the northern Kunduz province, Mr. Hekmatyar started out in politics as a pro-Soviet Communist. He embraced pan-Islamist ideology in the 1970s, and famously refused to meet President Ronald Reagan even as the U.S. was pumping millions of dollars into his guerrilla movement through the Pakistani intelligence in the 1980s.

After the pro-Soviet regime collapsed in 1992, Mr. Hekmatyar reduced large parts of Kabul to rubble as he fought rival mujahedeen commanders for control of the capital, and briefly served as the nation’s prime minister. Once Pakistan switched its support to the nascent Taliban movement in the mid-1990s, Mr. Hekmatyar was chased out by the Taliban, and had to seek refuge in Iran.

After the U.S. overthrew the Taliban in 2001, it excluded the warlord—who was seen as a spent force—from the new Kabul government. In the following months, as an embittered Mr. Hekmatyar started voicing support for the Taliban and al Qaeda, he was expelled by Iran, and was nearly killed by a U.S. airstrike. In 2003, Mr. Hekmatyar was designated a terrorist by the U.S. and put on the United Nations blacklist alongside Mullah Omar and Mr. bin Laden.

These days, some American officials say, Mr. Hekmatyar has managed to rebuild his fortunes in part because of help from elements of the powerful Pakistani spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate. Mr. Hekmatyar’s movement uses the area around the Pakistani city of Peshawar, with its teeming Afghan refugee camps, as its logistics hub. His daughter and son-in-law reside in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. Pakistan denies it is giving any aid to the Taliban or its insurgent allies.

“Hekmatyar could be turned if the ISI wanted him to be turned,” says Bruce Riedel, a Brooking Institution scholar and former senior CIA officer who oversaw President Barack Obama’s Afghanistan and Pakistan policy review last year. “He is too closely tied to them to operate for us without their okay.” ASIA NEWS JANUARY 21, 2010 Afghan Insurgent Outlines Peace Plan. By YAROSLAV TROFIMOV

Write to Yaroslav Trofimov at yaroslav.trofimov@wsj.com

[Via http://siyasipakistan.wordpress.com]

Ice Ice Baby

2010-01-25T01:21:00.000+02:00

So I was having breakfast when I was emailed these amazing pictures, which I thought I’d share. They are from North-East China, at a place called Harbin. It is absolutely breathtaking stuff. Taken in September, 2008, at the Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival by… well one of dad’s friend’s I suppose.

Makes me want to go to China again. And stay in the ice hotel…

CZQC.

[Via http://peasinapoddarling.wordpress.com]

Hillary then and now

2010-01-22T09:50:00.000+02:00

I guess some folk’s ideas and opinions just kind of ‘evolve’ as they mature or kind of see the need to support an idea given the situation at hand. The Drudge Report this morning has a comparison of Hillary Clinton and how she has ’seen the light’ on limiting or regulating information available on the internet:

FLASHBACK: HILLARY CLINTON SAYS INTERNET NEWS NEEDS ‘RETHINK’

Sun Sep 25 2005 16:52:50 ET

Hillary Rodham Clinton said IN 1998 during a meeting with reporters said that “we are all going to have to rethink how we deal with” the Internet because of the handling of White House sex scandal stories on Web sites.

Clinton was asked whether she favored curbs on the Internet, after the DRUDGE REPORT made headlines with coverage of her husband’s affair with a White House intern. “We are all going to have to rethink how we deal with this, because there are all these competing values … Without any kind of editing function or gatekeeping function, what does it mean to have the right to defend your reputation?” she said.

Hillary Clinton

Fast Forward:

Clinton urges Internet freedom, condemns cyber attacks:

WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday called for an unfettered worldwide Internet and urged global condemnation of those who conduct cyber attacks, as China sought to contain tension with the United States over the hacking and censorship of Google.

“A new information curtain is descending across much of the world,” she said, calling growing Internet curbs the modern equivalent of the Berlin Wall.

“We stand for a single Internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas,” said Clinton in a major address that cited China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt among countries that censored the Internet or harassed bloggers.

more here

[Via http://stevex09.wordpress.com]

End of Week Wrap-up

2010-01-22T01:53:00.000+02:00

Supremely plutocratic

In some change we can truly believe in, the plutocracy of the U.S. just deepened. Or, as one critic puts it, a step was just taken that is ”the most radical and destructive campaign finance decision in the history of the Supreme Court.”

Sweeping aside a century-old understanding and overruling two important precedents, a bitterly divided Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the government may not ban political spending by corporations in candidate elections.

***

"And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Umm...

US and UK soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq are killing Muslims using guns with optical sights marked with Christian Gospel references, manufactured by Trijicon, an avowedly Christian Evangelical company in the US, writes Craig Murray.

Trijicon’s website states: “We believe that America is great when its people are good. This goodness has been based on biblical standards throughout our history and we will strive to follow those morals.” Peculiarly, having read the Gospels many times, I can’t recall Jesus advocating shooting people from a great distance.”

***

Saving all their money for their kids' education while we go large on 100% mortgages and sell debt to the Chinese government to fund our "fantasy island" spending...

“Wat Tyler” at Burning Our Money parses the words of BOE Governor Mervyn King, the silence from the Tories on their plans to cut the deficit, the pregnant silence of the markets ahead of the election, and UK’s living beyond its means as East Asia races ahead. And concludes we are totally fucked and that dark days are around the corner. Or rather, that right after the election, this is what’s going to happen:

The tradesmen’s entrance from No 11 suddenly bursts open and an ashen faced George races in waving the secret Treasury file spelling out the real options:

1: Lean and mean – immediate 20% cut in all Departmental Expenditure Limits, increase in State Pension Age to 70 by 2015, outright abolition of Child Benefit and other working age benefits, 5 year freeze on all public sector salaries and pension entitlements.

2: Siege economy – whack up taxes – double VAT, 30% standard rate of income tax, 60% higher rate, 35% Corporation Tax – manage loss of competitiveness by leaving EU and imposing Bennite tariff wall.

3: Weimar Republic – rescind Bank of England independence, fire up the presses, inflate the debt away

4: Whistling in the dark – do none of the above and hope the economy somehow grows us to salvation before the markets take fright

So corporations run the so-called democracy in the U.S., evangelicals don’t take “thou shalt not kill” too seriously, and the UK economy is a basket case. It’s plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose across the globe apparently…

[Via http://jamblichus.wordpress.com]

Baidu Sues Over Cyber-Attack

2010-01-20T09:26:00.000+02:00

For some reason I am picturing a thief returning to their own home to find that they have been robbed, and are now quite angry about what has happened to them.

From China Daily:

China’s leading Internet search engine, Baidu, has filed a lawsuit in a New York court against a US firm that managed its domain registration, Baidu said in a statement on Wednesday.

Baidu is seeking damages from its US domain name registration service provider Register.com, Inc., following an attack on its website www.baidu.com last week, the Beijing-based company said in the statement. Baidu’s website was paralyzed for several hours after a cyber-attack on January 12, denying users from many places around the world access. The attackers posted on the site a message in red saying, “This site has been hacked by Iranian Cyber Army.” It is believed the unidentified “Iranian Cyber Army” changed Baidu’s domain name server records and redirected traffic to another website.

“Register.com’s gross negligence resulted in severe damage to the company,” said the statement. The company declined to detail its losses and it failed to disclose the damages it is seeking.

Link to story

________________________________________________________

So the country which has itself been cyber-attacking the entire frikken planet now has their panties in a twist because of something the “Iranian Cyber Army” (whatever the hell that is) has done? I swear that China does this crap just to confuse people. Yes, how dare someone hack into Baidu.

[Via http://wok3.wordpress.com]

Guangzhou ~ Hong Kong - Day 9/10

2010-01-20T01:13:00.000+02:00

Before heading off to Hong Kong, we visited a dinosaur museum, where they house the most number of dinosaur egg fossils in the world.

The bus drove us across into Hong Kong, where we stayed at the L’Hotel in Tuen Wan.

Since we only stayed here for 1 night, I didn’t take a lot of sight-seeing photos..rather just the food we ate =)

Oh and here at Tsing Yi Shopping Center is a yearly Christmas display. Luckily the day we went was the last day before they took it apart.

Breakfast at the Spaghetti House

And the healthy and yummy (if there’s syrup in it) Turtle Jelly / Guilin-Gou.

[Via http://ahyingzholiday.wordpress.com]

Chinese Press: Google Founders have created a "Frankenstein," company plots next steps

2010-01-18T09:42:00.000+02:00

(Seattle, WA) One week after Google announced its objections to Chinese government censorship and related security breaches, the war of words between the Internet giant and the Chinese government continues to intensify. China’s initial response to the crisis has been muted, especially given the sheer size of Google’s breach of self-censorship protocols. For a few short hours, China’s Internet was suddenly open and free. How will the Chinese respond going forward?

It is clear that a raging debate is going on among CCP leaders about what steps they should take next. Certain Google managers and programmers who orchestrated the Google opening most likely violated multiple Chinese laws and regulations, and could conceivably face arrest. However, jailing them would turn them into martyrs, and could precipitate a diplomatic crisis with the United States. The government could simply shut down Google.cn and other domain registrations, yank Google’s business license and send its foreign staff packing. They could even threaten Google advertisers and 100 million users to quit the service or face possible criminal or civil sanctions for aiding and abetting the spread of state secrets; i.e. disseminating uncensored news coverage about forbidden issues like the Tiananmen Square Incident to foreign entities.

On January 18th, a prominent government-run newspaper, the China Daily published an Op/ed article in its online edition which gives us a preview of what we can expect next from the Chinese in their war against Google. Rather than immediately shutting down the firm, the government has decided to tap into lingering concerns shared by experts and users worldwide about Internet privacy and the behemoth’s growing influence over global commerce. The article, “Do no evil (claim) lays bare web giant’s hypocrisy,” written by a Japan-based professor Philip Cunningham, asserts that Google’s complaints about hackers trying to read user emails or spy on its operations reek of hypocrisy. What about Google itself? Google gathers incredible amounts of information about its customers. What is the company doing with all that data? Are they ”doing no evil” as their corporate mantra says?

The author continues, “Internet users communing alone with their computers at all times of day and night leave a long, detailed electronic trail about their fears, fetishes, tastes, likes, dislikes, health concerns, political leanings and pet peeves that open numerous windows of vulnerability, almost as if the Internet were a trusted friend, which it decidedly is not.” He concludes that “Google’s founders may be decent guys with no intent to do evil, but they have created a “Frankenstein.” Other China Daily articles have pushed forward the additional argument that Google was already doing poorly in the China market, so it trumped-up a cover story to burnish its ‘freedom loving’ values to hide its business woes.

China’s varied verbal attacks may draw some netizens to the government’s defense. China’s “rally around the flag” call for Internet users to stand up against Google’s imperialistic, flagrant disrespect for Chinese culture, society and political stability may well placate some users. However, millions of other users who last week suddenly experienced for the first time what a free and open Internet looks like, may have second thoughts about the sincerity of Chinese government claims.

It seems to me that if Google really wants to “walk the walk” in promoting Internet openness, now is the time to act. Rather than making a slow exit, Google management should try to continue to operate in China and push the envelope to see how far the government is willing to go. In the end, China may very well take draconian measures to shut it down. However, it may also try to reach an accommodation. The latter could have wide-ranging implications for Chinese culture, society and the future of the Internet. At the moment, Google seems to have the upper hand in the war for hearts and minds outside China as well as among a minority of China’s 350 million Internet user. Now is the time for Google to show its true colors.

Written by:

Dr. Jonathan Harrington (January 18th, 2010)–Associate Professor of International Relations/Troy University

For more information about Dr. Harrington, visit www.climatediet.com

[Via http://climatediettimes.wordpress.com]

Q4 earnings and Chinese data

2010-01-18T01:47:00.000+02:00

Since the start of the year the market has gyrated from “risk on” to “risk off” and back again. On balance the overall tone has been just about positive, with firmer economic data, most notably in China outweighing sovereign debt concerns in Greece and elsewhere. Although debt concerns are unlikely to dissipate quickly, especially given Greece’s inability to convince markets of its plans to cut its burgeoning budget deficit, the “risk on” tone is likely to win.

“Risk off” may be the tone at the start of the week however, as US equities ended the week on a negative note ahead of the Martin Luther King holidays. The holidays will likely keep trading slow. Data wise the main US events housing starts on Wednesday and the Philly Fed on Thursday. Q4 US earnings are likely to take a bigger share of market attention as the earnings season rolls on. Bank earnings will be a key focus, with Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, BoA, Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs set to report this week.

Given the growing influence of Chinese data on markets the monthly data pack from China will capture more attention than usual on Thursday. In particular, GDP and inflation data will be of most interest. GDP data is likely to reveal an acceleration in growth in Q4 YoY to above 10% but given worries about over heating and following last week’s tightening in China’s monetary policy CPI data will be closely scrutinized. Inflation is likely to pick up further maintaining the pressure for further monetary tightening as well as a stronger CNY.

Elsewhere, in the eurozone the main event is the German ZEW survey tomorrow, which is likely to show further signs of flagging, due to Greek concerns. There is also an interest rate decision to contend with; the Bank of Canada is unlikely to surprise markets as it keeps policy unchanged tomorrow. The UK has a relatively heavier data slate, with CPI tomorrow, Bank of England minutes on Wednesday and retail sales at the end of the week.

The UK data kicked off on a positive note this week, with house prices rising 0.4% MoM in January and 4.1% YoY according to UK property website Rightmove, the biggest annual gain in over a year. Moreover, activity on Rightmove’s website reached a record high in the first full week of the year. The data as well as expectations that Kraft will raise its bid for Cadbury will likely help GBP in addition to other GBP positive M&A news. GBP/USD will look to test resistance around 1.6365 this week.

After a slightly firmer start helped by the weak close to US equity markets on Friday the USD is likely to generally trade on the back foot over the week. Speculative sentiment for the USD has definitely soured into the new-year as reflected in the CFTC IMM data which revealed a big jump in net short positions in the week ending 12 January 2010. Net aggregate USD positions shifted from +1.6k to -51.9k over the week, with the main beneficiaries being the EUR, and risk trades including AUD, NZD and CAD.

[Via http://econometer.org]

China: Hacking Google?

2010-01-15T09:41:00.000+02:00

Certainly this is not the first time China is accused of using hackers to spy on other countries.

While the full scope of the attacks on Google and several dozen other companies remains unclear, the events set off immediate alarms in Washington, where the Obama administration has previously expressed concern about international computer security and attacks on Western companies.Neither the sequence of events leading to Google’s decision nor the company’s ultimate goal in rebuking China is fully understood. But this was not the first time that the company had considered withdrawing from China, according to a former company executive. It had clashed repeatedly with Chinese officials over censorship demands, the executive said.

Google said on Tuesday that that in its investigation of the attacks on corporations, it found that the Gmail accounts of Chinese and Tibetan activists, like Ms. Seldon, had been compromised in separate attacks involving phishing and spyware.

Independent security researchers said that at least 34 corporations had been targets of the attacks originating in China.

Adobe, a software maker, said it had been the victim of an attack, but said that it did not know if it was linked to the hacking of Google. Some reports suggested that Yahoo had been a victim, but a person with knowledge said that Yahoo did not think that it been subject to the same attack as Google.

via In Rebuke of China, Focus Falls on Cybersecurity – NYTimes.com.

Were the activists China’s target? Or what was it?

[Via http://teaandpolitics.wordpress.com]

China has moved and is expected to take more steps to rein in excessive money supply

2010-01-15T01:31:00.000+02:00

by Xinhua writer Ma Shukun

BEIJING, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) — China has moved and is expected to take more steps to rein in excessive money supply, which resulted in rising concerns of inflation and a bubble in the property market, experts say.

The latest move came from the People’s Bank of China, the central bank, which announced late Tuesday to raise the deposit reserve requirement ratio by 0.5 percentage points from Jan. 18 this year, the first increase since June of 2008.

The PBOC has cut the bank reserve requirement ratio (RRR) for four times in the second half of 2008 to stimulate growth as the global financial crisis started to weigh on the economy.

TIME TO MOVE

“It is time to withdraw some liquidity from the market as there is too much money there”, said Zuo Xiaolei, economist with the China Galaxy Securities.

The central bank’s decision aimed at mopping up excessive liquidity caused by rising inflow of foreign capital and the country’s record bank lending, she added.

China’s M2, a broad measure of its money supply, amounted to 59.64 trillion yuan (8.73 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of November, up 29.74 percent from a year ago, according to the PBOC.

Wang Qing, an economist with Morgan Stanley, said in a report the better-than-expected export performance in December also prompted the hike, signaling a more secure recovery in trade.

China’s exports returned to year-on-year growth of 17.7 percent in December, ending a falling streak of 13 months.

The export data indicated a recovery in global demand, which helped reduce the economy’s reliance on macro policies to sustain growth and increase the need to tighten, Wang Xiaohui, analyst with Sinolink Securities, said.

He also said that reported surge in bank loans at the beginning of this year pushed the central bank to kick in the measure to control the pace of lending.

Chinese banks made about 600 billion yuan in new loans in the first week of 2010, the Economic Information Daily reported Monday. If bank lending continued the strength, January would see bank credit surpassing one trillion yuan.

Given China’s exchange rate regime, RRR adjustments are the most effective liquidity management tool, Wang Qing said.

REIN IN CREDIT

“It (the reported rise of bank loans) does not conform to the government’s stance on stabilizing lending”, Wang Xiaohui said.

Earlier this month, the central bank demanded a moderate growth of loan in 2010 and asked lenders to curb volatility in loaning on fears of inflation and property bubble.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao also said in December that the Chinese economy could have been better placed “if our bank lending had been more balanced, better structured and not on such a large scale.”

Analysts agreed that the move by the central bank targeted at inflationary expectations, balanced lending, suggesting that policymakers were following through on their pledge to guide credit to prevent inflation and curb soaring home prices.

Wang Zhaoxing, vice chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, said Wednesday that currently loans borrowed by property developers and residents to buy homes accounted for 20 percent of the total new loans. He did not mention the time period.

The government would take more steps if the first quarter credit failed to follow the central bank’s guidance, Wang Xiaohui said.

NO SHIFT IN MONETARY POLICY, MORE FLEXIBILITY

However, the move did not indicate a shift in the government’s “moderately” loose monetary policy, Zuo said. It reflected the flexibility the government vowed in its policies to handle new circumstances in 2010, she said.

The central bank said at its annual work conference that the 2010 monetary policy aimed to sustain a stable and relatively fast rate of economic growth and stabilize prices and effectively manage inflation expectations. It also vowed to add flexibility o fits policy.

Zuo said one hike did not likely to solve the problem and expected more measures to follow in.

Wang Qing said while this RRR hike could help manage inflation expectations, base interest rate hikes will be in response to actual inflation. He also expected more RRR hikes to come.

Nomura International Limited said in a report that it expected a 27 basic points rate hike in as early as February if inflation exceeded 2.2 percent in January.

“We forecast that this will be followed by an additional 54 basic points of rate hikes before the end of 2010 and another 50 basic points RRR hike in the second quarter 2010″, the report said.

The report also said the RRR hike did not alter the forecast of China’s GDP growth of 12 percent in the first quarter and 10.5 percent for the full year of 2010 as the move was within expectations.

[Via http://lanle.wordpress.com]

Why China ignored India’s ‘military doctrine’

2010-01-13T09:52:00.000+02:00

PakistanLedger | Moin Ansari

Defense Analysts and political scientists and students of international relations experts are watching the rhetoric out of Delhi with keep interests. The three capitals—are looking for small nuances to decipher what was said, when it was said and by whom

Here is the chronology of events. General Kapoor in what would be considered a highly provocative statement said that Bharat (aka India) was ready a two pronged war with Pakistan and China.

Reports on India’s revision of its defence doctrine to meet the challenges of a ‘two front war’ with Pakistan and China have of late received media focus. Pakistan has been prompt in its response, describing India’s reported move as ‘betraying hostile intent’ and reflecting a ‘hegemonic and jingoistic mindset’. D S Rajan in Rediff News

As expected there was an explosion in Pakistan. Political leaders, as well as the head of the army and major politicians and the National Assembly decried General Kapoor’s statements and called it an act of grave provocation.

If some analyst had expect an equally robust and angry response from Beijing, they were disappointed. The Chinese response to the Bharati general’s speech was stone silence.

The Chinese leadership saw through the Bharati “strategy” and looked at it for what it was—bluster. The Chinese leadership correctly weighed the Bharti actions and were prepared for it. Deng Xiao Peng had taught them well—Confucius says “keep a low profile, “don’t over react” and “build yourself up”, “avoid conflict” and project “soft power”. There is hard work of nation building to be done—empty chatter resolves nothing and produces nothing.

The Chinese response to Bharati provocation was decided upon decades ago. It does not nee to be reiterated.

Keep a cool head and maintain a low profile. Never take the lead – but aim to do something big. Deng Xiao Peng

Beijing sees Delhi’s bluster as an attempt to raise the stature of Delhi. What better way to raise the stature than to challenge an emerging superpower? One would think that Delhi is some way or form could ever compete with Beijing in anything> If Beijing had responded to General Kapoor’s juvenile delinquency, it would have reduced itself to Delhi’s level. By taking the high road and ignoring Delhi, Beijing reduced Delhi to what it was, a regional bully that can’t even compete with Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Nuclear prowess had reduced Bharati plans. Delhi hegemony hits a brick wall on its Western front. It cannot go one inch forward. The boundary has become sacrosanct, and all the huffing and puffing and paper exercises do nothing to intimidate Islamabad.

The sagacious Maleeha Lodhi, the former Pakistani Ambassador to the US and the UK is one of the most talented political scientist around. she also clearly saw through Delhi’s game and clearly identified the source of entire passages, and the origins of the vocabulary of the Delhi’s new “doctrine”. Delhi had clearly plagiarized it from the American Doctrine of war.

Even more interesting is the fact that Beijing analysts seem to have pre-empted what Delhi was trying to do, and already seem to have written about it. Here is D.S. Rajan on the subject again.

The People’s Republic of China does not appear to have come out so far with any official reaction on the subject; interesting however is that the same theme of India’s ‘two front war’, worded a bit differently as ‘two front mobile warfare’ has figured in an in-depth authoritative Chinese evaluation of India’s defence strategy, done as early as November 2009; it raises a question whether or not Beijing [ Images ] already knew about India’s reported revision of its defence strategy. This apart, it would be important to have a close look at what has been said in that analysis, for drawing meaningful conclusions. What follows is an attempt in that direction.

Titled ‘Great Changes in India’s Defence Strategy — War objective shifts to giving China importance, while treating Pakistan as lightweight’, the analysis contributed by Hao Ding, a researcher of the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, published in the Party-affiliated Chinese language organ, China Youth Daily, on November 27, 2009, identifies following five shifts that have taken place in India’s defence strategy:

The Chinese have figured out Delhi’s strategy. Its Marketing 101. When Kia says its just as good as Samsung, it doesn’t increase its stature—but when it says it has better features than a Toyota, the strategy to make people think that its in the same league as a Toyota. Of course the strategy doesn’t work. No matter how many time GM, (with its billions of Dollars of marketing clout) said that its J cars, or K cars, or Saturns were better than Mercedes, or lately better than Toyota—the people didn’t really buy that line—and continue to buy Toyota, Nissan, and Mercedes—placing GM in bankruptcy.

Similarly Bharat’s goals are an over reach which cannot be sustained. A A Lada cannot go out and conquer the world—it lived and died in East Germany. Till Bharat gets its own house in order, and mends its fences with all her neighbors. Having an angry Nepal, a dissatisfied Bangladesh, a mad Sikkim, a seething Bhutan, a cold China, a fearful Maldives, and a belligerent Pakistan on its borders can never allow Bharat to achieve its full potential in world affairs.

‘In terms of goals, India now aims at becoming a global military power in contrast to its earlier objective to acquire a regional military power status.’ (The author’s comments say in this connection that prior to end of the cold war, India followed an expansionist and hegemonic policy in South Asia, dismembered Pakistan, annexed Sikkim kingdom and dispatched troops to Sri Lanka [ Images ] and Maldives [ Images ].

Bharat canot become a world power, unless it fixes its painful penury. Instead of purchasing a $3 Billion Aircraft Carrier, it needs to eliminate “Grabibabad” the largest slum in the world which is really a huge trash can where people live. Slumdog India can not be shining India just because a TV commercial calls it ‘shining’.

According to loft goals, Bharat wants to be a South Asia, power, a Central Asian giant and an Asia-Pacific Hercules. Loft goals for a country where 75% of the people eek out a living at less than $2 per day. Bharat wants to project itself as a Eurasian giant. Amazing goals for a country where 450 million Dalits and invisiable Untouchables don’t have the right to live. Amazingly most Indians cannot see their existence and ignore their poverty through tokenism (appointing one highly visible person in a high position).

India always was hegemonic. Its calim that it ever had “passive defense” as its policy is belies the facts on the ground—it bullied 560 states into joing the “Indian Unio” in 1948. Nehru declared that any state that would not join the union would be considered an enemy state. It blatantly and illegally took over Hyderabad which did not want to join the Union.

It was a regional bully. Now it wants to be a global bully—without the allies or the money to get there. Bharat’s ‘and aggressive defense’ is something that the Israelis use. Its planner face a Gordian knot. Delhi seems to be in a time warp. It feels that it is in 1972. It has failed to recognize the new nuclear realities of South Asia. It cannot comprehend that mutually assured destruction means just that. It wants to somehow find a sliver of hope to strangulate Pakistan that way it has a choke hold on Sikkim. When Islamabad doesn’t get in its hold—it cries foul and tries to destabilize it—using the Mukti Bahni and Lanka model. While exporting terror does, work, Bharat is unable to achieve its objectives, because its forces cannot cross its Western border—held at bay by Nuclear powered missiles, and tactical Nuclear weapons that will destroy only a moving army.

According to the Chinese analysts, Bharat faces security threats form”the low intensity conflict with Pakistan over Kashmir [ Images ] which can trigger a large scale conflict, the risk of a nuclear confrontation among the two nations and terrorism in South Asia.”

Though accurate, this threat perception is not actually accurate. Bharat faces three major threats to its existence. According to Indian Analyst, Bharat Verma, Bharat faces the biggest threat in Kashmir, the 2nd threat in the Northeast Seven Sister States in Assam and 89 insurgencies raging in almost every Indian state—including the lethal Naxal-Maoist threat that engulfs a huge swathe of land starting from the foot of the Himalayas in the North to the deep South in Andhra Pradesh. The recent issue of Talangana shoed the entire worked the fragile nature of the Indian Union. The people want more than 50 states—in varying degrees of secessionist tendencies. Denial of right willl further exacerbate linguistic, ethnic and religious tensions in Bharat—leading to a USSR type of implosion or a Yugoslavia type of implosion.

The Indian defence strategy has been revised in such circumstances; The ‘active defence’ concept has replaced the old line of passive defence, the basic ‘regional deterrence’ principle has been given a new meaning with ‘punishment deterrence’ concept taking place of the old principle of ‘only deterrence’. India is stressing on taking initiatives so as to be able to conduct a hi-tech ‘limited conventional war’ against the enemy ‘under conditions of nuclear deterrence’. D. S. Rajan

In accordance with the GM strategy (mentioned earlier), the Chinese analyst says ‘Looking from the angle of war objectives, India is now laying emphasis to giving China importance while treating Pakistan as lightweight, as compared to the past equal emphasis to China and Pakistan.’

The Chinese have repeatedly said that they are fully aware of the Indian thinking.

China, there is stable political situation, a fast developing economy, a continuously accelerating military modernisation drive and growing comprehensive national strength. India thinks that therefore, the potentials of ‘China threat’ to it are on the rise. It wants to correctly treat the dialectic relation between the changes that have occurred in military threats posed by Pakistan and China and prepare for all types of military struggles. Based on such reasoning, India has proposed the doctrine of ‘two front mobile warfare’.

Bharat has done a lot of rearranging of the chairs on the deck of the Titanic. It thinks that the new pattern of the deck chairs will prevent the looming strategy. Instead of changing course and avoiding the iceberg, it spends all its time on the color scheme of the chairs. Bharat may be in an illusion

‘In matters of strategic deployment, India has shifted to a strategy of stabilising the western front and strengthening the northern front as well as giving equal emphasis to land and sea warfare, in contrast to the earlier stress only on land warfare.‘

(1) in recent years, India has carried out adjustments in its defence system to suit to the new needs. ‘Stabilising the western front and strengthening the northern front’ is a step in this direction. India has already made plans to dispatch additional forces- two mountain divisions- to the Sino-Indian border and deploy Su-30 fighter aircraft as well as missiles there in order to further strengthen its ‘partial military superiority’ vis-à-vis China, sufficient to fight a ‘middle or small-scale partial border war under hi-tech conditions’,

(2) India is increasing its deployment of mobile warfare-capable troops. Some units, on ‘double combat missions’, can launch mobile operations in both China and Pakistan fronts and

(3) India’s past attention only to land warfare is now getting shifted in the direction of the Indian Ocean, creating a deployment position capable of paying importance to both land and sea. A part of Indian troops so far located in the rear of the borders is being diverted for coastal defence purposes and a new naval fleet has come up in the south to increase strength in respect of the Indian Ocean.

China is not a superpower, nor will she ever seek to be one. If one day China should change her color and turn into a superpower, if she too should play the tyrant in the world, and everywhere subject others to her bullying, aggression and exploitation, the people of the world should identify her as social-imperialism, expose it, oppose it and work together with the Chinese people to overthrow it. Deng Xiaoping

We quote D. S. Rajan again.

‘India is making efforts to create long-range mobile operational strength and gain capacity to launch cross-combat missions.’ The Chinese military expert comments that structural adjustment of the Indian military is in progress with focus on building Indian Navy and Air Force as well as rapid action troops, leading to building up of global combat capability of Indian armed forces. The expert cites in this connection the war doctrines of the Indian Army [ Images ] (2004), Indian Navy (2005) and Indian Air Force (2007).

The analysis above needs to be examined together with a very recent Chinese assessment. Given under the title ‘Panoramic View of International Military Situation in 2009′, the analysis contributed by Ma Kang, deputy director, Institute of Strategic Studies, National Defence University, Liberation Army Daily, December 29 highlights the defence budget increases in the US, Russia [ Images ] and India. It points to India’s ‘24 percent defence budget increase’ in 2009 as compared to previous year as well as efforts to build an aircraft carrier of its own, launch of first home made submarine Arihant and goals set towards possessing ‘three dimensional nuclear strategic capability.’

What stand out are the unmistakable adversarial tones with which the two highly placed Chinese experts have talked about India. Especially, the evaluation of Hao Ding runs contrary to the officially declared perceptions of India and China that each nation is not a threat to other. Observers in India have reasons to raise their eyebrows on the reappearance of the terminology ‘partial border war’ after some gap, more so in a contribution made by an academician close to Chinese hierarchy (the last such reference figured in an unofficial strategic affairs website in November 2008).

Also odd is the timing of such comments when India-China bilateral defence, political and economic ties are progressing steadily — senior Chinese military officers including the Tibet [ Images ] commander have visited India recently, the Indian defence secretary is scheduled to visit Beijing for talks, both India and China have coordinated their actions in the conference at Copenhagen on climatic change, preparations are being made by both sides for the scheduled visit this year to China by the Indian President and lastly, India-China trade volume is slated to touch $60 billion by this year.

Not to place a break on Mr. Rajan’s rhetoric, and burst his bubble, but the Bharati Naval Chief says the following about China:

“In military terms, both conventional and non-conventional, we neither have the capability nor the intention to match China, force for force. These are indeed sobering thoughts and therefore our strategy to deal with China would need to be in consonance with these realities,” Indian Navy Chief, Admiral Suresh Mehta

[Via http://siyasipakistan.wordpress.com]

Google and China Faceoff over Net Censorship

2010-01-13T01:48:00.000+02:00

In an extraordinary move, Google has announced that it will no longer censor search results in China and that this may well lead to the closure of its google.cn web site site and offices in the country.

According to Reuters, Google said yesterday that it had detected “highly sophisticated” cyber-attacks in mid-December on the Gmail accounts of Chinese human rights activists, and that at least 20 other large companies from a wide range of businesses have also been similarly targeted.

The decision opens the door for China to boot Google out of the country, which will in turn no doubt lead to a renewed debate over the battle of censorship and degree of mass government oppression in China.

It is unlikely that China will permit Google to run the search engine unfiltered hence expulsion is a very real possibility.

From a business perspective, it is an interesting corporate move, as Google’s decision effectively places the ball in China’s court. Should China refuse to allow Google’s search engine to operate unfiltered this will place the responsibility for the company’s withdrawal clearly at China’s feet.

On the other hand, if China concedes to Google, which is unlikely, this will be viewed as a tremendous victory for free speech. This is smart posturing on Google’s part.

Sharon Hom, Executive Director of Human Rights in China says that Google’s decision reflects the perils of doing business with China.

“It’s a wakeup call for the international community about the risks of doing business in China. The tendency has been for companies to keep their eye just on the benefits of doing business. But the risks are real — The risks are to our intellectual property. The risks are to our values” she said.

It’s also a wake up call for the Rudd Government and Stephen Conroy’s plans for an Internet Filter in Australia.

The decision does not send a reassuring message to the Government that it would be a compliant participant in its Internet Filtering scheme, and may lead to a similar confrontation with the Australian Government.

If such a scenario were to eventuate, surely this would signal the death knell for Conroy’s plan.

[Via http://guttertrash.wordpress.com]

The new C's of January

2010-01-11T09:33:00.000+02:00

The two new C’s beating the P and the G in Gillette or now called the ex-Folgers sanitary brand coy has failed to deploy the safety parachute as campaigns from Coke are likely soon flooding the market for this year’s numero uno position in Asia. Esp. with the Asian challenge fading for Coke as it is firmly established in China as well, In India it has further cemented the gold rush for the heat with a new mega celebrity , budgeted in Indian rupees campaign with cinekhiladi Akshay. Last seen in the Colors resurgence on the Indian terra firma, Akshay may still be out first export from Bollywood for non Indian audiences or diaspora with 2010 establishing a second decade for innoarket aware vative Coke marketing and most of it corresponding to the Indian desi heady rush without the Ramesh Chauhan fights early on.

Also, the second C that got the gall of the razor was Canon which beat doomsday prediction for the recession friendly retail industry with a 35% uptick in budgeted targets for cross RS 1000 crores or $400 million this year riding a new market aware Xerox and Photograhy products campaign. Here’s to the new Cs..there are enough jobless students out there to absorb a lot of additional Cs in the marketing software.

If you want more Financials and related stuff, double back to http://advantages.us. Adage has the revolution for now and we are on Ad age.

[Via http://twitterone.com]

You Will Never Make Money in China. Probably.

2010-01-11T01:28:00.000+02:00

I got into a conversation with a banker a few weeks ago. He had been approached to finance deals involving China, and he told his clients, as he told me, that there is no way to make money in China.

What? Isn’t China the promised land, where reasonable labor costs and adequate quality should be acceptable for a range of projects?

His position was that the government would never let one penny of genuine profit leave the country. There is grift and corruption, hiding in the form of taxes and fees, every time goods are made and moved. By the time your goods leave China, you’ll be lucky to make a dime on them. Retail locations in China operated by successful external companies, like Mattel and IKEA, have yet to turn a profit despite massive investment.

As much as China seems to embrace capitalism, the reality is that the government, and those who own capital in the country, are extremely reticent to give up any control to foreigners.

Then I read this, which tells a similar tale from the perspective of a British entrepreneur who hoped to build electric scooters in China.

Hmm.

[Via http://brainscroll.wordpress.com]

Filmmaker Sentenced to 6 Years in Tibet

2010-01-08T09:16:00.000+02:00

I suppose one more year would have been too much to ask. But seriously, Tibetan film-maker Dhondup Wangchen has been sentenced to 6 years in prison for crimes as yet unknown. His trial was held behind closed doors and he was not allowed independent legal representation as the Chinese government stopped his lawyer from being able to attend. His family was not told of the trial nor of the verdict.

Dhondup Wangchen was originally arrested in March 2008 after making his film Leaving Fear Behind, in which Tibetans inside Tibet spoke out against the occupation and how they believed the Olympcis being in China would imapct on Tibet. It is a very powerful and moving film which you can watch on Free Tibet TV.

If you want to do something about this, Students for a Free Tibet have a campaign calling for his release.

[Via http://lachevremorte.com]

Last Christmas

2010-01-08T01:27:00.000+02:00

Christmas in China is not like any Norwegian Christmas I’ve ever celebrated, but still it wasn’t a bad Christmas! Most people I talked with had no idea why Christmas is celebrated, but they still bought paper cuts of Santa to hang in their windows, and wanted to give their families small presents. They refer to it as a “Western festival”, and I suppose that’s what it has become several places. As neither Tilla or I were greatly influenced by the spirit of this jolly event, we waited until last minute before we cleaned, and did other preparations. While at the supermarket I got a predecorated plastic tree, and when Tilla’s mom came with a bunch of presents, it looked pretty nice standing there on a table in the corner of our gigantic livingroom. After eating imported rice porridge from Norway the morning of Christmas Eve, we decorated gingerbread, made a Norwegian holiday drink called gløgg, and went to give our colleagues this small holiday treat. I would say one of the teachers got the point when she said that we were spreading the love of Christmas. My Christmas dinner this year was a little out of the ordinary; chicken wings and rice. It didn’t feel like Christmas until we sat down, lit some candles, and opened the presents. It was not so much because of the presents, but more because of the fact that we where sitting down together in the livingroom (which we never use), talking, laughing, and reflecting upon why Christmas is celebrated. Either way, in the end it actually felt like Christmas! When I woke up the following morning it felt like any other day in China. We left to spend the weekend in Nanjing, and that night I was filled with the spirit of Christmas again. Christmas decorations outside Deji Plaza in Nanjing.

We went to our church’s Christmas dinner. There were a lot of people there! I’d say between 200 and 300 maybe.

We sang carols and worshiped, and it was a great night! It was topped of when everyone was given a candle each, and they switched of the lights. I don’t have words to explan the feeling of standing in the midst of people from all over the world, celebrating that our Savior was born over 2000 years ago. It was plainly AMAZING!!

[Via http://tashavic.wordpress.com]

China Think Tank: Timing Good For Yuan Revaluation

2010-01-06T17:37:00.000+02:00

BEIJING (Dow Jones)–A prominent Chinese think tank on Wednesday said now is a good time for a 10% revaluation of the yuan as it warned the world’s third-largest economy is at risk of asset bubbles and overheating this year.

The comments, in an essay by a researcher at the Institute of World Economic and Politics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, run counter to top leaders’ frequent defense of the government’s current yuan policy of gradual reform and resistance to international pressure for currency appreciation.

“There’s a very urgent need” for pushing forward the reform plan on the yuan and “now is the best timing,” said Zhang Bing, a research fellow at the institute, which was once headed by former central bank monetary policy committee member Yu Yongding.

“A 10% appreciation in the yuan against the dollar should have a limited impact on the Chinese economy,” and reduce speculative fund inflows by effectively eliminating expectations of a yuan appreciation, he said.

The one-off appreciation should be made before the yuan can float in a wider band, Zhang said. Calling for a “more reasonable” yuan exchange rate, he said the Chinese unit should be allowed to rise or fall as much as 3% annually against the U.S. dollar.

“The yuan can reference a basket of currencies in a way that the central bank feels suitable,” Zhang told Dow Jones Newswires on the sidelines of a seminar Wednesday at which he made the yuan recommendations.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences regularly offers policy ideas to the Chinese government for consideration, though its views don’t necessarily represent official government thinking.

The timing of the institute’s latest policy advice comes as China’s trading partners have intensified criticism of Beijing’s currency policy, saying the yuan is artificially undervalued to boost local exporters, hurting world trade amid the global financial crisis.

At home, debate over China’s economic policy continues to heat up ahead of the annual parliamentary session in March where Premier Wen Jiabao will lay out the government’s economic blueprint for this year. China’s leaders have said 2010 is a critical year to consolidating the gains made by the domestic economy following the global financial crisis.

In another essay presented by the institute during the seminar, researchers called on China to adopt a tighter monetary policy.

They said if Beijing’s fiscal and monetary stimulus policies remain unchanged from last year, the domestic economy will grow 16% in 2010 and risk overheating. If the stimulus is fully withdrawn, GDP would grow 7.7% this year, but if the stimulus policies were kept at “an appropriate magnitude” the economy would grow 11.6%, they said.

The researchers estimated China’s GDP grew 8.5% in 2009.

[Via http://lanle.wordpress.com]

Daily Comment - 6th January 2010: Reiterating Two of the Main Risks to the Global Recovery

2010-01-06T01:48:00.000+02:00

Macro

Reiterating Two of the Main Risks to the Global Recovery

In yesterday’s comment I made only two points:

I ridiculed Bernanke trying to justify 15 years of excessively accommodative monetary policy and implying that the Fed’s “free money” had nothing to do with the housing bubble. I expect this feeble defense to get the backlash it deserves, opening a new proverbial can of worms on the uncharacteristically vocally defensive chairman. Why were inflation expectations so low? How are you defining inflation and how were you measuring it? If a (modified) Taylor’s rule is so biblically prophetic remind us why we need you, dear Chairman?
The rising protectionism around the Globe, in particular against China.

Right on cue, in a piece published minutes after mine (Double-Dip Risk Seen in Stall-Speed Economy), looking at the two biggest risk factors to the global recovery Roach makes the following two points:

1. The Fed’s propensity to keep policy too accommodative (asymmetrical, Bernanke Put, Greenspan Put – call it what you will).

Two potential shocks would play right into that vulnerability, the first being a failed exit strategy from the Great Stimulus. Policy makers are not lacking in tools or tactics to withdraw the extraordinary fiscal and monetary stimulus that has been put in place to save the world.

Unfortunately, they are lacking in political will. The odds are high that America’s Federal Reserve will once again embrace an “asymmetrical” exit strategy — quick to slash the federal funds after the onset of a crisis but slow to normalize policy settings in recovery.

This would be a replay of the delayed normalization of 2002-2006, which played a key role in fueling new bubbles and imbalances, setting the stage for the Great Crisis.

2. Rising protectionism – in particular China-bashing.

A second possible shock would be heightened trade frictions and protectionism, especially a Washington-led outbreak of China bashing. With the U.S. unemployment rate likely to remain higher than 9.5 percent heading into the mid-term congressional election of 2010, the Chinese currency issue has once again become a bi-partisan lightning rod.

If Washington imposes trade sanctions, the Chinese would undoubtedly reduce their appetite for dollar-denominated assets, with severe implications for the dollar and probably real long- term interest rates in the U.S.

On the note of protectionism, does anybody even take Paul Krugman seriously anymore? From his childish spat with Ferguson, which degenerated into something which would not have looked out of place on a toddlers playground, to his calls for mind-blowing magnitudes of Keynesian “stimulus” (read the comments), Krugman is making even the Obama Administration blush with embarrassment (and that takes some doing). Now, like a careering, loose cannon… aboard a rudderless ship… in a storm… with an inebriated captain at the helm… it’s a miracle that he is even able to light his own fuse. That the consequence of his efforts are the pulverization of his own ship’s hull and mast should come as little surprise to less hysterical debate participants.

Today, he randomly fires a shot which this time land in China’s waters – specifically at China’s monetary policy here and here (again, read the comments – they’re much more interesting and probably more informative). The unfortunate Professor Krugman is beginning to look like another comical political caricature of The Administration with a Nobel Laureate badge pinned to his forehead.

Like a man in a speed-dating chat-room with exceptionally pungent halitosis, his credibility seems to evaporate each time he opens his mouth.

Macro Data to Watch:

ISM Non-Manufacturing in the US.

Markets

It is ironic that only 6 months ago, many pundits were extremely cautious about the outlook for the economy. Yet here we are, with the S&P 30% higher and loftier valuations globally and it seems the bulls are back in force. Don’t stock-pickers make money by buying low and selling high? But it’s a powerful thing, momentum. Once a rally is entrenched into the first week it could extend to the whole month, which could set the precedent for the entire first half of the year. So goes January…

But the function of the stock market is not to make us rich or clever or to endorse the opinions of CNBC cheerleaders. Instead the role of the markets is to collectively make as much of a fool of as many people simultaneously as it possibly can – be they bulls or bears. I imagine 2010 will be no exception in that respect.

That said, some huge moves yesterday in prominent household names: PetroChina up 6%, RBS up 10%, Ford hit a new high in style, up 6.6% on rising sales, Las Vegas Sands up 10% (Vegas is small-fry, that business is all about Macau).

One of the most interesting moves yesterday was in the Korean Won – as the one year chart shows and as I alluded to yesterday with respect to the Taiwanese Dollar.

Some of the Asian currencies are starting to feel the pressure from a Weak Dollar Policy and are strengthening as a consequence. On Monday it was the Taiwanese Dollar hitting new highs, on Tuesday it was the Korean Won – as a result the stock price in Korean Car exporter, Hyundai, got smashed. It’s worth keeping an eye on Asian Currencies including the Yen and of course any rhetoric on the Chinese Renminbi.

Global Stocks to Watch:

In the wake of recent currency moves, ALL Asian exporters.
Earnings:
- Bed, Bath and Beyond kick off the earnings season.
- Keeping half an eye on the Cadbury situation (out of morbid curiousity)
- Autos – all up strong in the US and Europe (Audi, Ford) but down in Asia (Toyota, Hyundai) – will this continue?

[Via http://theinternationalperspective.wordpress.com]

The world cheered for China in 2009

2010-01-04T09:41:00.000+02:00

The year 2009 has now become past tense. During 2009, China attracted worldwide attention for the great progress made in economy, culture, politics, diplomacy and its own image. According to a U.S.-based media tracking group, the rise of China as an economic superpower was the most-read news story of the past decade, out-stripping the number 2 Internet story, the War in Iraq, by 400 percent.

Economy

“Some people once thought that China’s ambition to guarantee an economic growth rate of 8 percent in 2009 was a day dream, but China has reached its goal.”

The U.S.-based magazine Time, recently pointed out, “A year ago, many people considered China’s ambition to guarantee an economic growth rate of 8 percent a day dream, but China has succeeded in realizing its ambition. China maintained the highest growth rate among the world’s major economies, strongly spurring economic development in other countries.”

“China’s economic growth is real, and the world should not expect China to stop or tumble. Instead, it should cope with China’s growth which is faster than that of any other country. Others should not expect China will fail to maintain its current growth rate and let the U.S. maintain its status as the world’s only economic superpower. Instead, they should get ready to usher in a world in which China will play a more important role. The old story has ended and China represents the present and the future.” U.S.-based Forbes Magazine recently published an article entitled “China’s growth is real.” According to the article, the driving force behind China’s economic growth came from the large-scale construction and infrastructure projects launched by China’s central government and local government bodies, as well as the notable export rebound.

Culture

“Chinese culture will shine worldwide. China’s soft power will make a stride forward”

In 2009, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited five European countries, and attended the Europalia China Art Festival and China’s Guest-of-Honor activities at Frankfurt Book Fair. On October 14, 2009, China Press USA carried an article entitled, “Showing soft power, China’s cultural parade staged,” which said that Vice President Xi’s visit indicated China’s intention to conduct cultural diplomacy.”

The article commented that China’s participation at the Frankfurt Book Fair as the guest of honor for the first time undoubtedly served as an opportunity to showcase China’s glamorous culture. The attitude of “actively going global” demonstrated that China had become more confident about its culture, and its soft power was improving.

Since 2009, China has been conducting sweeping reforms within its cultural system, and a great number of large publishers and media groups were restructured one by one to compete for a voice in the international community. In addition, the Shanghai 2010 World Expo which will last for half a year will open in Shanghai in May 2010. It is foreseeable that a series of activities will enable Chinese culture to shine worldwide in 2010, and as a result, China’s soft power will make a stride forward.

Politics

“China’s economy is constantly improving and the country is more responsible in politics”

Recently, the U.S.-based magazine Forbes published an article entitled, “Yes, China has fully arrived as a superpower,” saying that China was not only becoming stronger economically, but also becoming more responsible politically. While effectively dealing with the global financial crisis, China also played a leading role in the G20, and was indispensable to the world’s economy.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald’s article entitled, “The wait has passed, and China is marching forward bravely in politics,” Professor White, a strategic researcher at the Australian National University, said that in the past, China’s economy was growing ceaselessly but its political influence was limited. But now, China’s increasing political influence in 2009 already became a fact that cannot be ignored. In terms of economy, White expressed that after the financial crisis, China noticeably played an important role in the world, and of course, the western world essentially welcomes and encourages the role that China played.

Diplomacy

“The frequent visits by all nine members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee were rarely seen in the past, and China’s people-oriented diplomacy is not empty talk anymore.”

Singapore’s United Morning Post published an article entitled, “China’s people-centered diplomacy is not empty talk in 2009.” The article pointed out that many diplomacy-related events occurred in China all year round. It is a rare thing that all nine members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee visited so many countries.

According to the article, President Hu Jintao attended the G20 Summit in London in April. In June, he was present at the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) Summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia and also spoke with Brazilian, Russian and Indian leaders and visited Russia and Slovakia. In November, he visited Malaysia and Singapore and attended an APEC meeting. On December 15, President Hu completed a visit to two Central Asian countries.

Premier Wen Jiabao visited four European countries and the EU headquarters in January, and paid a friendly visit to DPRK in October. In November, he visited Egypt and attended the opening ceremony of the ministerial-level meeting of the Sino-African Cooperation Forum. In December, he flew to Denmark to attend the UN Conference on Climate Change.

The article also commented that the Chinese government’s theory of people-oriented diplomacy was not empty talk any longer. People heard the voices of Chinese embassies in foreign countries, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and even Chinese leaders played roles in various events such as saving hostages in Iraq, evacuating Chinese citizens from Tonga, and saving Chinese engineers and workers being held hostage in Pakistan and Somalia. The Chinese convoy fleet was further proof of the people-centered diplomacy of China.

Image

“Chinese workers were nominated as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year 2009 for their hard work because they led the world’s economy on the path to recovery.”

Recently, Time Magazine announced that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was selected as the Person of the Year 2009. In the meantime, a group of anonymous Chinese workers, together with Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Usain Bolt, a Jamaican sprint champion, were nominated as runners-up for the Person of the Year 2009.

Time Magazine said that Chinese workers were nominated Person of the Year 2009 because China’s success in maintaining an eight percent GDP growth rate should be firstly attributed to the tens of thousands of workers who leave their hometowns to work in China’s prosperous coastal cities. The ordinary Chinese men and women’s hard work in the past and outlook for the future has led world’s economy on the path to recovery.

bron: english.people.com.cn

[Via http://wocview.wordpress.com]

Black Dan Hicken Sez

2010-01-04T01:19:00.000+02:00

Black Dan Hicken

Fellow Duvalians – This is a problem far greater than Corrine Brown or drugs. It is the rising tide of Steelers fans in the South.

We must rise up and kill the Steelers fans. They are the worst people in Jacksonville. They are the ones that boss your dad around and flip their collars and act like they are working class fucks. They are responsible for the show The Office and Jersey Shore.

They outnumber Jag fans. The only thing they have ever shit out worth a damn is the Alibi and that’s only because they have the Crash Test Dummies in their jukebox.

One River’s E-Fucking-Nuff

The most obnoxious people from arguably the shittiest state in the union are from Pittsburgh. I had the misfortune of going to a Super bowl party one year when those cocksuckers went to the Superbowl. They are the alphamales. They voted for Bush both times, then bought the Sarah Palin book. They have brunch and healthy relationships with women far too interesting and pretty for their empty minds and the worst part is: They will be happy no matter how much you hate them the godless universe constantly lets them thrive like maggots on dead flesh.

Drive them back to that rust fuck city. Also, if anyone saw the last lecture series of the professor who in fact died from Carnegie Mellon University, I found him arrogant. He seemed like you would get stuck talking to him at a party and he would talk about the Mets or the EU.

Checker Diplomacy

Things are looking rough all over the US. We are in complete denial if we don’t think that China is the new Russia for the US.

Actually, they are far more powerful. They trade with the US and we owe them billions. They are far more educated and, like sharks, have no natural predators.

So last week I played checkers with a doctoral professor from China and it was clear that it was more than just a game. This game was purchased at Cracker Barrell- it was the carpet type. Not since the ping pong diplomacy and the 1980 US Hockey Team against the Russians has one game meant so much. Friends, I did not disappoint. While I did not beat him by taking all of his checkers, he admitted defeat after I trapped him.

It doesn’t change much. We are still fastly losing status as a uperpower and our dollar is incredibly weak. But it does show we can still dominate the world and oppress countries that have diamonds.

I propose our schools teach Chinese, ditch Spanish and Italian, allow corporal punishment, and also teach checkers. Our country must do like Dominos reinvent itself or parish.

[Via http://whacksonville.com]

CHINA: "The Dragon's Gift"

2010-01-01T17:17:00.000+02:00

The template was set with the first involvement in Africa, which came in Guinea after the French were told to leave in 1959. An interest-free loan led to the building of factories, paddy fields, a plantation, a cinema and a conference centre. Seven years later, there were an estimated 3,000 Chinese aid workers, including 34 medical experts. Unlike Western aid workers, they live in similar style to the locals. “How can you reduce poverty but live in a five-star hotel?” asks one Chinese expert pointedly.

Book of the week

The Dragon’s Gift, By Deborah Brautigam

Wise men in Africa

Reviewed by Ian Birrell

Friday, 1 January 2010

The Chinese invasion of Africa is, for many people, a simple morality tale with an obvious villain. For the past decade, Beijing has poured money into the continent, doing deals with despots, dictators and democrats alike in its quest to plunder natural resources to fuel relentless growth. Human rights concerns are brushed aside, the environment wrecked, local businesses crushed, and corruption is endemic. And in the process China has propped up some of the world’s most loathsome regimes and fanned some of the bloodiest conflicts.

This is the picture of rampant neo-colonialism taken as gospel by many in the West. But the truth is rather different, which explains why some of Africa’s more visionary leaders embrace the Chinese advances. Now comes a timely book by American academic Deborah Brautigam, an observer of Africa and Asia for three decades, which uses personal experiences combined with powerful research to puncture myths and fears that cloud understanding of one of the most important geopolitical shifts since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Take Angola, which as Brautigam writes is one of the prime exhibits in the chorus of condemnation against China. Cursed with natural resources, it was crippled for more than 40 years as a proxy battleground for the Cold War, emerging with wrecked infrastructure, huge debts and a deeply corrupt government. The International Monetary Fund demanded that it clean up its act and start accounting for swelling oil revenues, when the Chinese supposedly muscled in with a massive no-strings-attached aid deal, defeating the fight for transparency and provoking international outrage.

The reality is more prosaic. China offered a low-interest loan, not aid, with payment guaranteed from oil revenues. And the money had to be spent rebuilding a shattered nation that had seen 300 bridges bombed and fields littered with landmines. It was a risky deal, but it offered hope that some of Angola’s riches might be translated into development for the first time.

Sure enough, roads were rebuilt and schools erected. Meanwhile, Western banks gave loans without demanding transparency, charged higher interest rates and even exported Angolan oil, ensuring that cash continued to flow into politicians’ coffers.

The Chinese involvement in Angola counters claims they are just plundering Africa’s wealth, only building infrastructure in order to ferry out natural resources. Angola’s oil is deep offshore, but China has built hospitals, schools, irrigation systems and roads inland. Indeed, unlike Western donors, who tend to have their favoured nations, China has given aid to every country in sub-Saharan Africa – except those nations supporting Taiwan, with whom it has engaged in something of a bidding war across the continent.

The case of Angola demonstrates two themes that emerge clearly from this important book. First, the endless hypocrisy of the West as it watches the long march of the Chinese through Africa. The critics, often woefully ill-informed, ignore the West’s own history of exploitation, encouraging corruption and supporting unsavoury regimes. Even after 60 years of Western aid, there remains a reluctance to accept its failure to promote development or tackle poverty.

Secondly, there is fascinating insight into the way China methodically evolves its policies, moulding them to experiences, listening to criticism and never scared to experiment in the pursuit of its long-term goals. As Deng Xiaoping said in his dig at Mao’s great leap, if you are crossing a river it is best to keep your feet on the bottom and feel the stones.

Brautigam says the Chinese strategy, based upon models tested at home during its own phenomenal growth, was designed to meet three challenges. First, to tap into Africa’s natural wealth since Chinese growth was outpacing its own resources. Second, to reassure other developing nations that while China was a rising power, it was a responsible power – while also heading off the challenge of Taiwan. And third, to create new markets for its fledgling multinational companies.

By the late 1980s, as Western companies pulled out of what was being branded as “the failed continent” and aid for infrastructure dried up, Beijing saw only a land of opportunity. The West failed to notice the Chinese teams managing state-owned factories, building bridges and repairing irrigation systems. Markets across the continent began selling textiles and metal bowls made in China. Their methods were rigorous. When Liberia asked China to rehabilitate a sugar-cane factory and plantation, it expected a rapid and positive response. Instead, a 50-man unit was sent over for a feasibility study, concluding that the project would need an annual £2m subsidy and telling Liberia to find better projects.

Over the past decade, the links between China and Africa have solidified, with considerable political capital invested on both sides. But with perhaps 750,000 Chinese moving to Africa in this time, tensions have grown, with local politicians whipping up resentment.

Some concerns are justified – there is clear evidence of Chinese companies importing the low standards common in their homeland, of violating minimum wage laws and destroying the environment. And even this author has qualms over Chinese firms taking over large tracts of agricultural land, although she is too forgiving of China in other areas, such as its support for Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.

Others concerns are less clear-cut: for example, she points to research in Ethiopia which found that, following trade liberalisation, Chinese firms seized 80 per cent of the shoe market and put local firms out of business. Several years later, however, the leather sector was booming and surviving shoe firms had sharpened up and were competing effectively.

Brautigam also makes a strong case that, while there are worries over the number of Chinese working in Africa, especially at more senior levels, Chinese staff levels decrease over time and local employment is boosted.

The author concludes that China’s embrace of Africa is strategic, long-term and still evolving – and that it is up to Africa’s leaders to shape the relationship to serve their own ends. The West, she says, should admit the shortcomings of its own approach and learn from the way the Chinese use investment, trade and technology as levers for development. There is little doubt that while the dragon’s gifts are cloaked in ambiguity, we would do well to stop believing in myths and start engaging with the reality of a rapidly-changing world order.

Testbed for Chinese influence: Angola

Angola, a focus for Chinese investment in Africa, was subject to Portuguese power after the 16th-century founding of Luanda (left). It became a Portuguese colony from 1655 and an overseas province from 1951. Anti-colonial insurgency began in 1961, and independence came in 1975. But almost 30 years of sporadic civil war between the ruling MPLA and its UNITA-FNLA rivals killed more than a million and displaced a third of the population. It ended with rebel leader Jonas Savimbi’s death in 2002.

[Via http://guineaoye.wordpress.com]

Shanghai: pretty jewelry and ugly market

2010-01-01T00:50:00.000+02:00

Happy New Year everyone!!! I hope you’re having great time celebrating with your loved ones. I didn’t celebrate last night but I did spend good time with my loved ones.

Everyone is writing a recap and/or 2010 resolution post. I don’t have clear new resolutions in mind because I am not good at planning, I’m more living in the moment and completing short term goals kind of person. But one thing I do want to do is BE PRESENT, MORE STRESS TOLERANT and do my best to make my loved ones HAPPY!

Okay. I have a lot of show you in this post, so let’s start!

Look how Shanghai is decorated for the new year!

I did some girly shopping

Hair pin:

Earrings:

Necklace

All these bought in <2 hours! I am soooo happy with my purchases! They’re sooo pretty and chic! As you can see, GLOWING resolution continued!

Next, a local market that offered local food from different part of China.

Warning: animals pictures ahead!

smoked pork, fish and wild rabbit

seasoned fried dough twist

salty duck, salty chicken, salty fish and sausages

chinese pastry (made with sticky rice)

pickles

beef jerky

another variety of chinese pastry, filled with pork, veggies and bean paste

chinese red dates

roasted chestnut

China is actually the union of 56 nations, each of them with its own language (dialect), culture and cuisine. That is why chinese food has so many varieties. I love trying different style of food in one place. It’s like the heaven of any foodie! But to be a real foodie in China, you must be open to try new things (pig feet, pig nose, pig ears, rabbit, etc) and unblock your judgement

Q: What’s the wildest food you’ve ever tried?

[Via http://balancejoyanddelicias.wordpress.com]

The Rise Of China

2009-12-30T09:29:00.000+02:00

That's what a Chinese "recession" looks like. The rest of the world looks on in envy...

Events of the past few days have showed just how much China is enjoying its new status as world economic powerhouse.

I was watching an interview the other day with a guy known as the BBC’s China Editor. I’m not sure what that job involves, but either way, he seemed to know what he was talking about. He told the interviewer that the Chinese have an extraordinarily long memory regarding the British, and our legendary imperalism in the Far East.

One of the things they enjoy sticking to us the most is the ancient Opium Wars from the late 19th Century. That’s quite a grudge, one has to say, but it’s a free world.

And memories of the British continually smuggling opium into China in spite of it being illegal there are what lingered in the mind, according to this guy, when the Chinese decided to execute Akmal Shaikh for a similar crime.

To me, it just goes to show the futility of awarding the Olympic Games to China. Their human rights record was and continues to be a disgrace. Why should they have been awarded the Games in the hope that it would give them the impetus to sign up to our version of human rights? That’s a mad equation.

And yes, I appreciate I probably sit here in Chinese-made clothes, typing on a computer made of Chinese components, but that is the hypocrisy of Western existence, alas.

Either way, I get a sense that they really enjoyed our predicament. Fancy the old Imperial enemy coming to you and begging you to show leniency. Over a matter of life and death, which inexorably will end with you showing your brutal strength and killing them anyway. And, even better, you get to sit atop the high horse and enjoy a feeling of superiority.

It shows two things: the weakness of Britain on our own against the Chinese (yet another argument for being part of the EU) and the fact that we are now totally dependent on the power of China.

It’s going to lead to a very different world in the future, but the effects can already be seen now. The global economy is entirely centred on the ability of China to produce goods extremely cheaply. The American economy is utterly dependent on it.

The key problem above all else, though, is that it’s not in Britain’s interests to pursue this any further. There have been the usual diplomatic manoeuvres, summoning the Chinese ambassador, etc… but will we really hear any more about it after today?

Of course not. Realpolitik is the name of the game on the international stage. There is too much at stake to jeopardise our relationship with China.

Perhaps the days of appeasement are on the way back…

[Via http://futilitymonster.wordpress.com]

2009 - The Year

2009-12-30T01:38:00.000+02:00

Aretha Franklin's Hat

The decade has ended, so too has 2009. Here’s a roundup of how it went. From political triumph and failure to sporting tragedy and comebacks. Of course we said our fair share of farewells and both sad and fond memories of special anniversaries.

The year began in January hot on the heals of the US historic election of Barack Obama, the first Black US President who was inaugurated. Of course, no-one can ever forget Aretha Franklin’s bold hat she wore for the inauguration.

Obama quickly had his first 100 days and even completed the one year anniversary of his presidency. His memorable White House correspondents dinner speech was matched by Wanda Sykes own address.

By then, the world was beginning to loose many of its public figures including Michael Jackson and maestro politician and only remaining Kennedy brother, Edward M. Kennedy who’s memorable DNC convention address we all still remember.

In October, the large scale military parade in China coincided with he 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Kayne West stole both Taylor Swifts mic and the media spotlight in one foul stupid move. The ‘jackass’ as Obama called him was only ridiculed as Beyonce made up to Taylor Swift. A gaffe matched by the balloon boy fiasco who’s parents are now being charged. Sarah Palin however stole the lie of the year with her comments on ‘death panels’.

PaulLau.WordPress.com was launched in October with this first blog post. In December, we discovered both Wood’s ‘transgressions and the most ‘legendary’ moment of the HKEAG, the Hong Kong Soccer Team’s surprise win. No star however rose faster than Susan Boyle and her dream.

The Economy seemed to be rebounding only for the hopes to fade as quickly as Hopenhagen became Brokenhagen before which Obama had just received his controversial Nobel Peace Prize. it took all the way till Christmas, but finally, Congress passed a much needed Health-Care reform bill.

An THAT was the year – 2009

[Via http://paullau.wordpress.com]

world war 3 - Islamic bombs vs rest of the world

2009-12-28T09:39:00.000+02:00

the documentary is informative, it traces the root of islam and its philosophy – basically that Muhammad designed Islam first and foremost to be a political system. although it does not refer to the sources (in the video), I do agree with the content (even when it is speculative) from what I have seen Islam has done to India over its history.

With Pakistani nukes operational and Iran on the verge of acquiring them (if the Pakistanis haven’t sold them already) and China and N Korea happily assisting them, it appears we are close to an unthinkable world war 3. More on how China’s narrow view of the world is ebbing the world closer to WW3 later..

[Via http://overflowingstack.wordpress.com]

Have you ever been eaten by fish ?

2009-12-28T01:46:00.000+02:00

Hmmm, surprisingly it seems I might actually be able to post while I’m in China… I certainly couldn’t last year !

Have so many stories to tell and pictures to show from this trip that it will take me ages to catch up when I get home.

Anyway, we went to the Gentle Uptown Hot Spring Spa on the outskirts of Nanning yesterday where, apart from doing things like having my first ever proper sauna, we sat / lay in a pool with lots of little fish that nibble at your skin. What an incredible sensation ! Well worth the extra 20 RMB per person.

They always head straight for your feet when you first get in, but then they do work their way all over you. Apart from the tickling that your feet get, their little teeth are sometimes quite sharp and you feel like you want to swat them like flies.

Will definitely have to go back on every trip. I want more of this

A fishy feast

They liked Amanda too

[Via http://honorarynewfie.wordpress.com]

Chinese Dissent Sentenced

2009-12-25T17:11:00.000+02:00

A leading dissident in China, Liu Xiaobo, a literary critic and former professor, has been sentenced to prison for 11 years for “inciting subversion of state power.” Liu is co-author of Charter 08 which calls for China to reform its human rights abuses and to introduce competing political parties to reform the current one-party Communist system, Al Jazeera. Liu profile, Times Online.

Yemen conducted airstrikes that led to the deaths of at least 30 suspected members of Al Qaeda who were meeting in a remote part of the country, New York Times. Factbox on suspected targets of the strike, Reuters India.

A new policy issued by Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo, a top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, that would have court marshaled female soldiers who became pregnant as well as their male sexual partners has been rescinded, Washington Post.

[Via http://citizensdailybrief.wordpress.com]

China cell phone deal

2009-12-25T00:55:00.000+02:00

Qualcomm said today’s wireless technology will be used in some cell phones made by Chinese companies and China Unicom, a Chinese manufacturer that new spark, a relationship that ranged distributed inside and outside in recent months. china cell phone

The agreement is far from a relationship that had only seen the technology from Qualcomm, has been a standard in many parts of China, but a San Diego company a foothold in the important Asian cell phone market.

Relations with the Chinese companies were a boon to Qualcomm has seen huge potential given the size of this market. Exchange closed at U.S. $ 77 to $ 7.06, or 10 percent.

china cell phone, wholesale cell phone,wholesale mp3

Much of Wall Street Qualcomm roller coaster ride in recent months was associated with expectations for the future of the company in China.

Earlier this year, Unicom, the second largest telecommunications provider in China, signed an agreement to create a national network of Qualcomm’s CDMA technology.china cell phone

But after a few weeks ago the company. Word of Beijing was that the Government reconsider its decision and may choose a technology for home technology in place.

Unicom’s CDMA is still at least a pilot program through its branch network. So far has not announced its decision on the future strategy, however.

Relationship currently in production and distribution of a new phone, which is concentrated by Zhongxing Telecom Equipment and Unicom will be produced. The handset is CDMA and GSM, the most popular mobile technology to support standards in China today, and be able to switch between the two.

Our decision to develop CDMA technology can provide the mobility of the definition of the word – (a) the ability to move freely and without restrictions, Zhang Fan, general manager of Unicom, mobile communications, said in a statement.

Qualcomm welcomed the decision to distribute the phone, but says the operation will not change the company’s position in the Chinese market.

Nothing has changed, said the spokeswoman Christine Trimble. This is more good news for CDMA in China.

china cell phone wholesale: www.ebay-cellphone.com

[Via http://chinacellphones.wordpress.com]

Human Rights Watch: "2009 a Bad Year for Migrants - Deaths, Labor Exploitation, Violence, and Poor Treatment in Detention"

2009-12-23T09:30:00.000+02:00

source: human rights watch website

(New York) – Many governments’ policies toward migrants worldwide expose them to human rights abuses including labor exploitation, inadequate access to health care, and prolonged detention in poor, overcrowded conditions, Human Rights Watch said today in advance of International Migrants Day, on December 18, 2009.

A 25-page roundup of Human Rights Watch reporting on violations of migrants’ rights this year, “Slow Movement: Protection of Migrants’ Rights in 2009,” includes coverage of China, Cuba, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States.

“Governments seem to forget that when men, women, and children migrate, they don’t leave their rights at home,” said Nisha Varia, senior researcher in the Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch. “Instead of protecting people who already are at special risk of abuse, many governments further marginalize migrants, punish them, or push access to services out of reach.”

Research in Greece, Italy, Libya, Egypt, and Israel showed harsh policies toward arriving migrants, including lack of adequate screening to determine who is a refugee, arbitrary and indefinite detention, returning persons to countries where they risk abuse, and detention of children with adults. Aggressive policies to thwart migrants when they try to cross borders can be lethal. Since May, Egyptian border guards have killed at least 17 migrants trying to cross into Israel.

Both documented and undocumented migrants may face abuse or discrimination in their host cities and countries. Human Rights Watch has investigated pervasive mistreatment of migrant domestic workers and construction workers in the Middle East and Russia. Cheated by unscrupulous brokers and employers, these workers often told of excessive hours, unpaid wages, and confiscation of passports. In the worst cases, their situations amounted to forced labor and trafficking.

“Migrants form the backbone of many economies, performing the labor and services that people in their host countries depend on but won’t do themselves,” Varia said. “Instead of getting respect and the freedom and wages they are owed, they are treated as security threats, and in general, as undesirables to be pushed out of sight.”

Those apprehended for immigration offenses often face disproportionate punishments or prolonged detention in poor conditions. Human Rights Watch showed how the United States deports large numbers of documented migrants for nonviolent offenses with serious consequences for family unity and fails to provide adequate health care to migrants in detention. Immigration violations are sometimes treated as serious crimes, as in Malaysia, where punishments include imprisonment and caning. The fear of arrest and deportation also means that migrants may endure exploitative work conditions or avoid approaching authorities to report abuse.

“Governments have a right to control their borders, but they need to do so in a way that protects human rights,” Varia said. “Migrants who are abused are supposed to have access to legal remedies, regardless of their immigration status.”

Government attempts to control migrant populations within their territory often include discriminatory policies that broadly restrict migrants’ freedom of movement for no legitimate purpose, Human Rights Watch said. For example, several provinces in Thailand require migrant workers be confined to their workplaces or homes at night and prohibit them from traveling within the province. In Malaysia, the government has condoned vigilante-style monitoring of migrants by a civilian group. Migration can increase the risk of infection with HIV, tuberculosis (TB) or flu, but discrimination against migrants can impede their access to care.

Human Rights Watch called on governments to make stronger commitments to migrants’ rights in 2010, including ratifying the International Covenant on the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Their Families. The group also urged governments to:

Reform immigration policies to facilitate documented migration that protects migrants’ rights, and to clamp down on intermediaries who deceive migrants or charge unlawful fees that leave migrants indebted and more vulnerable to exploitation;
Screen interdicted migrants, new arrivals, and migrants in detention in accordance with international standards, including identifying asylum seekers, trafficking victims, and other vulnerable people, and ensuring that unaccompanied children are treated according to their best interests;
Ensure access to a core minimum of health services regardless of citizenship or social origin, and repeal discriminatory provisions mandating automatic deportation of migrants living with HIV;
Improve labor standards and enforcement in accordance with international standards, including equal protection of domestic workers, and strengthen inspection mechanisms to ensure regular payment of wages and decent working conditions for migrants;
Investigate abuse and killings of migrants, whether by private citizens or government authorities, and prosecute fully through the relevant national laws while ensuring protection for migrants against retaliation. Investigations into abuse should be carried out irrespective of migrants’ immigration or contractual status.

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[Via http://clandestinenglish.wordpress.com]

If this story is true

2009-12-23T01:20:00.000+02:00

Then our President is not just a callow narcissist, he’s also very strange:

According to rumors in the Bella Center, US President Barack Obama at about 11 PM, had impatiently asked to speak with Wen Jiabao in order to advance the discussion. But Obama had to wait. Wen, who, it was rumored, had rarely left his hotel room, could not be found. Finally, the US delegation located him in a room set aside for negotiations. A visibly furious Obama, according to reports, stormed into the room. “Are you now ready to talk with me, Premier Wen?” he was reported to have shouted. “Are you now ready? Premier Wen, are you now ready to talk with me?” What a scene for a US president.

Wen was not alone in the room at the time when Obama quite literally burst into the room, according to participants. At the time, the Premier was in a conversation with India’s head of state, Mammohan Singh and South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma. Suddenly the group saw itself forced into a conversation with the US president.

Go and read it all, and be prepared to shake your head. The original article is from a major German magazine. If it were the only source, I’d write it off as gossip-mongering. But, as Richard Fernandez points out, there are reports in other periodicals telling the same story.

So, what’s going on here? Is Barack Obama in that much over his head that his famous “cool” is cracking, or does he think he can translate Chicago-style politics to the international stage? Either way, given the parlous state of the economy, American and world, and the problems posed by international enemies (such as Iran and North Korea) and geopolitical competitors such as Russia and, yes, China, this kind of story should have us all worried. Even if not true, it weakens the United States because it weakens to reputation of the man in charge.

And, imagine: What if it had been George Bush? You sure wouldn’t have to go to a European magazine to find out about it than.

[Via http://pubsecrets.wordpress.com]

Early Christmas and an Asian Couple

2009-12-21T17:41:00.000+02:00

Hey Guys, waz up?

Well, last night my family celebrated our early Christmas and opened all our gifts, ate too much food and sang, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”…it was the most chaotic party ever and really fun/memorable.

I got a few interesting things:

Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers Perfume, LOVE

A dog [aforementioned, Ookami]
Jewelry, don’t all girls get this though?
etc.

I would put pictures, but we all know that’s mean…and I don’t want my readers to be jealous of me…because that would be difficult for me.

Anyway, after my family left, my father’s friends – a Chinese couple from our University came over to visit. They are so cute!!! [awkward silence]

The husband and wife were then bombarded with my dad bragging about his children’s exploits…do your parents do this to you? When, I chimed in, how Asians would never do this and actually try not to praise their children in public, since it is usually rude. The couple laughed. I rest my case.

Then my dad, my poor dad, went on to interview me and asked me questions about Asia/Japan and why I wanted to go into Asian Studies. I said,

“Any smart person would do that, because China will take over the world someday.”

I was met with cheers from the opposite couch…Asians are so awesome!

After a few mores lines on the awesomeness of Asia/China, we went on to roleplay a little, by accident of course…we don’t actually invite people over to roleplay with…because that would be wierd.

My dad suggested that his friend, the husband, should become the “great leader” of China. I said I would “vote” for him, basically supply armies to help with his take-over…if I could have Africa and Hawaii afterwards. The Asian couple got a kick out of this.

Our friends are university students, with the husband getting his Doctorate in sociology…pretty cool huh? I guess he likes to hang out with my dad to study human behavior. Of course, I must remind him that studying my dad isn’t really helpful long term, because he is the only male in America that actually believes the husband is the head of the household. [I told the Asian couple this, and they found that hysterical.]

We exchanged a few gifts with them, played music for them/sang, talked some more and planned our next get-together. We also decided that, when I start studying Chinese, me and the wife should be language partners…I like this idea because…she is so cute! [Okay, that's not the only reason, she is also very intelligent and funny.]

I also was reminded that I am not the only person in the world, besides my mother, who wants to learn about other cultures and to experience different places…because this couple is so excited to be here in the USA and to be spending time with American families, the excitement is amazingly contagious and after spending one night with them I am already thinking of things we can share with each other about our homes.

The one thing in this life that I regret is not being Asian, I know that sounds superbly stupid, but it’s true. I said this to the group last night and then we ended our small party with the Chinese wife saying, as she twisted her hair into two braids,“I always thought I looked like a Native American, don’t I?”

I guess we are related in the end. *happy feelings*

Okay, dear readers, I am off on another journey then. This time, I am visiting family back home, my birth place, Indiana. Pray that I don’t die from snow exposure.

[Via http://engeddie.wordpress.com]

Wed in China

2009-12-21T09:04:00.000+02:00

Oh the fast pace of Shanghai life. So much has been happening these past (four?) months and I feel like I never get the chance to sit down and write one darn thing about ‘em. So I’m gonna venture back a few months and tell you about one of the funnest events I’ve experienced during my time here on the mainland – a Chinese wedding. Last year one of my fellow Furmanites was lucky enough to be invited to the wedding of his Chinese roommate’s cousin… and ever since, I have lived in envy. I made it my personal mission to be the one attending a wedding this year, befriending anyone I meet who claims they are in a serious relationship solely so I can bribe my way into being at their ceremony of sacred Chinese love.

I don’t know why exactly I wanted to go to a wedding so badly. You’d think I’d be more eager to celebrate the 60th Chinese National Holiday or the upcoming 2010 Shanghai World Expo or the grand opening of the Krispy Kreme down the block. A wedding certainly doesn’t have as much prestige or as many free donuts as these other events. But I guess there are a few things that intrigued me about the fabulous world of weddings here in the Far East. 1) Every day I preview how splendidly tacky beautiful Chinese weddings can potentially be. Downtown you see wedding festivities occurring on a daily basis. Usually it just involves seeing couples engaged in ridiculous wedding photo shoots, complete with the stereotypical ponytailed photographer and the couples all dolled up and twisted into poses that should probably only be seen in Vogue. Seeing the get-up these couples are wearing is reason enough to go. There’s no way that two people wearing that many sequins are going to something boring. 2) After being woken up many mornings by the unexpected blasts of wedding fireworks erupting in my courtyard, I felt someone owed me. 3) Marriage is a huge deal in China. And of course it is in other countries too. Weddings are fun celebrations everywhere. And I thought the added dimension of cultural confusion could only make them better. But I’ve also realized there is a much heftier amount of stress placed on marriage in China than I’ve experienced in the US. Especially now that the One Child policy is in place, marrying off your one and only son or daughter is a big deal. Our generation is intent on finding the right match. Once you see a man pitching a tent in the line 7 subway car with a sign reading, “I do not want to be deprived of the right to marriage because I have no apartment,” you’ll understand.

Gettin to the good stuff, this September I found myself extremely lucky to come under the employment of one Miss “Shirley,” foreign coordinator at my Kindergarten and, most importantly, soon-to-be Mrs. Shirley. Score. After hearing this glorious news I spent the next few weeks in fevered excitement at the prospect of finally being able to attend a true Chinese wedding. And my time had come. One Wednesday afternoon I was hand-delivered an invitation to the Shirley wedding… which was Friday. Ok, a little short notice, but no matter. I was ready. I arrived at the huge Chinese hotel on Friday night with my dancing shoes on, ready to see how Chinese culture gets down. I walked in to meet Shirley right in front, wearing a massive hooped and bedazzled white wedding dress, Mr. Shirley in tow. The other foreign teachers and I took at least an entire roll of pictures with the bride and groom, and then were frantically rushed through the very very pink reception room to our seats. Surprisingly enough, we found we were placed at the same table as the bride and groom. In American weddings this is usually a place of honor, right? Reserved for family and the closest of besties. But there we were, sitting next to the maid of honor and best man while the parents were placed at a completely different table in the back. Is this a custom in Chinese weddings? No clue. But it was obvious we were considered guests of honor to good old Shirls, which was sweet of her. After sitting around for a while, taking some more pictures, watching a delightful slideshow of the couple’s photo shoots together, and listening to the same cheesey Chinese song over and over and over again, the ceremony finally began. But it wasn’t exactly a ceremony in the traditional sense of the word. I think the more accurate description would be Decathlon of Love. It was incredible. And long. In fact, it was four weddings in one:

1. The Western Ceremony. The lights dimmed and the traditional “Here Comes the Bride” song sparked up over the loudspeaker. We turned to see beautiful Shirley gliding down the aisle to her groom. They met in the middle of the room, under a massive arch of pink balloons, and Mr. Shirley bent down on one knee and proposed. Hey, better late than never. After that they walked up to the stage and had a host give a good 15 minute speech about the Shirleys neverending love for each other. You may kiss the bride. They then proceeded to pour Champagne into a large glass tower, and cheers each other with red wine (during which I cringed, imagining red wine pouring down Shirley’s beautiful white dress). The music sparked up and they strode hand in hand down the aisle, out the door, off to their honeymoon… or so I thought.

2. The Chinese Ceremony. After a nice ceremony, all the guests sat back and began to feast on the plates and plates and plates of food coming out. About an hour went by during which everyone gorged themselves on delicious Chinese food. I saw many an empty bottle of bai jiu (the Chinese equivalent of Everclear) being replaced at tables. Yes, this party was going to get good. I was anxiously anticipating the moment I would get to see these inebriated elderly Chinese break it down on the dance floor. But then the lights dimmed and the music sparked up. We turned to see Mr. Shirley walking in, with a massive red ribbon, leading Shirley down the aisle again. This time she had changed into a gorgeous red qipao and had placed a huge red bag over her head… hmm a little confused. One of my fellow teachers explained to me that in traditional China, the arranged marriage brides would dress like this. The groom would never have seen his bride until the moment he unveiled her from the red silk bag at his wedding. Mr. Shirley led Shirley blindly through the crowd, up to the stage, and then took a large stick and flipped the veil over to reveal his new bride! Then the parents came up to stage. A long succession of bows occurred and the couple was given the families’ blessings. The Shirleys then walked out again, and we began to eat again.

3. The Duet. After eating for another hour or so, the other foreign teachers and I were informed that we were to hurry to the lobby because the next part of the wedding was about to begin. Apparently, we had been cast into this wedding without knowing it — but we were happy to participate and ran to the front to meet the Shirleys. We were given tea candles to hold in each hand and instructed to walk slowly out into the darkened reception room and make a lit path for the couple. We stood on either side of a walkway and the Shirleys walked out holding hands and microphones, singing to each other a beautiful Chinese love ballad. Shirley had changed clothes and hair again and now looked like a mysterious blue Renaissance princess. They sang a few songs to each other, everyone applauded, and we walked around passing out candles to all of the tables. Of course, all of the guests took advantage of this moment to take as many pictures with us as possible. It was a dream come true. Not only was I able to go to a wedding, I was part of the wedding!

4. The Bike Ride. After the song portion of the evening, we sat back down for a little while. I had no idea how long this would go on, but I guess this is the custom with modern Chinese weddings. The small ceremonies keep occurring over and over, with the bride changing into different fabulous outfits Diana Ross-style and coming out until they decide to stop. But I think Shirley kept it appropriate with only four parts, this last time coming out to the wild applause of the guests on a massive white bicycle, driven around by Mr. Shirley. They did a few laps around the room and then the toasts began. Apparently in China the tradition is not for the couple to be toasted, but for them to toast all of their guests. They slowly walked around to each and every table, offering a glass up to their families and friends. But after that, the couple was subject to the cruel whims of these people. If they were told to drink more, they drank more. If they were told to take shots, they took shots. If they were told to smoke out of what I can only describe as a cigarette chandelier, they smoked out of the cigarette chandelier. Needless to say, by the end of the night the Shirleys had celebrated their wedding to the point of physical exhaustion. All of the guests were full after having eaten for hours. A few scattered uncles were passed out at tables. The wedding was a success. I left very very full and very very happy for finally getting to attend my dream wedding. And despite not having any dancing (no dancing?!), it definitely ranks in my top 5 of the funnest nights I’ve had in China.

[Via http://betsybecky.wordpress.com]

Jihad Versus The Christian Infantry's Man's Creed Of Deuteronomy 7

2009-12-18T09:35:00.000+02:00

“Don’t say another word. Understand.”

Train. . . Train. . . Train. . .

The principles and methodology of peace as well as the principles and methodology to aptly deal with those who war against it are bound within the Bible.

Now for clarification, only through righteousness may one have peace, and likewise the same remains for the world, which is indeed here at war. Only fools offer up an olive branch in pursuit of peace with evil, as in exchange they will receive what they have earned, an olive branch in exchange for a bayonet in their yellow bellies.

To the contrary of such vile idiocy, there were those who understood the principles of war and peace. Two great examples of this were Patton, who sought to always fight on: through the foe, to the objective, to triumph over (Russia), and likewise, there was Douglas MacArthur, who also sought to always fight on: through the foe, to the objective, to triumph over (China). Yes, the very same Chinese bastards we work to free from the wrath of the Japs back in WWII.

Anyhow, it is historically interesting what transpires when individuals and even nations opt to ignore such principles. And as you see, each of these two adversaries, Russia and China, which two great general sought to eliminate, are ever since amid the two prominent who continue to plague us at such a great cost that we have yet to account for and even completely ignore.

Anyhow, perhaps you’ll read on to what I consider to be one of the Bible’s own warrior’s creed.

And. Remember. Train (yourself). Train (your family). Train (your community of those who hold true to the very same values).

Deuteronomy 7 (King James Version)

1When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;

2And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

3Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

4For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

5But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

6For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

7The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

8But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

9Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

10And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

11Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.

12Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:

13And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

14Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.

15And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.

16And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.

17If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?

18Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;

19The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.

20Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.

21Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.

22And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

23But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.

24And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.

25The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.

26Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

Infantryman’s Creed

I am the Infantry.

I am my country’s strength in war, her deterent in peace.

I am the heart of the fight, wherever, whenever.

I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies.

I am the Queen of Battle.

I am what my country expects me to be

the best trained soldier in the world.

In the race for victory,

I am swift,

determined,

and courageous,

armed with a fierce will to win.

Never will I fail my country’s trust.

Always I fight on,

through the foe,

to the objective,

to triumph over all.

If necessary,

I fight to my death.

By my steadfast courage, I have won 200 years of freedom.

I yield not- to weakness,

to hunger,

to cowardice,

to fatigue,

to superior odds,

for I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight.

I forsake not-

my country,

my mission,

my comrades,

my sacred duty.

I am relentless.

I am always there,now and forever.

I AM THE INFANTRY!

FOLLOW ME!

[Via http://fidelgonzales.wordpress.com]

One Child Policy and Grandma!

2009-12-18T01:38:00.000+02:00

What a beautiful story aired tonight on one of the nightly news station! Everyone in China is concerned about the effects of the one child policy on the nation and on the family unit. Many grandparents are raising the one grandchild that they have, while the parents work hard to support the family. I was surprised to hear that in China both men and women retire in their 50’s, something I wish existed in the West. These grandparents that are now retired and have struggled in the past are loving the opportunity they have now to enjoy their grandchild. One woman interviewed talked of her generation and the large number of children families had in the past, and how financially and emotionally life was difficult for her. There was no birth control so she had many children and struggled so. Now, she has the time to enjoy her grandchild and treasures these moments.

She was in the park, a place where many older Chinese people, love to enjoy the beauty and peace of nature, especially if they live in a bustling city. While her grandson rode his tricycle in the park, round and round, she was exercising with a group of women, gracefully moving her arms and legs, with the look of complete inner peace. There were lots of other children playing while their caregivers, their grandparents socialized. I’ve seen the simple beauty that exists in the parks, firsthand, the ballroom dancing, the karaoke, the Tai Chi and other forms of exercise. I love this communal joy!

We can learn so much from others if we open our minds and our hearts!

[Via http://ventureon.wordpress.com]

license and registration

2009-12-16T09:44:00.000+02:00

One of the most interesting things about working in different countries is learning about issues that are of massive importance locally but that no one else in the world would ever think or care about. A prime example for those of you living in the US is health care. There are many HR professionals in the US who spend a large part of their job focused solely on health care – negotiating rates, interviewing insurance providers, dealing with claims, managing employee questions, and more. For the two years I worked on European benefits, I probably spent a total of two hours working on health care – namely, asking every new employee to provide the name of their insurance company and sending that to payroll so they knew where to make contributions. People there truly could not understand why our US colleagues could spend even one hour working on health insurance and why health care and pension was not just 5% of an admin or intern role.

Conversely, something so so important to Europeans that I never would have thought of? Reference letters (Zeugnis). Hugely important to them, not so much for anyone else. And once I learned the importance, I was always drafted by European colleagues with American managers to explain the importance of this, why it was required, and why a simple confirmation of dates of employment was not sufficient.

The first time I saw the German’s CV, I thought he was crazy. It included several pages of the CV itself, copies of university and school degrees (I’m talking HIGH SCHOOL), and reference letters from every job, including internships. And a photo. But a quick peek in the personnel files showed me that everyone in Germany had a folder just like that. Except me. I laughed at the German nitpickiness of demanding a full personal history bound in a colored folder, but he had the last laugh when we applied for our working permits here in China and they asked for the exact same thing. While he was able to hand over his pretty blue folder, I spent a month tracking down my school diplomas and getting explaining to former employers why I needed references when I wasn’t actually job hunting.

And much of this week has been spent discussing with my fellow recruiter in China something else I never dreamed would be an issue: Hukou. This is basically a residence permit, but for a city. Just as I need a residence permit to live here as a foreigner, in China you also need a Hukou to move within the country. The policy began as a way to control migration, especially between rural areas and cities. I imagine it’s fairly easy for a Beijing or Shanghai resident to move to the boonies and get a Hukou there, but it’s nearly impossible to move the other way around. In previous times, this was severely restrictive. Someone with a Shanghai Hukou coming to Beijing couldn’t even buy food, or rent an apartment, much less work or send their kids to school. It has recently become more lenient, with people allowed to work anywhere in the country, although some companies still only hire city residents. The main importance now is for raising children (they can only go to school if they are residents, or must go to “special” schools) and benefits (pension and medical care vary depending on where you’re registered).

You might be wondering what this has to do with recruiting. Apparently, there are only two real opportunities to change your Hukou: marrying a resident or getting a job after graduating from university. Not getting any new job or changing jobs. You can only get a Hukou with your first job upon graduation. Theoretically, wherever your first job is, you’ll be registered there for life.

And then.

Beijing and Shanghai are hugely popular and there are not enough permits to go around. To give an example, a company might have 3 Beijing Hukou to give out to new employees, but want to hire 10 university graduates. So essentially, HR has to decide who will get this all-important benefit, who will not, and how to get people to come work for you without offering them one or risk losing a great candidate. Thousands of students are graduating from Beijing universities this year, and more than salary or company name, the greatest consideration for them is whether or not a company can provide a Beijing Hukou. I would estimate that of those 10 candidates, 4-5 would turn down the job if we didn’t offer them a Hukou. Most would rather go work for a crappy company with lower pay that offered one, because they can work there for a year and have the Beijing Hukou for life. I’ve also read about people who only date those with a Beijing Hukou.

While preparing to move abroad, you spend so much time trying to figure out what’s important. But sometimes you just can’t imagine.

[Via http://justmysize.wordpress.com]

Thailand - Poultry and Products Annual 2009 Due to strong demand at home and in epxort markets, Thai broiler meat production is forecast to grow by four per cent in 2010, according to the latest GAIN report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

2009-12-16T01:28:00.000+02:00

Executive Summary

Thailand’s broiler meat production is forecast to grow modestly by four per cent in 2010 in anticipation of higher demand both domestically and internationally, and assuming that there will be no serious disease issues, especially avian influenza, in the country. This across-the-broad increase is mainly attributed to an anticipation of a global economic recovery.

The EU and Japan will remain major markets for Thai chicken meat exports (all of it cooked product) in 2009 and 2010, accounting for 85 to 90 per cent of total exports. Other importing countries include Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong.

The EU recently notified WTO of its plan to raise import tariffs on eight items of poultry meat products. These include uncooked chicken meat products containing more than 57 per cent chicken meat, cooked chicken meat products containing 25 to 57 per cent chicken meat, and cooked chicken meat products containing less than 25 per cent chicken meat. These chicken meat products are currently not under the EU tariff-rate-quota. However, the plan has not been finalised by the EU thus far. Additionally, Thai exporters have requested the Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN) of the Thai Government to discuss with the EU a possible increase in current quota ceiling and import tariffs during the months of September or October 2009.

Production trends

Thailand’s broiler meat production is forecast to grow modestly by four per cent in 2010 in anticipation of higher demand both domestically and internationally and assuming that there will be no serious disease issues, especially avian influenza, in the country.

Broiler meat production for 2009 is likely to register a two per cent growth over the 2008 level to 1.2 million metric tons. A low growth in broiler production in 2009 is a reflection of the global economic downturn that is affecting both export and domestic demand. An average amount of chick production in 2009 is estimated at 18 million birds per week, accounting for three-quarters of the country’s production capacity. This idle capacity has minimal effects on the industry’s production costs.

Thai broiler industry’s farm facilities, breeding farms and broiler farms in particular, expanded substantially in early 2002-2003, shortly before Thailand was hit by High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), H5N1 type, in January 2004. The disease incidence caused both export demand and domestic consumption to plunge in 2004. After demand recovered in 2005, independent chick producers and broiler integrators have monitored the market closely and cautiously adjusted their chick production to reflect the actual demand. As a result, broiler production has fluctuated in a lesser degree in recent years than in the past.

In addition to supply management, the Thai broiler industry has successfully improved farming systems to encounter animal health and food safety challenges. All integrated producers are currently strictly implementing biosecurity measures across the board, from the farm level to the processing level.

Nearly all broiler houses of integrated producers are installed with an evaporative cooling system, which leads to higher productivity and reduced disease exposure and mortality rates.

In addition, Thai chick producers have continued to improve genetics in broiler breeding stocks so that average meat yields per bird have increased in recent years. Integrated producers have also invested money to introduce or improve their broiler meat processing facilities from slaughtering to cooking processes. Accordingly, Thailand is currently considered one of the premium suppliers for cooked chicken meat products to Japanese and EU customers.

Production costs

Trade sources forecast that production costs of live broiler in 2010 should increase to some degree in anticipation of stronger prices for bulk feed ingredients.

Trade sources forecast that production costs of live broiler in 2010 should increase to some degree in anticipation of stronger prices for bulk feed ingredients. In 2009, a reduction in domestic and international prices for feed ingredients and chicks have benefited the Thai broiler industry.

For example, prices for corn and soybean meal, ingredients that account for 85 to 90 per cent of the broiler feed ration, have dropped six per cent (from average 17.78 baht (THB) per kg to THB16.30) for corn and 23 per cent (from THB9.32 baht/kg to THB7.17) for soybeans in the first seven months of 2009 (Jan-Jul) compared to the same period in 2008. Domestic wholesale prices for chipped tapioca, a carbohydrate-source substitute material, also declined sharply by 29 per cent from THB5.84 per kg to THB4.13. In addition, chick prices in the first seven months (January to July) dropped sharply by 27 per cent to THB9.84 baht per bird (28 cents per bird).

As a result, average live broiler production costs in the first seven months of 2009 (January to July) are estimated to drop by 17 per cent from THB37 baht per kg (48 US cents per pound) to THB31 baht per kg (40 cents per pound). As of August of 2009, current average production costs are THB32 to 33 baht per kg (42 to 43 cents per pound), which is broken down as follows: day-old chicks (THB7), feed (THB21 to 22), vaccination and drugs (THB1), and labour and other costs (THB3).

HPAI update and its effect on broiler output

High pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), H5N1 type, hit Thailand in January 2004 and the outbreak has occurred from time to time each year.

According to Thai officials and trade sources, the outbreak of HPAI in Thailand has been much lesser as of late. Only two premises raising native chickens in Sukhothai and Uthai Thani provinces reported positive for HPAI in October and November 2008, respectively, and only 14 chickens were destroyed on these two sites.

In addition to the ‘stamping out’ practice, the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) conducted other control measures including quarantine, movement control, screening, zoning, disinfection of infected premises or establishment, following OIE guidelines. Thailand has had no HPAI incidents since the last affected flock was depopulated on 12 November 2008.

Consumption

Domestic broiler meat consumption in 2010 is forecast to increase by five per cent due to the recovery of the Thai economy and poultry meat prices remains the cheapest meat. In addition, an increase in domestic consumption should be partly attributed to an effort to promote new ready-to-eat chicken menu in domestic market by quick service restaurants (QSR) and food processors, including the largest poultry integrators such as Charoen Pokphand Group. In 2009, growth in broiler meat consumption is estimated to register a one per cent increase due to the economic downturn.

Average domestic prices for live broilers in the first seven months of 2009 (January to July) dropped 11 per cent over the same period of 2008 to THB34.04 per kg (approx. 44 cents per pound) due mainly to decreased production costs. Meanwhile, average retail prices for chicken boneless breast meat in Bangkok in 2009 (January to July) decreased by 23 per cent to THB68.97 per kg ($0.90 per pound) from the 2008 level.

Trade Export trends

Thailand’s exports of cooked chicken meat are forecast to grow by seven to eight per cent in 2010 due to an anticipated recovery in the economy of importing countries, especially the EU and Japan.

Chicken meat exports (both cooked and uncooked) in the first half of 2009 reportedly dropped by two per cent from 178,721 metric tons in the same period of 2008 to 174,764 metric tons. However, based on the export performance of the first half of 2009 and the anticipation of improved exports in the second half of the year, total exports of chicken meat should register a growth of two per cent in 2009. This slow growth is a result of the global economic downturn.

In 2009 and 2010, the EU and Japan will remain major markets for Thai chicken meat exports (all cooked product) accounting for 85 to 90 per cent. Other importing countries include Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea, and Hong Kong.

Export prices and products

There are no export price quotations on basic uncooked items such as boneless leg (BL) and skinless boneless breast (SBB) from Thailand. Trade sources report that export prices in 2009 continue to be profitable. Under the EU quota, several importers in the EU have been sourcing more products from Thailand and Brazil. In addition, concerns about the quality of Chinese food products have benefited Thai poultry exports, particularly to Japan.

Trade sources reported that the global economic downturn is affecting export prices in the EU market at a higher degree than prices in the Japanese market. Export prices for steamed dice-shape-cut skinless boneless breast (SBB), a major item exported to the EU, declined sharply from $4,000 to 4,500 per ton CIF in 2008 to the current price of $3,000 to$3,500. On the other hand, export prices for fried cut boneless leg, one of the basic cooked products to the Japanese market, dropped in a lesser degree from $ 4,200 to $4,300 per metric ton to $4,000 to 4,200. However, export prices are expected to improve by five to 10 per cent in the last quarter of 2009.

The bulk of the cooked chicken products consist of made to order meat products that are processed or prepared by heat (such as grilling, steaming, boiling, etc.) and are usually puffed or seasoned (with salt, Japanese sauce, etc.).

EU quota administration

Under the agreement, Thailand receives 92,610 tons, out of a total quota of 264,245 tons, for salted poultry meat (EU HS code 02109939). The in-quota tariff rate is 15.4 per cent while the out-of-quota rate will be €1,300 per ton. Quota for cooked chicken meat (EU HS code 16023219) for Thailand is 160,033 tons, out of a total quota of 250,953 tons, and in-quota imports from Thailand will be subject to an eight per cent tariff. The out-of-quota rate for cooked chicken meat is €1,024 per ton.

Thailand’s cooked chicken meat (EU HS code 16023219) already reached the quota ceiling of 160,033 tons in 2008. Thailand also exported about 16,000 metric tons of cooked chicken meat products containing no more than 57 per cent chicken meat, which is not under the EU tariff-rate-quota administration, in 2008.

The EU recently notified WTO of its plan to raise import tariff on eight items of poultry meat products, including uncooked chicken meat products containing more than 57 per cent chicken meat, cooked chicken meat products containing 25 to 57 per cent chicken meat, and cooked chicken meat products containing less than 25 per cent chicken meat. These chicken meat products are currently not under the EU tariff-rate-quota. However, the plan has not been finalised by the EU thus far. In response to Thai exporters’ request, the Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN) of the Thai Government plans to hold discussions with the EU on a possible increase in current quota ceiling and import tariff issues in September or October 2009.

Compartmentalisation and export prospects

Thailand is likely to lose its momentum in an effort to pressure major importing countries, i.e. Japan and the EU, to accept the compartmentalisation practice in order to allow Thailand to export raw/uncooked chicken meat to these markets again, regardless of the avian influenza status of the country. The OIE has not issued any official certification on compartmentalisation for the Thai companies that were inspected by the OIE technical expert in mid-2008.

Policy

Thailand’s policy for the poultry industry has not changed from the last report. Thailand does not have price supports or export subsidy programmes for poultry. Because of the HPAI outbreak, the Royal Thai Government (RTG) launched several measures to support the poultry industry, from small-scale farmers to integrated poultry processors. These measures include the HPAI stamping-out campaign on poultry farms/areas, a compensation scheme for disease-affected farmers, fee exemptions for chicken slaughterhouses, and outreach to help unemployed workers/operators.

Thailand is a protected poultry market through the RTG’s use of non-transparent control of import permits (potential importers are unable to get them issued), high WTO bound rates of import tariffs (currently 30 per cent for chilled or frozen uncooked meat and 40 per cent for cooked chicken meat), and a discriminatory import permit fee on uncooked products (approximately $286/ton).

Regarding imported poultry products, Thailand seemingly exceeds OIE guidelines when exporting countries confirm a finding of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) in their country. In the case of live poultry and poultry products, the RTG banned US live poultry and poultry products (both uncooked and cooked) after a finding of LPAI cases in some US states.

DLD has maintained a ban on live poultry and poultry products from Virginia since 24 July 2007.

Marketing

Thailand is a potential market for US chicken parts (especially leg-quarters), mechanically deboned meat (MDM), and value-added chicken meat. Thai local consumers, like those in other Asian countries, prefer dark meat to white meat. Potential buyers for chicken parts and MDM would be food processors (sausage processors in the case of MDM) and supermarkets. Value-added chicken meat can also be introduced to modern retail markets and HRI industry. Thailand could import bone-in-leg meat for processing in Thailand and re-export it to such markets as Japan and non-EU countries. However, the US export opportunities of these chicken parts are currently hindered by Thailand’s non-transparent controls on issuing import permits.

The report : http://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/POULTRY%20AND%20PRODUCTS%20ANNUAL_Bangkok_Thailand_9-4-2009.pdf

[Via http://agrobenefiq.wordpress.com]

a carnival of idiots

2009-12-14T09:11:00.000+02:00

One of my new favorite shows is the Amazing Race. The German has also found endless entertainment in Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Although he actually sits through the entire 30 minutes just to see if someone will choose a World Geography question to laugh about. But much as I enjoy these, and mocking the sad clueless participants, I also feel embarrassed for my countrymen every time someone says something stupid about the world. It’s hard going to work knowing you will be faced with the inevitable questions about ignorant Americans and defending our views of the world. Sometimes I think they shouldn’t even show these outside of the US so no one would know.

But I’ve noticed since moving to China, that I no longer get those “Why do Americans….” questions. Nor do I get those kinds of questions about Germans or Europeans. In fact, I would say most Chinese people I’ve met are far more ignorant about the world outside China than Americans. Okay, maybe the average American can’t find Iraq or Hungary on a map, but I’ve had Chinese coworkers ask me if Italy and France are in Europe. And while some have admirable English skills, many more are barely conversational. When Beijing’s taxi drivers were all ordered to learn English and given lessons, this was seen as a huge burden rather than an opportunity to learn a new skill. This is not a geographical issue either – most people I’ve talked to have no more knowledge or interest of Japan, Korea, or Vietnam than of England. And while I know many Chinese don’t have the financial means for extensive education or travel, I’m talking about university educated sales and engineering managers with six-figure incomes. It’s not that they aren’t educated but they simply aren’t interested.

I don’t find this so surprising, as most of the facts I used to defend the motherland are true of China as well. Both countries are huge in area and population. You could conceivably drive for days without ever leaving. Unlike, say, Switzerland. Both countries are strongly monolingual because the nearest foreign language speaking population is so distant. Both have a very self-centered view of themselves and their position as global powers. Basically, they don’t care about the rest of the world because they don’t have to. I don’t think either country is better or worse for this, but I am amused that Americans get all the criticism for ignorance when China is just as bad. Meetings between these two governments to discuss international policy must be like a carnival of idiots.

The clear solution to this would be scheduling a G2 summit on the set of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” with decision making authority granted to the team correctly answering the World Geography questions. Maybe with a few animal science questions thrown in for fun – that category is killer.

[Via http://justmysize.wordpress.com]

It's Not Just Your Grandmother's China

2009-12-14T01:43:00.000+02:00

At last, the long-awaited post about the ‘Choose Your Destination’ event, where I presented ‘It’s Not Just Your Grandmother’s China’. Lauren Nason of Axa Advisors, Alison Held of Health Direction and I were speakers at the Gallery of Kitchens in Westport, CT.

For the talk, I brought my inherited pieces of china and some new items bought in the stores. I love to take something old, your great aunt’s favorite china perhaps, that has been languishing in your basement and update it with some fun current tabletop items. And we don’t even have to break your budget.

Formal Dining Setting

The first setting is a more formal setting for Dinner. The “old” items are Benardaud’s Grenadiers – a traditional pattern with just a touch of whimsy. I added a gold sequin place mat from Pier One and a Red Ruffle charger and dessert plate from Crate and Barrel. The stemware is our wedding Waterford and an old family Cranberry glass mixed in with a new gold crackle glass cup from Pier One. The floral arrangement is silk (really I would never have believed silk flowers could be this gorgeous!) from Bea Schriver Florals.

Holiday Breakfast Setting

In the next vignette, I took the same china and changed some of the accessories for a more informal breakfast party. I used a Crate and Barrel ornament as a napkin holder for the blanket-stitched napkin (love these from Pier One!). Now, your breakfast guest has a little gift to take home. I changed the placemat and the candles as well. The snowflake candles from Crate and Barrel are so pretty that I bought some for my fireplace mantel. Finally, I used the Bernardaud coffee mug instead of tea cups. Does any one really use tea cups any more? If you are buying china, buy the pieces you are going to use! And do use them, don’t let them gather dust in the cabinet.

Hanukkah Place Setting

Finally, I created a Hanukkah place setting. I mixed silver and gold, mostly out of necessity as my grandma’s blue plates have gold. If you mix metals, just make it obvious that you are doing it – I say why not! I love these blue and silver martini glasses I picked up a few years ago in a little shop on Greenwich Avenue. All of the accessories except the hostess gifts – dreidel and the menorah ornament from Crate and Barrel – are from Pier One. The blue and white ball “ornaments” are candies. The best surprise of the evening was that one of the gentlemen guessed that the candle arrangement is placed on a mirrored perfume tray from a ladies bath. Look around your home for accessories, you never know what you will find. I added some glass beads, like you use in the bottom of a vase and nestled the eight candles in between – a modern day twist on a menorah.

So, now I just know you’re motivated to get into those boxes in the basement (or china cabinet), dust off the old china and do just a little shopping to create a wonderful holiday table. Bon appetit!

[Via http://averydesigninteriors.wordpress.com]

China

2009-12-11T09:00:00.000+02:00

At the end of November 2010 transiting Pluto will oppose China’s natal Uranus this in a person’s chart is the aspect that makes people do radical things, reckless things. When it’s a Uranus opposing Uranus (a more benign form of this aspect) it is commonly referred to as the mid-life crisis. In this case transiting Pluto will also make an applying grand cross in China’s chart. After the coming year of Saturn conjucting China’s Sun in the 10th, then Mercury, Neptune and the South Node, China will have felt very put upon, restricted, and will have reorganized the way they do business in the world community, changing their dynamics and potentially upsetting their growing economy. This economic slow down has already started for them, but will continue for the next couple of years. It could potentially cause serious joblessness and the end of partnerships with those outside their country. It could and probably will lead to unrest among their population as the opposition will eventually sit on the south node in the 10th and oppose the North Node in the 4th and the part of fortune in the 4th. Again this indicates agitation, perhaps even a military coup coming from the people or some sort of outbreak of rebels willing to fight, perhaps even some sort of civil war on a small-scale.

So one Pluto gets the ball rolling from the first house and escalate slowly starting to reach a fevered pitch at the end of December 2011 and going on from there. This transformation which will potentially include getting involved in war, won’t be complete until the end of 2020. When the transit is complete China will be a radically different place. The good thing that will come out of this is they will have better working conditions and restructure how they do business with the outside world and among themselves. There will be laws put in place to regulate the work force and business which will be hard-won by the people there, much like the west went through at the turn of the last century.

OK next Russia and then the US…

Best wishes,

Denise

[Via http://astrologyandpsychicpredictions.wordpress.com]

Bizarro post! Who's that Canadian (in Asia)?

2009-12-11T00:45:00.000+02:00

Japan already has its first black Enka singer, Jero (who’s American) and Thelma Aoyama (born in Japan but is 1/4 Trinidadian). Now comes Himeka who is an anime pop singer. That in itself is nothing remarkable except that her real name is Catherine St-Onge who born in Quebec, developed a strong interest in anime and moved to Japan in 2008 to start a singing career in Japanese, her third language.

Check out this article and this other one for some interesting reading.

This reminds me of the TV personality Da Shan (real name: Mark Rowswell) whom most Canadians have probably never heard of. Originally from Ottawa, he’s a big celebrity in China and speaks perfect standard mandarin.

Yet with all these examples of non-Asians being successful in Asia, racism is still prevalent as evidenced by Chinese netizens racist comments towards half African American, Lou Jing.

[Via http://filmbeats.wordpress.com]

Love Locks

2009-12-09T09:44:00.000+02:00

Thousands of brass locks latched onto each other at the Dongyue Temple on the top of Mount Tai. Devotees inscribe a new lock with prayers, names of loved ones and the date (visible clearly on some locks above) and latch it onto the censer at the temple. The belief is that this locks in the happiness of the couple or family.

[Via http://chaayaa.wordpress.com]

Adventures in China

2009-12-09T00:58:00.000+02:00

On a sunny June day several years ago, six friends and I arrived in Heng Yang, China, to teach English and participate in a cultural exchange program for the summer. The next day, an American student took a few of us for a tour of the university grounds. As we walked through one of the courtyards, we saw an oral English class taking photos with their teacher. One of the students who knew our guide came over to greet him and within a few minutes we were surrounded by Chinese students who were eager to meet us and to practice their English.

At first I was surprised and a little intimidated as they peppered us with questions about America, our families, and our hobbies. The students spoke softly and it was sometimes difficult to understand them, so I learned to listen carefully and to repeat part of the question back to them to be sure that I heard correctly and to give myself a moment to phrase my answer.

As their questions slowed, I asked them questions, too. For example, one girl asked, “And what about your family?” I responded, “My family?” and continued after seeing her nod, “I have two brothers and one sister. Do you have brothers or sisters?” Although it was overwhelming at first, that experience was a delightful welcome and helped me be a little more at ease when we went to our first classes a couple days later.

During the nine-week visit, there were times that I felt like a celebrity or an oddity because people would often stare at us across restaurants or stores and would sometimes walk up to introduce themselves and practice their English. Once or twice, small children would see us walking down the street and cling to their mothers, frightened because they had never seen anyone who was not Chinese. At times like those, I felt very conspicuous and awkward for being blonde, fair-skinned, and five inches taller than the average Chinese adult. (When my mom saw photos from the summer, she commented that I looked like “a blonde Amazon girl” standing with the students!) Sometimes I wished that I could blend in as I did at home.

As we visited English classes and helped teach lessons, we were asked all sorts of questions and were expected to be different than the students who were conversing with us. I did not perceive pressure to conform to their attitudes or ideas, but chose to be sensitive to them because I wanted to relate well to the students. Because I learned that they value family highly, I often mentioned my own with sincere fondness. Because honor and “face” are important in their culture, I liked to see the delighted expressions when I told them specifically what I liked about China and about Heng Yang.

The idea of honoring others and always giving them a way to save face is one that made a lasting impression on my behavior. I think that I have been able to cooperate and get along well with others here in the U.S. because I learned that it is more important for us both to save face than for me to win an argument or discussion and embarrass the other person in the process. Furthermore, because I found the students’ friendliness and curiosity so welcoming, I try to do the same when meeting people from other countries in the U.S.

How do you interact with people from cultures that are different from yours? I would love to hear your stories and advice!

[Via http://practicaladventure.com]

A Gentleman's Agreement: US and Chinese Emissions Promises

2009-12-07T17:38:00.000+02:00

In the past two weeks the United States and China have released separate plans for reducing their carbon emissions. Despite the fanfare that greeted the announcements, serious doubts have already been voiced about the combined effort. Put simply, is it going to be enough? Already worrying signs abound that these plans are too little, too late.

China led off last week with an ambitious plan to reduce emissions per unit GDP by 40-45% below 2005 levels by 2020. This announcement was soon followed by a pledge from the Obama administration to cut emissions 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 83% by 2050. Although Obama admitted that climate change has been “neglected for too long,” neither his plan nor the Chinese explicitly addresses how these reductions will be achieved, financially or otherwise. Nor has either country given details regarding monitoring, enforcement or verification. Neither will submit to an international body analogous to the IAEA, and without external monitoring, we are left to take both countries at their word. In the face of strenuous domestic pressure, it is not hard to imagine these promises being moderated—or scrapped altogether.

Assuming, however, that Obama and Hu Jintao can make good on their promises, the larger question must be whether they are enough. Several teams of climatologists have already raised doubts about whether this plan, combined with existing European commitments, would hold temperature rise to 2° Celsius, beyond which catastrophic climatic events will become more common. One conclusions is that, “The pledges made so far translate into around 3 °C warming by 2100,” a worryingly high number. At the Climate Action Tracker, the conclusion was stark: “The pledges on the table will not halt emissions growth before 2040, let alone by 2015 as indicated by the IPCC and are far from halving emissions by 2050, as has been called for by the G8.”

All of this assumes Obama will be able to push through legislation needed to reach the 17% goal. He already faces strenuous opposition in Congress over worries about Europe’s commitment to a viable carbon market and to potential impacts on industry. Already there are calls to use the estimated $646 billion in cap-and-trade revenues to offset utility hikes. Even if these plans pass the legislature, will they be enough?

[Via http://pisaspeak.wordpress.com]

Appropriate use of Maoist Poster?

2009-12-07T09:30:00.000+02:00

“But how much laughter would there have been if Powershop had dressed them up as Brownshirts or SS Guards? The free pass given to one particular breed of homicidal totalitarians continues.

And it continues today on Air New Zealand’s Grab-A-Seat website. I’m sure Air New Zealand wouldn’t countenance displaying a Nazi propaganda poster extolling “Blood, Soil and Sacrifice” and copies of Mein Kampf as an inducement to buy seats on their flights, but right there on their website exhorting you to fly the friendly skies to Hong Kong is this image ripped directly from a Maoist propaganda poster from the Cultural Revolution – you know, that fun time in China when thought police ruled and around 7,731,000 people were brutally murdered by for not following the diktats of Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book, which our peasant friend clutches to his breast:”

Read the full story on this blog.

[Via http://ww2poster.wordpress.com]

If you suspect that your child is at risk of parental kidnapping, now is the time to prepare.

2009-12-04T09:40:00.000+02:00

By: Jake Morphonios

Parental child abduction is the unlawful kidnapping of a child by one parent which deprives the other parent of his or her lawful custodial rights. This kind of child snatching not only victimizes the other parent, but it is also a serious form of child abuse.

When the abducting parent chooses to go underground or flees the state or country, recovery of the child becomes exceptionally difficult – and sometimes impossible. Because of this, if you suspect that your child is at risk of abduction you must act now. There are steps you can take to reduce the risk of abduction, as well as actions designed to make the recovery of your child far more likely.

It takes time, time that you don’t have, to assemble sufficient documentation to provide to authorities following the abduction of your child. To complicate matters, should your child be kidnapped you will most certainly not be in a calm state of mind. Focusing well enough to collect necessary materials will be difficult. Therefore, preassemble two sets of the following documents:

On the Children

Several recent color photos of each of your children
Two sets of your children’s fingerprints
A list of your children’s social security numbers
Copies of medical insurance cards
A list of the child’s scars or other distinguishing physical marks
Any passport numbers or drivers license numbers
A list of your children’s bank account numbers
A copy of any court order regarding child custody
All your child’s email addresses or networking sites such as MySpace
Your children’s cell phone number(s)

On the Other Parent

Several recent color photos of the other parent or potential family abductor
A list of the other parent’s scars or other distinguishing physical marks
Two sets of the other parent’s fingerprints, if available
Any passport or drivers license numbers
A list of the other parent’s email addresses or social networking sites such as MySpace
The other parent’s telephone number(s) and all known addresses
The names and contact information of the other parent’s close friends and family
A list of all credit cards, bank accounts or other financial data
Car information including, registrations, serial numbers makes, models, descriptions
A list of any bank or retirement accounts, negotiable instruments and brokerage accounts
A list of any other assets which could quickly be liquidated for cash

The purpose in creating two sets of materials is so that the materials can be kept in two separate “safe” spots. If the abductor takes your set from your home, you will still be able to obtain the other set. Leave this other set somewhere you can access quickly, such as in the home of a local family member or friend. Do not leave the information in a safe deposit box because if the abduction takes place after banking hours you won’t be able to obtain your file.

Should your child be kidnapped, it is vital to quickly locate their whereabouts. Having materials gathered and well-organized will assist both you and the authorities in launching a quick and effective search for your children.

Published by: ABP World Group International Child Recovery Service

Visit our web site at: www.abpworld.com

[Via http://abpworld.wordpress.com]

Here It Comes... (Sovereign Treasury Sales)

2009-12-03T19:51:00.000+02:00

Here It Comes… (Sovereign Treasury Sales)

Courtesy of Karl Denninger, The Market Ticker

I have repeatedly warned that there’s an "end game" coming if we do not cut out the monetization games.

I have repeatedly warned that the "end of the world" scenario comes about if The Government cannot finance its operating requirements (e.g. interest cost exceeds income), as that event will result in an instantaneous "death spiral" of credit downgrades and ramping CDS spreads, which in turn drive up interest rates further, etc.

I have repeatedly warned that if we do not get our own house in order others will force it upon us, as we have given them the weapons to do so by selling trillions of dollars worth of Treasuries to overseas sovereigns and institutions over which we can exert no control (except by threatening to use our 6,000 nuclear weapons.)

This morning there’s a nasty rumor on the wire - that Japan may be intending to sell US Treasuries.

Their purported reason for this, of course, would be to weaken the Yen. Selling Treasuries would have this effect since it would strengthen the dollar, and in a fiat monetary system all values are relative.

Here’s the problem: The first seller wins in these circumstances, since price is essentially "coupon x duration."

If Japan starts selling in size rates on the long end will go materially higher. This will whack the daylights out of the cash price for these bonds. Who else has a lot of these things? China.

Stampede risk here? Yep.

Danger to our government’s ability to finance its profligate spending?

Uh huh.

[Via http://philsbackupsite.wordpress.com]

I'm back(Part 2)

2009-12-02T09:38:00.000+02:00

Hi all! Hahahahaha i’m so sorry for this overdued post. Geeeeez whatever.

Mt. Huashan was one of China’s five holy mountains, and it was an incredible experience when the lot of us hiked all the way to North Peak. We started our climb at about 10 PM. Our goal was to reach the top in time for sunrise. We reached the peak around 4.30 AM? Yeah it was crazy man. Dead tiring. They said the view would be spectacular, but unfortunately for us, that particular morning was way too foggy to see anything at all. Hell, it was 0 degrees up there. Nasrul and I were practically shivering! It was so colddddddd! Let me show you some pictures Nasrul took in the morning when we could actually see something.

The red locks are for prosperity and good health.

Too cold to bother about how i look. Actually i never bothered to dress up AT ALL for the whole 6 weeks! Not even make up. ;PAbove pic from googleTHAT’S ALL FOLKS!

THE END.

[Via http://fatihafierce.wordpress.com]

Senators Introduce Solar Manufacturing Jobs Creation Act

2009-12-02T01:40:00.000+02:00

Last month, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), as well as Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI) introduced the Solar Manufacturing Jobs Creation Act, intended to boost the international competitiveness the U.S. solar manufacturing industry. After introducing the legislation, Senator Stabenow said it was necessary to “help us win the global race against China and other countries to produce solar technology in the clean energy economy.”

The bi-partisan legislation would extend the existing solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which offers a 30 percent tax credit for solar energy investment and deployment, to cover the construction of new solar manufacturing facilities as well. The ITC was recently given an eight-year extension in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA) of 2008.

The new legislation would also give solar manufacturers access to the temporary cash grant program created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which has successfully boosted the deployment of renewable technologies, primarily wind power.

The new U.S. legislation is the second in as many months that aims to support the domestic solar industry. In late October, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Solar Technology Roadmap Act, which would require the U.S. Department of Energy to appoint a group of experts to create a long-term plan to guide solar energy R&D and the commercialization of next-generation solar technologies. While the bill only authorizes $2.25 billion for solar R&D over the next five years, it represents a sizable increase in funding and a move toward a more strategic and targeted approach to clean energy development.

If the U.S. is to regain its position as a global leader in clean energy technology, and solar in particular, much more targeted policy support is needed. Both the Solar Technology Roadmap Act and the Solar Manufacturing Jobs Creation Act are important first steps forward in developing a comprehensive clean energy economy strategy capable of revitalizing the U.S. economy and making the United States a world leader in clean energy technology once again.

U.S. Falling Behind Foreign Competitors in Solar Manufacturing

The United States has fallen behind international competitors in East Asia in the capability to manufacture and produce clean energy technologies on a large scale. China, Japan, and South Korea will build on their current advantages over the coming years and will out-invest the United States by a factor of three-to-one in clean tech sectors, according to “Rising Tigers, Sleeping Giant,” a new report by the Breakthrough Institute and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF).

China already manufactures 30 percent of the world’s solar cells, and is expected to lead worldwide growth in new solar cell manufacturing capacity, according to the report. Japan is redoubling its efforts to grow its domestic solar industry, and South Korea is emerging as a major solar manufacturer, with a focus on capturing new global market share in solar PV. By contrast, the United States’ global share of solar cell manufacturing has fallen from more than 40 percent a decade ago to just 5 percent today. The Breakthrough/ITIF report concludes that without significant and targeted public investments to close the gap with its competitors, “the United States will import the overwhelming majority of clean energy technologies it deploys…which could jeopardize America’s economic recovery and its long-term competitiveness while making it even more difficult to reduce the U.S. trade deficit.”

Targeted Support for Clean Energy Technologies: A Strategy for a Clean Energy Economy

The “Rising Tigers” report comes at a time of increasing anxiety that the United States may lose out on the clean energy industries and jobs of the future. According to the report, the climate and energy legislation working its way through Congress, as currently formulated, will not be sufficient to close the widening clean tech investment gap between the United States and its economic competitors. Larger and more targeted public investments in clean technology will be needed for the United States to keep pace.

As we note in the report, multiple barriers inhibit the widespread deployment of, and discourage private investment in clean energy technologies. Four barriers in particular must be overcome to drive the widespread deployment of clean energy technologies. These four barriers include the significant price gap that exists between clean energy and fossil fuels, technology spillover risks that discourage investment in research and development, financial risk created by the large scale and long time horizon of most clean energy projects, and the need for new enabling infrastructure to accommodate the growth of clean energy technologies.

Not all clean energy technologies are created equal, and each of these barriers poses different challenges to different technologies. Therefore, public policy should be optimized to meet the needs of individual technologies. Other nations are making direct and targeted investments aimed at removing the barriers to clean technology adoption for specific technologies, which will give them an early advantage in the growing clean energy sector and allow them to attract much of the future private investment in clean energy technologies.

Remaining competitive in the global clean energy race will require a comprehensive federal clean energy economy strategy that invests directly in clean technology innovation, manufacturing, and deployment, as well as associated infrastructure. Both the Solar Manufacturing Jobs Creation Act and the Solar Technology Roadmap Act are commendable first steps forward as components of a broader clean energy economy strategy to help us compete with our rivals. We must build on these pieces of legislation and ensure that we have a suite of long-term and targeted clean energy technology policies on the scale necessary to match the aggressive policies of our economic competitors.

[Via http://breakthroughgen.org]

Wonder Girls en DG101 Live Radio

2009-11-30T09:46:00.000+02:00

Las Wonder Girls estarán en Dong Gan 101 Live Radio hoy 30 de noviembre.

Hora: 6:30 – 7:00pm [+8 GMT]

Para nosotros sería en la mañana en alrededor de una hora.

6:30 – 7:00am en Puerto Rico

Pueden verificar su hora AQUÍ

Pueden escuchar la radio en vivo AQUÍ

[Fuente: WonderFuls World]

[Via http://wonderfanaticos.com]