POLITICS: U.N. Spurns Cuba Embargo for 17th Year October 31st, 2007
Dear Editors,
While I don’t like Castro’s government, and I disagree with the author on Cuba being a democracy, I do agree with the UN that the embargo against Cuba should end. It is at best, stupid. There are countries that are far worse than Cuba that the US does business with.
US-IRAQ: III-Equipped Soldiers Opt for “Search and Avoid” October 30th, 2007
Dear Editors,
II was a combat infantryman in Vietnam. I have opposed this war from the beginning. I also don’t have a lot of trust in remarks made by “former solders”. Too often they turn out to be phoniest. The book “Stolen Valour: How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History” tells of the dangers of non-critical acceptance of stories like you reported. A combat patrol that misrepresented its location would risk attack by friendly fire and would be in no position to call for support.
Thanks,
Greg Hudson
United States
*****
Dear Editors,
Has Bush been sent a copy of this article?
Larry Conte
*****
Dear Editors,
I hope this gets into the MSM, but they wont touch it!
ELECTIONS-COLOMBIA: Unexpected Paramilitary Defeat in Cesar October 30th, 2007
Dear Editors,
How did Columbia become so corrupt? Twenty-one candidates murdered? In Canada, that would be a war! That should be international news at any time. There is nothing written about it in the Canadian press that I’ve seen or read (go figure). I think our umbilical cord is attached to the Middle East while South America is on another planet albeit; we are still free of political persecution here. I did read on the Internet that there are hundreds of billions of drug dollars (US) laundered in US and Swiss banks (Grasso) which would explain the support of the Para’s, at least truthfully, not on FOX TV and the perfidious illusion of the ‘’War on Drugs'’. What about the DMZ? I think Moreno’s toast but what a hero if he tries to clean up Columbia. It would certainly exponentially increase tourism. If the Manhattan/Whitehouse has anything to do with it, it is my belief he will be assassinated or die of a mysterious illness or accident shortly but then again, I am basing my opinion on history and my dismal pessimism deeply rooted in the fact that the lure of money will always triumph over philanthropy. Democracy is great but it still needs an angel with a gun to protect itself from the insatiable, ravenous avarice of evil, both from internal and external forces thirsting for greed and power. Who knows, Castro, Chavez, and the leader of Bolivia, Morales are all still alive. Could it be that Latin America is becoming the true test and model of democracy not just a wolf in sheep’s clothing like so many other counterfeit democracies, controlled and enslaved externally by international banks. Bravo for Columbians and Moreno, but survival is first and foremost. Money has no conscience. It’s a time of great hope and great fear for God’s humble children. I wonder if other western democracies will rally to the aid of Moreno without an agenda of self-enrichment other than good will to mankind?
POLITICS: Desmond Tutu Likens Israeli Actions to Apartheid October 29th, 2007
Dear Editors,
Thank God for the Tutus and Chomskys of this world.
Terry Barham
*****
Dear Editors,
The United States, and perhaps especially the Congress, desperately needs to learn the truth about Israel’s actions toward the Palestinians and Lebanese. This morning, the BBC reported that Israel plans to reduce, in stages, the electrical power it now provides the residents of Gaza. One Israeli was quoted as saying he hoped this would inspire the Gazans to create their own power production and distribution system. Since Israel controls Gaza’s only source of income because it operates the port through which Gaza’s exports are shipped, and since it withholds some or all of that money whenever it thinks it expedient to do so and will probably never end its illegal occupation, I fail to see how cutting their electrical supply will inspire Gazans to build power plants without money.
I’d like the see the US withhold the $3 billion annual gift from us taxpayers to Israel. Perhaps that would “inspire” Israel to pay for its own weapons, fighter planes, bunker buster bombs, tanks, many et ceteras. It’s not likely to happen, however, as long as the US fails to see the difference between genuine Israeli needs and the Zionism that now leads its leaders and ours to give Israel a moral pass now matter how much wanton death and destruction and land grabbing it does.
ENVIRONMENT: Indigenous People Make Best Forest Custodians October 28th, 2007
Dear Editors,
The indigenous people and also the poor people living close to forests are dependent on the forest for both their subsistence and the livelihoods. It is amazing how traditionally they have guarded “their” forests for generations.
In India in the Himalayan state of agriculture there is a Panchayat (which is the lowest level of the governance structure at a cluster of villages. In hill states it is a cluster of villages that make a Panchayat, but in plains a Panchayat is usually synchronous with a village) by the name of Choker. It is in Nohradhar in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh in India. The Panchayat has some of the most beautiful and dense oak forests. It is an admirable example of effective forest protection and conservation by local community. Almost 30 years ago they formed their own forest committee that laid down rules for protecting the forests and sharing the usufructs. Even today they have a collection of axes, saws and ropes collected from individuals who would illicitly fell the trees.
The norms that the community laid down way back in 1970s are still followed. The Himachal Pradesh Forest Department has supported the village forest committee and together they are now working for protection and conservation of the forests in the area.
Also interesting is that Himachal Pradesh is called the land of Gods and in every forest there is a small area called the “Devta Forest” or the forests that belong to the Gods. By virtue of the forests being owned by the Gods, the community takes special care and trees are not felled and forests are protected.
These are just some thoughts that came to my mind when I read the article on Indigenous people make best forest custodians. The best and effective forest management is when the forest dependent communities and the government work hand in hand for conservation of forests. I cant and do not want to live in world where there will be no forests.
CLIMATE CHANGE: CO2 Levels Begin Accelerated Climb October 27th, 2007
Editor,
It is completely false that our only hope lies in reducing emissions like your article said. If that was true, we are very likely going to suffer a mass extinction event. That is because it is very unlikely that a growing population with expanding economies will cut their emission so fast and drastically that either abrupt climate change or runaway global warming will be avoided. Due to space and time limitations, please refer to my blog at http://www.myspace.com/dobermanmacleod for more information.
Briefly, some ecosystems are going to soon be quickly destroyed due to a faster rate of warming, resulting in abrupt climate change. Also, carbon sinks will become carbon emitters faster than expected due to feedback loops, resulting in runaway global warming. Any feasible planetary rescue plan must include a method of removing the carbon from the air. I suggest a low cost method called bio sequestration seeding an extensively tested GMO into the ocean to remove tremendous amounts of carbon from the air and put it into the ground where it came from. The sensitivity of the climate to carbon is double what most climate models assume. We’ve passed the threshold for dangerous warming about four decades ago. We have to remove that excess carbon from the air as soon as possible, not wait for a damaged earth to do it for us.
Brad Arnold
St. Louis Park, MN
Canada
*****
Dear Editors,
Psst! Its a scam.
UK court says Gore is a fraud. August 2007 Update: Man-made Catastrophic Global Warming Not True. Further, flawed NASA Global Warming data paid for by George Soros. In order to be an intelligent reader you must have a basic knowledge. Please do your own homework; a starting point http://www.InteliOrg.com/
POLITICS: U.S. Military Ignored Evidence of Iraqi-Made EFPs October 27th, 2007
Dear Editor,
Could you please send this story to every member of Congress. Especially to the House and Senate Democrats who voted to declare units of the Iranian military a ‘’terrorist organization'’ based on the Bush administration claim that the EFPs used in Iraq could only have come from Iran. And could you please make the list of recipients public. If you can comply with this request it would be a great public service.
IRAQ: Residents Struggle to Survive, In and Out of Ramadi October 26th, 2007
Dear Editors,
For more than a year, I believe I have an excellent concept that seems almost certain to enable peace in Iraq, within months. If that is valid, then no “civil war” will occur and American troops can leave the country almost immediately.
Amazingly, I am about zero-for-430 regarding even getting any response to this concept! As far as I can tell, no leaders seem to even have any interest in trying to actually end the war!
My concept is entirely Iraqi, with no American participation at all! It is centered on a story that all Muslims world-wide learned as small children. At an early age, Muhammad was present when four tribal leaders began arguing over who would have the glory of having carried the Black Stone back to the Kaaba (after having been cleaned). There was obviously no possible resolution, and the men kept getting angrier and angrier at each other, with a tribal civil war clearly about to start. Young Muhammad stepped forward and suggested that they obtain a blanket, to place the Black Stone upon. Then all four would each grab a corner of the blanket and they would all have the glory of carrying it! That event built the reputation of Muhammad, as you know.
My concept is to offer an opportunity to copy Muhammad’s accomplishment. It would involve a meeting room with 32 chairs arranged in a circle. In the center open area would be a large stone sitting on a blanket, to remind everyone of what Muhammad had accomplished and how. 10 chairs for ten Sunni representatives would be in one quadrant of the circle, 10 chairs for Shia in a second quadrant, and 10 chairs for Kurds in a third quadrant. The fourth quadrant would have only two chairs in it, possibly on slight pedestals. No one would sit in those chairs! It would be explained that those chairs are provided in the event that Abraham and/or Allah might choose to attend the meetings. By the way, the corners of the (square) blanket on the floor would be right in front of the three groups, suggesting that Allah and/or Abraham would willingly carry the fourth corner.
The Iraqi public (who all are familiar with the Black Stone story) would be informed that their leaders were meeting in these circumstances. The people would certainly be excited and optimistic that, with Allah’s direct help, they were certain to resolve their issues. With that, what participant would want to be known as “the one” who caused it all to fail?
Since all the participants would see the two chairs before them, it seems nearly impossible that any would make any disrespectful or angry statement, while possibly being in the immediate Presence of Allah.
I believe that these conditions would apply immense pressure on each participate to “behave well” and to “be productive”. They would have no contact with “the outside world” until they came to some situation where they needed to each check with their highest political leaders.
It would be wonderful if this meeting could occur within the Kaaba, to increase the awareness that Allah might easily be sitting there. Several locations in Medina would also be good.
I developed this based on a marriage counseling procedure that we have used for more than ten years that is extremely similar to this. A web-page that describes this all in greater detail is at:
http://mb-soft.com/public3/iraqwarm.html
I believe it would even be simple to initiate this process. If Iraqi news media published and aired stories about such a possibility, the leaders would feel some public pressure to provide the ten representatives. Those 30 people would be considered the greatest of heroes, once they have accomplished their mission! And Iraqi life could immediately become safe and peaceful, and the society could begin again to build.
POLITICS-US: Cheney Raises the Rhetoric Against Iran October 26th, 2007
Dear Editors,
Iran has been on the neo-conservative agenda for years. It appears to me that we are bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan and there is some dissent in our own military about attacking Iran with bunker busters or nuclear weapons. ‘’Search and Avoid'’ patrols by our troops make this conflict look more like another Vietnam every day. The cost of the war profits the banking system that borrowed money to fight these wars. Isn’t the profiteering by the same dynastic families that put George W. Bush in the White House with two fraudulent national elections? I believe our oil interests also have dogs in those fights in Somalia and Darfur. Isn’t our right wing Christian groups and spooks supporting the Peoples Liberation Army in the Sudan? Are those conflicts over natural gas and potential oil fields? I write about the history ignored by mainstream media. Sample attached.
Don.
*****
Dear Editor,
Mr. Cheney still clings to the Project for the New American Century’s plan to create a “new Middle East” by first destabilizing the current one. He must consider Iraq a rousing success, to be followed by Iran. According to Seymour Hersh (The New Yorker, March 2007), Cheney is routing intelligence on Iran through his office, as he did with intelligence on Iraq in 2002-2003. Cheney and Bush are leading the demonization and arousal of fear. General Petraeus and one or two more generals speak of the “proof” they see that Iran is arming insurgents in Iraq. Lieberman is handling the Nonsense of the Senate resolutions and Khalilzad those yet to come from the UN’s Security Council. Sarkozy and Blair are loyally doing their part in Europe, and Blair even came to New York to add to the “stop Iran now lest we all perish” rhetoric at the Al Smith Memorial Dinner. That Iran needs to develop new energy sources and that it has entered into a new agreement with the IAEA does not seem to matter.
My personal opinion is that we are being lied to (again) big time. And even that such problems as internal dissent within Lebanon and Gaza are due to US destabilization efforts. We need Gates and Rice to do more than urge caution - they and Congress need to speak out and the media need to listen.
RIGHTS-GUATEMALA: New Rules for Lucrative Adoption Business October 25th, 2007
Dear Mr Clifford Phillips
Our story was about a well-known issue: international adoptions have become a business in Guatemala. Complaints from human rights organisations were substantiated by Guatemalan general attorney Mario Gordillo during a public hearing on October 12, held by Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Gordillo admitted that in Guatemala “it has been forgotten the adoption as an institution”. You could listen to his remarks clicking on:
http://www.cidh.org/audiencias/130/adopciones%20guatemala.mp3.
Casa Quivira was mentioned in our story because we knew its case was going to be brought up in the Inter-American Commission, as indeed was. Casa Quivira is still under investigation.
Our sources are not only human rights activists, but also legislators, members of the judiciary, government officials and United Nations agencies. In order to complete the picture, IPS has also insisted in talking to lawyers involved in adoptions, but none of them has talked to us so far. We’ll keep trying.
This is a complex, difficult phenomenon. During the first half of this year, there were 230 formal complaints of kidnapped babies. For example, the Roosevelt Public Hospital reported that three social workers had stolen newborns from the medical centre. Ninety seven percent of adoptions take place assisted by a notary - like when purchasing a house, rather than through the judiciary system. In 2006, 80 adoption processes were suspended because of irregularities, Gordillo said in the same public hearing. This year, 45 complaints are under scrutiny. We interested too in the practice of caesarean surgeries. Guatemalan newspapers publish regularly ads encouraging pregnant women in dire situations to avoid abortion calling cell - phone numbers. Maternal hospitals are equipped with incubators and other devices needed for such surgeries, for example the Utatlán clinic in Zone 11.
We have been following this issue in previous stories. If you are interested, you could have a look at
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=38041 and
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=36611.
And we will continue doing so in the future.
Best wishes,
Diana Cariboni
Regional Editor
IPS Latin America
*****
The IACHR was also presented with a report on an Aug. 11 raid of Casa Quivira, an adoption home in the western city of Antigua, where 46 children between the ages of three days and two years were seized due to irregularities in the paperwork for their adoptions, and two lawyers were arrested.
Dear Ms. Benitez,
Just to update you that as a result of hearings held on 12 October 2007 at Judge Rossanna Mena’s court (Juzgado Primero de Menores) in Guatemala City, Guatemala Casa Quivira was cleared of any wrongdoing and Judge Mena declared that all of the actions of the Ministerio Publico (District Attorney’s Office) of Guatemala regarding the raid of 11 August and, therefore, all of the subsequent actions were an abuse of authority.
I hope that you will investigate the root of this abuse of authority and call this matter to attention to your readers as diligently as you have with the “investigation” you made into Guatemalan Adoptions. You should not just reprint wholesale what the government of Guatemala states and promulgate it as fact. Due diligence, Ms. Benitez, due diligence.
46 children were taken from our care as a result of the illegal raid of 11 Aug 2007, 6 have since gone home to their legally adoptive parents, a 7th is about to go home and 8th child is being returned to our care today. The lawyers, Zamora and Leonardo were never arrested, they were “detained,” illegally detained. Detained 11 days without being charged and then only being told that they were under investigation. If this were to happen in your country Ms. Benitez you would cover that injustice as a human and civil rights violation but because it happened in Guatemala in a politically charged atmosphere you missed it, overlooked it, turned a blind eye - due diligence, do your homework.
There are no “irregularities” in our paperwork or in the cases of adoption processed by our attorneys. You and others continue to miss the real story, Casa Quivira was used, the children were used, and you and other news agencies were used by the Guatemalan government to make a political statement that ADOPTIONS will be stopped in Guatemala by the Guatemalan government by any means necessary — even illegal means, through abuse of authority, by trouncing human and civil rights.
Find the real story Ms. Benitez. Roll up your sleeves and get to work and find out why this is happening and report the truth. Due diligence.
Clifford Phillips
Director
Casa Quivira
*****
Dear Editors,
Please support Guatemalan adoptions. Many cases are currently open - the new laws will halt all in process adoptions. These children deserve loving homes, and a chance at survival.
Trish Quinci
*****
Dear Editors,
Seems to me you have clearly defaulted on the editorial policy and mission of IPS. Shall I remind you?
On your web site, IPS states:
Through its news service, IPS offers stories containing a variety of sources that provide all relevant sides of an issue, with a unique editorial angle: from the perspective of civil society and of the South. This editorial viewpoint, however, does not mean bias or compromising the quest for truth.
IPS does not discriminate against sources, but is committed to mainstreaming gender perspectives in its coverage. Likewise, civil society and ‘grassroots’ sources are essential to almost any IPS news story. However, the story on intercountry adoptions in Guatemala posted Oct. 16, 2007 fall miserably short of IPS’ editorial promises.
Case in point:
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Guatemala is the fourth country in the world in terms of the number of children placed in adoption, after Russia, China and South Korea. But Guatemala, where reports of the trafficking and sale of babies are widespread, is the world’s leading exporter of children per capita.
1) The article states these reports are widespread. But then fails to document that with any facts. Instead, the reporter of the article uses comments from a few people that are pointed in their accusations, but have no real facts supporting them… particularly the following:
“Caesarean sections are being practiced on women who are seven months pregnant, to be able to register the babies” for adoption on time, before the treaty goes into effect at the end of the year, said Alvarado. These are women who have already arranged with baby brokers and lawyers to give up their babies, and if the adoptions fall through, everyone involved stands to lose the money they were counting on earning.
What responsible news organization would report that without following it up, checking it out? Who is doing these cesarean sections? What doctors are taking pre-term babies out? How many times has this happened? Where is this Alvarado person getting his information from? Shouldn’t it be reported to the authorities? Hasn’t it? It is extremely dangerous to pull babies out at seven months. These babies would need hospital care until more fully developed.
2) The article targets the attorneys that handle adoptions, but no where in the article is an attorney speaking. If you are going to let one group (the so - called activists in this story) call another a ‘’mafia,'’ (the activists’ term for the lawyers,'’ shouldn’t you get comment from a lawyer?
3) The mention of Casa Quivera. Still no charges in this case, after two months!!! Hmmm… I wonder why?!? Is it because those that raided the orphanage can’t find any evidence that any thing was illegal, irregular, or problematic. In fact, I believe that 6 of the 46 children taken from the orphanage have since been legally adopted by the families who were in process to adopt them.
4) Of the $25,00 to $30,000 cost quoted in the story to process adoption, the reporter also failed to mention the cost of the child, including foster or hogar care, formula/food, diapers, clothing, toys, and all medical expenses, for typically a year, and sometimes longer.
5) By the way, the reporter clearly leads the reader to think that adoptions are quick… after all it takes no more than a year… but a year is one hell of a long time for a child to be in a temporary home, already relinquished or abandoned by his/her birth parents and awaiting permanency in a loving family. Seems to me the process should be much quicker.
There are several other areas of sloppy reporting/writing that appears to make this piece a very one - sided opportunity for anti-adoption forces to make generalizations without being challenged, thus painting an overall picture of Guatemala adoptions that is untruthful.
Please note that I am not advocating or in support of illegal adoptions that do not put the interests of the child first. There is no room for baby stealing, birth mother coercion, or other nefarious activity. In fact, that is all illegal under Guatemala’s current adoption system. Unfortunately the laws are not enforced. That is largely why there are problems. Could you, the editors, and your staff of journalists, work harder to live up to the journalistic standards your founders set forth way back in 1964???
Respectfully,
Beth Bacheldor, a prospective adoptive parent who is also a professional journalist working in the United States.
Why does author Apostolis Fotiadis insult me and other readers around the world by referring to ‘Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’ (FYROM) as ‘’Macedonia'’ in his article ‘’GREECE: A Country Is In a Name?'’ Did he not read his own article?
Please ask this author to reply to me and explain. I want to know how he can explain the insult. Imagine all the people of the real Macedonia being invited to join NATO ('’Macedonia expects to be invited to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO…).'’ How do you determine who all are the people of the real Macedonia to join anything? Please refer to the author’s own words: ‘’The geographic region called Macedonia covers a big part of the Greek north-western territory, a smaller part of south-eastern Bulgaria, and the territory of Macedonia.'’
POLITICS-US: Will Catholics Lean Right or Left in ‘08? October 25th, 2007
Dear editors,
I would hope that Catholics will look further than Mr. Deal for their main source of information. When you get right down to it, hasn’t everybody just about had enough of the so-called “Value Voter”? Some one asked me the other day if I was going to “vote values” in the upcoming election and I said “yes”. I want to know how much a candidate values education, ending the war, the environment, health care for the millions of un and under-insured Americans. I want to know how much he/she values diplomacy, arms control and race relations.
The bedroom issues that have plagued this country for the last 3-4 elections cycles has been a joke. It was the Republicans who set the bar so high and then when it fell and bumped them on their heads time and time and time again, they can’t understand why everyone isn’t marching in lockstep yet again. Go Figure.
PARAGUAY: Environmentalists Up in Arms Over Mega-Port October 22nd, 2007
Dear Editor,
So 1000 people will get jobs and 1,000,000 people will drink toxic-laden water. In nations around the world there are countless stories about people getting sick and dying from industrial processes that were purported to be safe. After all is said and done, most people will remain poor but many will likely now be sick as well. A few fat cats will enrich themselves.
DEVELOPMENT: A New Breed of Hero October 22nd, 2007
Dear Colleagues,
The recent article “Development: a New Breed of Hero” about an initiative of the United Nations Association in The United States of America (UNA-USA) with additional support from USAID. I am an old fashioned accountant… interested in costs and in results, and especially in results. I was a corporate cost accountant and CFO for a US based international company… and have been a consultant to the World Bank, the UN and other relief and development organizations. Over the years more and more of the activity in the relief and development supported by the international donors has big on PR, photo ops and media buzz, but tiny in terms of real impact of relief and development. Can the writer of the article explain to the readers how much this effort has cost and exactly what benefits have been realized?
Sincerely,
Peter Burgess
New York
www.tr-ac-net.org
www.IMMConsortium.org
*****
Dear Editors,
Voice of reason.
By Mwaura Kaara.
This year has seen a marked improvement within the youth in quest to take charge of the Millennium Declaration that espouses the Millennium Development Goals. The youth having been a silent within the campaign have woken up to the challenge of shaping their destinies. It is on this backdrop that the United Nations Millennium Campaign, Africa Office, in partnership with Youths and Youth Led Organizations has held the Regional Youth Hearings with the call to re-energize Youth Participation within the Millennium Campaign.
The Youth as a social entity comprises the reference point for the need of a just society the binding principle of the Millennium Declaration. Removing the youth from the campaign and all its evaluation and monitoring process will ultimately enhance negative repercussions. The resurgence of the youth voice in all its vibrancy affirms the responsibilities bestowed to a generation.
As we mark the half way to the target date of 2015, the resurgence of the youth voice within Africa and the evolvement of the Hero programme draws the global connectivity of constructive dialogue, a critical position towards global citizenship. In the quest for a paradigm shift, this global connectivity cannot be ignored; the strength of the 21st century lies in the coherence of the youth at a global level.
ENVIRONMENT: Biofuels - Great Green Hope or Swindle October 21st, 2007
Dear Editors,
The industry has to start somewhere. Give Biofuels a chance to start growing, and technology a chance to raise the efficiency levels. Biofuels could contribute. The answer is in many small pieces replacing part of the oil industry.
JMK
*****
Dear Editors,
This is a very poorly researched article. The author clearly has no real grasp of his subject. While I agree that the US particularly but Europe too have skewed the agriculture market badly with poorly directed, more poorly monitored and very often duplicated state and federal subsidies I believe his figure of US$ 3 - 6000 per t CO 2e should be a no less ridiculous but somewhat more accurate US$ 500. I believe the current price on European market is around 15 Euro/t. It’s not reasonable to cite US policy in this discussion - they have less direction than anyone else with regard to policy etc. And I agree that most of what policy they do have is heavily influenced by vested interests.
Crutzen and Smith’s study showed (not exactly conclusively) that Biofuels produce more NOx than fossil fuels during the burning of the fuels not the growing of the feedstock as Mr Leahy would have us believe. The US Environmental Protection Agency produced a report which discovered that apart from NOx emissions, biodiesel is as much as 50% cleaner than fossil fuels (in use). The NOx emissions varied unpredictably between engine types and the type of feedstock used to produce the fuel. The EPA was unable to predict from its results the future impacts of biodiesel use on transport emissions. NREL examined the data and found that most of EP’s results were achieved from a similar make and model of engine doing the same kind of work. NREL conducted its own tests and concluded that on average NOx emissions were so small as to be negligible when taken in comparison with the reductions in other areas of GHG. On the other hand U Denver came up with exactly the opposite view using different equipment.
The point is that there clearly needs to be more work done in this area and it is being done all over the world. There are also great advances being made in the area of algeacidal biofuels as well as cellulosic ethanol neither of which use the food part of crops but use the waste from food and other biomass operations such as timber milling etc. And how explicit is this sentence - ‘’About 80 percent of Europe’s biodiesel comes from rapeseed and in America the vast majority is maize ethanol.'’ While anyone aware of the issues at hand might know that Mr Leahy has at least got these estimates more or less right, he doesn’t appear to have a complete understanding that biodiesel is a very different product than ethanol and that there is more than one method for producing both of these products.
Not all biodiesel crops need excessive water or pesticides either - jatropha is a good example. It has a good yield and will grow in very poor soils with as little as 250mm of rain, although this obviously affects the yield, and its own oil is a great natural pesticide. The point is that crops such as jatropha are ideal for small producers and subsistence farmers to be able to make a bit of money. Then, of course, comes the question of why were are trying to Displace fossil fuels. Is it only to reduce GHG emissions? I think not. I seem to remember another American political figure doing a lecture tour to warn us all that we were in the process of running out of fossil fuels. So now what? If we don’t do something about Replacing fossil fuels our transport systems will grind to a halt and not in a few generations either, most of us reading Mr Leahy’s piece will be around to see the end of the road for universally available liquid petrol-fuels.
What then? Electric cars? Now we’re talking GHGs - big-time!! Unless the US and Europe get their subsidy/tax schemes sorted out for solar power - not in my life time I don’t think. I’ll tell you what then, there will soon be no more massive, highly mechanised, mono-cropping food factory-farms spewing fertilisers and pesticides all over the land sending huge containers of hormone enriched produce all over the world. Instead we will be cycling or walking down the corner shop, buying fresh produce from local producers who farm small holdings organically. Al Gore’s 3,000 miles Ceasar Salad will be something to tell your grandchildren about. The farms will also be able to produce small amounts of fuel (probably mostly diesel) so we can take the family out in the car, perhaps for a short holiday within the range of the car’s fuel tank. GHG emissions will be a thing of the past as far as transport is concerned.
We should be looking at electricity generation and industry - particularly the building industry if we want to show a real concern about ongoing GHG emissions. At the end of the day though, the global problem is too many people demanding too many services. Transport is just one of them.
ECONOMY: Thinking Big, Russia Misses Microfinance October 21st, 2007
Dear Editors,
A very interesting article, and probably a good reflection of reality here in Russia.
I am a British ex-pat working in the Far East of Russia. Over the past 4 years I have observed the growing affluence of a new Russian middle class and the widening gap to the rural and otherwise disadvantaged sectors of the population.
I am a small donor to international microfinance elsewhere in Asia. Microfinance could make a big difference to the Russian economy by broadening it away from the so-called “strategic industries” that are simply cash-generation schemes for the ruling political elite in Moscow. The success of microfinance would depend on whether this elite is prepared to allow such economic development or whether they would want “a piece of the action”, hence stifling it.
By the way, I’ve only just discovered your web site; there’s a good chance it will become my own home page.
Regards,
Jeff Rogers
Russia
*****
Dear Editors,
Financing small business in Russia
The above ‘’flash'’ on the small scale enterprises financing in Russia provide a good start for rethinking on the status the Microfinance sector and should be taken as an opportunity to find out ways and means to effectively work with small entrepreneurs. In our view the starting point should be based on the fact that there are as many realities as many Regions or Oblasts and some time the differences are more than nuances. Having said that it is true that there are factors - like that ones highlighted in the article - that can be assumed as common denominator. And here we would like to contribute and add a very few lines; indeed a comprehensive approach to the issue demands more time and room.
Firstly, it should be recognised that both small entrepreneurs and lenders are newcomers in the small credit market and they do know a little bit of each other. Summing up, the financial providers (read banks) although started retail banking haven’t yet set up a suitable policy on how to deal small credits and, what’s more, in most cases bankers are not small business oriented. On the small entrepreneurs side the lack of managerial expertise is a huge gap especially on marketing the production. They focus too much on the cash flow factor to detriment of the profitability and competitiveness; this why perhaps one-third of new enterprises close down business in the first year of activity.
Secondly, the Microfinance sector ‘’alone'’ can’t be responsible for the bridging the finance gap to reach the small enterprises, which require a concerted effort of all concerned actors.
Thirdly, so far too much emphasis has been put on the offer of the financial services side while much should be done on the supporting the demand side.
Fourthly ‘’banks think big'’ and this is due to various reasons and in particular to the following ones:
- Lack of skills and or attitude to make lending happen with potential borrowers,
- Lack of background in such kind of business
- Lack of interest in dealing with first time borrowers,
- Central Bank’s rules dealing with a reserve-deposit for risky lending,
- Reluctance to apply an affordable rate of interest that in some way could undermine the profits.
In some Regions the establishment of a risk fund or whatever guarantee scheme has been considered to be a good answer to bridge the above mentioned gap. However the experience have been showing up that once a donor leaves the project to run on its own legs, the sustainability factor comes out as truly problem.
Generally speaking can be said that a risk fund seems to be an unsuitable financial tool, for various reasons; here are some of them:
- Banker’s idea that such a scheme has been set up to cover losses only
- Risk of public authorities lobby and or pressure.
Some banks have their own scheme for SME and / or they aren’t ready / available to participate to guarantee schemes. This can bring to an overall preliminary / tentative twofold conclusion: to conceive and design strategic alliances between banks and micro credit providers. On the demand side, the entrepreneurs have to organise themselves in a way to overcome the main deficit of the applications for credit, namely the lack of an appropriate collateral security. A debate is welcome.
POLITICS-US: Homeless Vets Play the Waiting Game October 20th, 2007
Dear Editors,
Ever since Bill Clinton took office the military have had the respect of a disposable diaper. In other words to be used and thrown away. To serve in office you must have a real military record. Our leaders have put themselves on a pedestal far above the common people! Take away their health insurance and retirement pay! Give them all term limits! No more draft dodgers and reservists!
A reader
*****
Editor,
I am a Vietnam Vet, who has battling VA Comp Clam for over 30 years. At this time it is still unresolved. Even when applying for my day in court has not been given. I was injured and it’s in my records. Doctors accept this but the VA Administration keeps coming up with excuses. Last information call reviled the claim was waiting medical reports. Now I have become total disable and try and live off some SSD income. I can’t afford medication, let alone rental and the necessary things like electric and heat. If it was not for my mother that I am sure places a hardship on her, I would be sleeping in stets. I live in an area where aliens (Mexicans) drive new cars, have there own homes and can’t speak English. But I who fought for this country live in the sewers while non-Americans live the good life. I know I am not the only one that this is going with and the VA and congress tell me this is normal. I can’t believe they think we are so stupid to believe this.
Visit my Web site: Poetry and other information:
http://www.victorwhitmore.com
Victor Whitmore
USS Navy
*****
Dear Editor,
What’s new my friend? I served in the French Special Forces Airborne in the mid 70’s. Badly injured, today on a disability pension in Australia, a civilian one. The French still say that there is nothing wrong with me, the injury happened but I’m OK. Load of crap really. Still waiting for assistance and a pension some 32 years later. They are all the same, give you medals and crosses, march proudly son, money, what money? What broken body?
Cheers
Wally Lopatinsky
Veteran - Force Recon
French 3rd Parachute Rgt.
Marines
TURKEY: Armenian Ghosts Refuse To Go Away October 19th, 2007
Dear Editors,
The account of Mr. Couvas of the Armenian Genocide is among the most complete and accurate I have read. My father was about 10 years old when he made the forced march through Mesopotamia with his grandmother who died in a concentration camp and he buried her in a ditch. His job was to bury the dead. As soon as he buried her he fled and made his way as an urchin from place to place for several years all the while speaking Turkish helping to disguise his identity. I submitted a column/commentary to IPS news called Equivocation on Armenian Genocide that may have been too hard hitting for mainstream publications. Too bad the mainstream press could not have questioned the impending Iraq war before it began and just as they are now ignoring the new impending war with Iran the repercussions of which may well be catastrophic.
The Iraq War and Crony Democracy
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012407N.shtml and
Lessons in Iran 77-78 http://hnn.us/articles/31401.html
Americans in Iran:
http://www.mindfirerenew.com/issue4fall05/PelifianHenry.html
Animal Park: http://www.swans.com/library/art10/hpelif01.html
Regards,
Henry Pelifian
http://uniskywriter.blogspot.com/
*****
Editors,
Didn’t Hitler get his idea of concentration camps from the formation of Indian reservations, in America. When Mussolini put civilians in camps in North Africa, wasn’t he showing the Nazi how to dispose of unwanted populations. Didn’t Hitler see that other nations did not care when the Turks slaughtered the Armenians. It encouraged Adolph to kill his own un-wanted Germans, the blind, epileptics, retarded, mentally ill, World War One veterans, dwarfs in the hospitals, before he went after the Jews and social democrats, reds, Gypsies etc… didn’t we kill over a million people in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam? Wasn’t that American war also genocide as women and children were killed? Isn’t war a form of mass murder?
Donald Kropp
*****
Dear Editor,
Thank you! You are an excellent writer.
Sako Kojaoghlanian
Simi Valley, CA
*****
Dear Editors,
Please continue to spread the word about the genocide! If turkey keeps denying the genocide and cuts off relationships with countries that do accept it, there must be something they are hiding. Embarrassment can hurt the country’s ego, but the facts are there! Turkey needs to live up their demeaning acts!
Lisa Stefan
*****
Dear Editors,
Armenia staged a war against Georgia? It was Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan was the country that tried to ethnically cleanse the Armenians from Karabagh and other parts of Azerbaijan. Armenia staged a protracted war against neighbouring Georgia in the 1990s and occupied the Nagorno Karabakh province, home of 150,000 Armenians. In retaliation Turkey closed its border with Armenia, a diplomatic status still in effect. Isolation from its western flank has, however, not affected Armenian trade. The country’s gross domestic product per capita is 4,250 dollars, behind Turkey’s (5,400 dollars) but not all that bad by regional standards.
POLITICS: A Half-Million-Dollar Vacation at U.N. Expense October 19th, 2007
Thalif,
This was a great story. You can publish my comments, if you wish.
“Yeah, over the 25-years I ? served in the UN environment I have witnessed or heard of many a UN staffer put on leave while investigations carry out at snail pace. And although you correctly mentioned the additional costs of legal fees, there are the costs of staff time taken up on the investigation, taking time away from solving global issues whether political, poverty or environmental. I think staff should be employed until they are found guilty, if not in their own post, then in another post.
Besides, laying off? UN staff suspect of wrong doing, the UN organizations also lay off hundreds of staff putting them on leave with full pay just because a supervisor is intellectually challenged by the subordinate or the supervisor? Wants the staffer out of the way for no reason whatsoever. In the scheme of all this, money is doled? Out on full pay, staff sit idle at home, and additional money is spent to employ others to do the work of the laid-off staff. Ineffective supervisors are costing the UN organizations a whole lot of money.
AUSTRALIA: Activists Slam Neo-Colonialism in the Pacific October 18th, 2007
Kia Ora,
I would like to comment on this article. I too spoke at the same session, and was interviewed by your reporter, but it seems the views of an Indigenous Pacific women on the Pacific are not deemed to be important to your news.
“Revolutionary movement and opposition to state power, in the defence of truth is at the heart of anti-imperial struggle. Frantz Fanon wrote, ‘’You do not show proof of your nation from its culture… you substantiate its existence in the fight which the people wage against the forces of occupation. No colonial system draws its justification from the fact that the territories it dominates are culturally non-extant. “Struggle then is the signal of an oppressed peoples still beating heart in a colonial situation. Action is the life sign of peoples who existence is officially denied… we must fight for what is precious to us, or it will be stolen away and used for someone else’s enjoyment, Fight, not Talk.”
POLITICS-US: Ties With Turkey Dodge One Bullet October 18th, 2007
Dear Editors,
There is an insurmountable problem with H. Res. 106. Congress got the dates wrong, which effectively makes the Resolution an affront to the sovereign boundaries of the Republic of Turkey. Please see below for elaboration. It’s unclear if the Resolution’s drafters did this unwittingly or intentionally. In any event, the incorrect date renders incorrect all representations from members of Congress that this is about the Ottoman and not today’s Republic of Turkey. Is it a wonder they were outraged?
HEALTH: Maternal Mortality Shames Superpower U.S. October 18th, 2007
Dear Editor and also Haider Rizvi,
Thank you for the excellent article on maternal mortality.
This of course is only one measure of what is happening. To get right to the point, my colleagues are delivering babies in a perfectly outrageous way. They are interfering far too much with a normal process which women have been successfully doing by themselves for millions of years, literally. And by so doing, they prevent women from becoming empowered by their births, which nature has made a part of the process so they will have the will to successfully raise their children.
The evidence for this is that midwife statistics are better than those of Ob’s, and yet the latter are trying to force midwives out of practice in America, for the money, of course.
To see what I am talking about, please see the masterpiece DVD, Birth As We Know It, by Elena Tonetti -Vladimirova. Several doctors have thanked her for showing them for the first time what a normal birth looks like. This DVD has the answer to maternal mortality, and also to bringing a next generation into this world that is capable of being more truly human than our present generation, born with a 95% chance of unnecessary birth trauma. (A massive amount of research documents that birth trauma causes behavioral problems that parents have to deal with all their lives.)
So please watch this DVD and consider writing a story on it.
Thank you.
George C Denniston
MD MPH (Harvard)
United States
*****
Dear Editors,
In relation to your maternal mortality article. The article seems to make several political points, rather than medical ones, without evidence to support the statements. Yes, the US has a higher maternal mortality rate than many other countries. Why is that? Well there are many factors. The US has a non-homogeneous population, unlike many western European or Asian countries. The US has a higher risk population, obesity, one of the factors increasing maternal mortality is rampant in the US. Also in the US advanced maternal age is a factor. In answer to the assertion that there is “racial disparity”, and that blacks are “4 times more vulnerable than whites”, well the birth rate amongst blacks and other minorities is significantly higher than the birth rates among whites. More births, more risk of birth related mortality, don’t you think? It is not simply a matter of lack of health insurance. Canada with it’s socialized medical system is now sending mothers with high risk pregnancies to deliver in the US. Women need to be somewhat responsible for part of their care. There is No excuse for being obese, taking drugs i.e. crack, heroin, or not seeking prenatal care. Prenatal care is readily available in the US, and is not expensive. Socialized health care is not necessary to receive pre natal care. Many mothers simply choose to spend money on cell phones, camcorders, cars, rather than health care.
RIGHTS: African Maids Face Abuse in Lebanon October 17th, 2007
Dear Editors,
Look at the fait of maids in Kuwait - believe me, its far worse then Lebanon! They are beaten raped and starved regularly and if they become pregnant or difficult, the usual solution is to throw them off the roof to their death and then claim they committed suicide. Kuwaitis can practically get away with murder as the society is so small and everyone has ‘Wasta’ / influential friends who can get them off.
I am an employer of a maid and I treat her with the respect and dignity she deserves, but the agency that supplied her did not and encourages people to treat maids badly and pay them a pittance in order to maintain discipline! I pay double the salary set by the agency of KD45 a month and I provide all clothing, healthcare etc. many kids have to pay rent from their merge pay to their employer!
Its inhuman!
Claire Verdonk
*****
Dear People:
Is anything being done to assist these women? My heart goes out to them. This is a deplorable and egregious state of affairs, and it reflects very badly on the citizens of Lebanon who take on these young women and then abuse and denigrate them. Shame on those people! Please realize that I, as a Canadian, know that our track record regarding the rights of indigenous people in this country leaves a great deal to be desired. But: no one deserves to be treated as though he/she (and it’s usually a ’she’!) Is a personal slave, to be used up and then thrown away! Am I angry by this? You bet! Thank-you for reading this, and allowing me to vent.
RIGHTS-ARGENTINA: Priest’s Life Sentence Draws Widespread Praie October 16th, 2007
Dear Editors,
There is an important fact that is missing from your news story about Roman Catholic priest Christian Von Wernich. Is he a secular priest, or does he belong to a militant order, like the Jesuits? I believe that this is an important fact that needs to be known, and will be useful for my continuing historical research.
ASIA-PACIFIC: MDGs Progress Unknown for Lack of Data October 16th, 2007
Dear Editors,
A couple of weeks ago there was a meeting in Manila on the subject of MDGs in conjunction with the annual Philippines Statistical Association meeting. On one day, there were many progress reports presented by heads of national statistical agencies charged with MDG data collection and analysis. The progress is not “unknown”. Hard statistics are available and probably can be found online via the UN. Another whole day was devoted to the problem of data gaps and what to do about them.
It’s not easy to summarize this material. There are diverse reasons for inadequate data - the cost and logistics of doing surveys are obvious ones. Less well known, for example, is the fact that India has its own development goals that do not always mesh with the MDGs. The single most difficult statistic to collect appears to be the one concerning maternal health.
The so-called developed countries have failed to meet a commitment to contribute .07% of their money to help. That’s something you might consider researching further.
Best wishes,
Jim Sattler
Philippines
*****
Hello, and thanks for that information.
The challenge of measuring and monitoring the achievement of the MDGs, however, has also to be related to the overall question if the MDG can be really used as the right tools to ‘improve living conditions’. There is a concern of ‘watering’ the MDGs, and some industries are certainly contributing with some ‘green washing’ practices to such ‘watering'’… It is essential that the MDGs must be broken down/translated to an individual and/or small business level. There has been a program of UN Habitat in the Philippines trying to do so, quite successful, although on a small scale. But, for instance, looking at the Tourism Industry, the UNWTO only focuses on MDG 1 (Poverty) but does not work towards the other goals which are equally important, and most of them are certainly in reach for tourism as a multi-facetted sector whose importance in ‘development’ in increasingly acknowledged… If you are aware of any further discussions about this issue, i.e. MDGs and Tourism, I would appreciate if we could exchange ideas and information further.
With best regards,
Julia Schonharl
Program Coordinator / Communications
ECOT - www.ecotonline.org
THAILAND
RIGHTS-COLOMBIA: Defying Threats, Thousands Take to the Streets October 14th, 2007
Dear Editors,
It is time the world took a good look at what is really going on with all the instability.
Thank you for being so brave on letting us know. This is just one example on how the corporation is taking away our humanity.
CORRUPTION: Dirty Business Arises in Top European Companies October 14th, 2007
Dear Editors,
As insider trading is one of the ways the Bush dynasty has made itself so wealthy, can we expect anything else from the really big corporations? I think not, they are part of governments now all over the world and the politicians who are supposed to represent the people who elect them are increasingly making huge amounts of money by doing favours for them.
We have corrupt government in America and this is being emulated worldwide.
What will happen when enough people worldwide finally have enough of these parasites?
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