Brits were determined to take annual summer holiday despite the economic climate

Thursday, October 29, 2009. Source: Daily Travel News Whilst Brits may have left it to the last minute to book, it appears the annual summer holiday is here to stay in spite of the current economic climate, according to the latest American Express Global Foreign Exchange Services Currency Index.

Brits were not prepared to forgo their sunshine ‘hit’ Terry Perrin, Director of Trading & Business Development at American Express Global Foreign Exchange Services explains: “Currency sales in the third quarter of this year (July – September 2009), remain on par with previous years, suggesting that despite the tightening of purse strings up and down the country, Brits were just not prepared to forgo their annual summer holiday.

“Undoubtedly the much published no-show ‘barbeque summer’ also helped fuel the trend in last minute bookings and currency sales towards the end of the season.” Turkey and Egypt continue to attract Brits with guaranteed sun and inclusive packages.

“We continued to see significant year-on-year volume increases in currencies for destinations such as Turkey and Egypt, by as much as 26% and 60% (respectively), as holidaymakers looked to destinations that offer guaranteed sunshine and value for money.” 

American Express Global Foreign Exchange Service predicts that Turkey and Egypt will continue to be hotspots in 2010 with holiday makers enticed by an abundance of all inclusive package deals and the opportunity to make their pennies go further outside the Eurozone.

Holidaymakers are still racking up their ‘long-haul air miles’ UK demand for currencies to long-haul destinations such as Mexico, Thailand, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica have also increased year-on-year and follow the trend seen in Q2 that holidaymakers are prepared to travel long-haul and outside the Eurozone for value for money destinations.

These findings go hand-in-hand with the decline in demand for currencies linked to traditional mini-break destinations such as the Czech Republic Koruna (Prague), which has fallen five places since Q3 2008 and the Polish Zloty (Krakow), which has fallen by two places. This suggests that many holidaymakers are still opting for more premium holiday destinations but reigning in their overall annual spend by going without mini-breaks.

The South African Rand set to ‘shine’ in 2010
Another ‘long-haul’ currency that has increased in popularity since 2008 is the South African Rand. Perrin said: “Whilst the South African Rand has only risen up the American Express league table by one place since 2008, it is certainly moving in the right direction. With South Africa being the host to the much anticipated 2010 World Cup, we expect its currency to be a significant ‘mover’ in Q1 and Q2 of 2010, with sizeable volume increases.”

Demand for the United Arab Emirates Dirham has also risen by one place since 2008, the only typical longer-haul ‘mini-break’ currency to increase, proving that Brits’ fascination with Dubai is set to continue.

Properties for sale in Egypt:-

* Pyramids Beach Hurghada – Beach front development

*Studio Apartments Luxor

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* Sinai Golf Heights, Nabq Bay, Sharm El Sheikh

* Pyramisa Hotel & Resort Sharks Bay, Sharm El Sheikh

* Savanna – Sharks Bay, Sharm El Sheikh

Property & Land for sale in Dominican Republic

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Write Yourself Into Your Customers Memory

As the rebound continues in the economy there is no better time to get your organization’s name into the hands of your clients and potential customers.  Rather than printing out traditional catalogs or sending expensive mailings across the country or the globe try utilizing a USB memory device.  With an ever-expanding capacity and in many cases features these devices are a wise choice for holiday gifts or employee recognition year-round.  There are a couple of considerations which we will discuss later on that may apply to your clients.

A new player on the scene the Jetson USB Flash Drive V2.0 2GB is a pretty basic USB device that offers a large imprint area, extensive storage capacity and a sleek profile that make it easy to carry.  It is compatible with the latest operating systems and can be paired with a lanyard.  Basic devices such as this one appeal to a wide audience and for the most part prices are down from a few years ago.  For those looking for more the Dual Function Laser Pointer USB Memory Pen V 2.0 2GB combines the benefits of a fast storage device with a laser pointer that can reach a significant distance from the point of origin.  Please keep in mind any unit with a laser pointer should only be used by those that understand the laser portion can do potential damage if aimed at the eyes.  In most cases the pen portions will take off the shelf replacements.  These combination pieces have been around for a few years and continue to be tremendously popular especially amongst the executive clients.  To extend along this line further a premier brand is available, the Cutter & Buck American Classic USB Pen 1GB carries a lot of prestige as it comes in the branded box and is made of solid brass.  Solid brass has the advantage of providing a more consistent feel and ease of writing over plastic pens.   If you are looking for a more basic option but one that is on the leading edge of the available technology the Credit USB Flash Drive V 2.0 2GB offers the same large storage but will fit in about any wallet.  This is important because it can be given with a complimentary gift item such as a wallet or briefcase. 

Some organizations place restrictions on what employees may bring onto the premises.  If your potential client is one of these organizations obviously memory devices will not work as a promotion.  Plan accordingly but overall these are great items that appeal to the masses.  Much like the ideas discussed in emerging from a recession there are many ways in which you can begin planning towards a better economy in the months ahead.  As the economic data today indicated the overall economic situation is at the very least stabilizing and more than likely improving.  As the effects of the stimulus begin to wear off the distorted growth of the last quarter will subside but the lasting effect is that it helped to change the momentum towards the positive.  Underlying this all is the need for a strong holiday season which is yet to be determined.

Global Communicators, Opportunities In US Market

I am in the process of reworking materials that I wrote for a class on international or global public relations and have been thinking a lot about how to approach this subject with students who may never live abroad.

It appears I am not alone. This topic seems to be in the news often as one of the principal issues in PR. One side that is sometimes overlooked is that there are plenty of global communications opportunities right here in America. Spain’s Prisa group, their biggest media company and owner of El Pais, is “planning an assault on the US Hispanic media market,” according to an article in the Financial Times. Currently the market is dominated by Univision and Telemundo and is experiencing “double digit growth.”

I read a statistic yesterday that one in four voters in New York City is Hispanic. That means that the Spanish language newspapers can potentially speak to 1/4 of New York City’s population, a huge chunk of the market. Positioning your company for placement in these outlets is a challenge just as it would be if you were trying to do PR in Spain, Central or South America.

Your target audience has specific needs as well as a host of cultural traditions and issues that must be taken into consideration when making your pitch not to mention potential language barriers and cultural gaffes to avoid.

This is true in any of the global media outlets that one deals with. These outlets may have different deadlines as well. Perhaps they await news from Countries in different time zones before publishing the news or perhaps they have headquarters abroad.

This is just a small example of one global communications opportunity. While the Hispanic media market is a huge one there are many smaller communities which each have papers and websites that reach out to specific groups.

None of these outlets should be overlooked if you are working for a global company or if you are starting out and want to get experience in “global communications.” Global no longer means that you must travel. You can also spice up a local position and garner many new customers in untapped markets right here in New York City.

The Sentinel

I stepped outside into the night and it swished about five feet above my head gliding to the black tilled soil of my garden.

I was barely able to make out its shape as it stood there, staring at me.  I could see the reflection of the doorway light behind me in its eyes.

We stared at each other for a while until it was time for me to go inside.

The owl was back.  I hadn’t seen it in about a year, and there he stood, just watching and waiting for prey, like a sentinel.

We never know who and what is watching us do we?   Could be anything from a mouse to an owl or any of a number of life forms.

We know people watch us all the time with cameras.

With all this watching going on, is anybody really doing anything?

Maybe that is why our economy is going down the tubes, too many sentinels, not enough workers.

Don't miss Great Depression documentary tonight

A year ago, if my channel surfing habits had led me to a documentary about the Great Depression, I probably would have kept my finger on the clicker. At that point it seemed no one knew for sure if our country was heading into another depression. I’m not sure I could have forced myself to watch what could have been a glimpse into how miserable life may be over the next year — or even a whole decade. Talk about a downer. (Sure enough, moviegoers flocked to comedies during those months of doom and gloom.)

Yet twelve months later, perhaps armed with a new confidence that our economy is crawling back to safety, viewers have another opportunity to gain a better understanding of the events that unfolded during the Depression. Tonight PBS kicks off the first of a five-part documentary series The 1930s. The show this evening focuses on the 1929 crash. Executive producer Mark Samels told USA Today that learning about this time period in our country will help viewers understand the current financial crisis, as well as the recovery process.

Tune in tonight, 9PM on most PBS stations, for a little insight. No Prozac necessary. Click here to learn more about the show.

Q&A: Samson Dada talks to Nick Clegg

What does Nick Clegg plan to read this summer?

I’ve got a few books in my suitcase. I’ve got Gilead by Margaret Robinson that lots of family and friends have recommended. A bit of political reading too – The Spirit Level by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett. And I’m hoping to get the chance to re-read The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa, one of my favourite books of all time.

Do you think England can regain the Ashes?

The less said about Headingley the better, but I still believe that the team that played so well earlier this summer can regain the Ashes at the Oval. Having Freddie Flintoff back in the team will certainly help!

Apart from Vince Cable, who likes to dance in your cabinet?

I’ve seen a few of them shaking their stuff on the dance floor at party conference!

Will you be committing the party to any new policies at the Liberal Democrat conference?

It’s a democratic forum, and I can’t be certain what will or won’t be voted through – but I hope we’ll be passing a lot of important new policies. We’ll be looking at ways to protect consumers from greedy banks and businesses, at generating electricity from tidal energy and at protecting our civil liberties. There will also be policies on stopping MPs abusing their expenses, improving our rail network and better supporting our armed forces.

In no more than 140 characters, what are your thoughts on MPs who ‘tweet’ during sessions in the House of Commons?

Prefer to concentrate on the debate. Twitter better when you’re out and about. Parliament’s on TV if people want to know what’s happening.

Was there a period and any issues during the year when you thought “Yes, my party was at its highest point”?

Actually, I feel more than ever that we’re continuing on the way up. There have been highlights in the last few months – winning citizenship rights for the Gurkhas, standing up against the abuse of expenses, speaking out for our troops in Afghanistan. At every step, more and more people are seeing something in the Liberal Democrats they believe in, and supporting us. And I see that trend continuing all through the year until the General Election.

What is your response to Gordon Brown’s continued mantra in PMQs that the Liberal Democrats have no policy for jobs, no policy for growth and no policy for housing.” Is this the case and is the Prime Minister telling the truth when he says this?

The Liberal Democrats are the only party with a clear plan to get British people back to work, rebuild the economy and build the homes people need – because we’re the only ones ready to do things differently, moving away from the mistakes that got us into this mess. We want an economy that’s not just centred in London and financial services, but strong throughout the country. And we want to build growth and jobs out of going green, so we can stop dangerous climate change.

Out of Labour and the Conservatives, which party is closer to the ideals and values of the Liberal Democrats?

I think they’re closer to each other! Both are fundamentally parties of the establishment who won’t change anything fundamental about the way our country works and that’s why nothing ever really changes when they’re in government. Liberal Democrats are different – we want a fresh start, a better way of doing things and an end to the same old mistakes.

Why are the Liberal Democrats opposed to renewing Trident when this will send people to work? Fewer people will be on unemployment benefits are less likely to suffer from mental health illnesses such as depression that your party have highlighted as being one of the effects of the recession on the unemployed.

We do not need the comprehensive Trident nuclear weapons system to protect Britain – and at a cost of up to £100bn, it is far too expensive for our needs. The government should make strategic defence decisions on the basis of protecting the country, not to make jobs for people. A far better way to create jobs for unemployed people is to invest in building new homes and renewable energy, so that we can build a new, green economy. That’s a better and more sustainable solution.

Do you believe we will still be in Afghanistan in 10, 15 or 20 years?

We could be if we don’t sort out the political strategy for building up the Afghan government, police and army. That’s why I’ve been so outspoken in arguing for better coordination between international forces, governments and aid agencies, so that the work our troops do leads to long-lasting peace. If we are to stop Afghanistan from being a haven for terrorism and drug traffickers, all nations need to work together.

Do you get a lot of young people visiting your surgeries?

I get a whole mix of people with all sorts of questions and problems. It’s a great way to really keep in touch with what matters to people, and often help get their issues sorted out, too. Sheffield has two big universities, so I often meet a lot of students locally, in particular.

Many teenagers, including me will be voting for the first time, in a general election that carries huge importance for the future of this country? How can Nick Clegg ‘get down with the kids’?

I’m in my early 40s, and I don’t think it’s any use pretending otherwise. And I think it’s pretty patronising to teenagers when politicians or whoever try to be ‘cool’, as if teenagers don’t have the intellect or capacity to engage with them on adult terms. I spend a lot of time out and about in the country, and my favourite thing to do is hold an open forum meeting where people can ask me any question they like. Some of the best discussions have been when we’ve done these public meetings at schools or colleges and got young people along. It’s corny to say, but young people are the country’s future and I think engaging with them is one of the most important things I can do – and that means taking people seriously, not trying to be “down with the kids!”

Mozilla, Microsoft and undercover wars

Ron Schenone at Lockergnome writes an article telling us that Mozilla is blocking some .NET extension and Microosft is trying to reinstall them (ful article at http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2009/10/20/mozilla-blocks-net-framework-from-microsoft-because-of-security-vulnerability/).

Seems to me that we (intended as users at different degrres of skills) are the playground of some kids trying to disturb each other.

While I understand commercial means of this move, doesn’t seem to me it’s a fair way to play.

And at least is not serious.

This comment as a post also at http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2009/10/20/mozilla-blocks-net-framework-from-microsoft-because-of-security-vulnerability/#comment-193509

They Can’t Push Us Around Forever

State Rep. Susan Lynn
Tenth Amendment Center
October 22, 2009

We send greetings from the Tennessee General Assembly. On June 23, 2009, House Joint Resolution 108, the State Sovereignty Resolution, was signed by Governor Phil Bredesen. The Resolution created a committee which has as its charge to:

• Communicate the resolution to the legislatures of the several states,

• Assure them that this State continues in the same esteem of their friendship,

• Call for a joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government, and

• Seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates.

It is for those purposes that this letter addresses your honorable body.

In 1776, our founding fathers declared our freedom in the magnificent Declaration of Independence; our guide to governance. They established a nation of free and independent states. Declaring that the purpose of our political system is to secure for its citizens’ their natural rights. The Constitution authorizes the national government to carry out seventeen enumerated powers in Article 1, Section 8 and the powers of several of the ensuing amendments.

At the time of the Constitutional ratification process James Madison drafted the “Virginia Plan” to give Congress general legislative authority and to empower the national judiciary to hear any case that might cause friction among the states, to give the congress a veto over state laws, to empower the national government to use the military against the states, and to eliminate the states’ accustomed role in selecting members of Congress. Each one of these proposals was soundly defeated. In fact, Madison made many more attempts to authorize a national veto over state laws, and these were repeatedly defeated as well.

There are clear limits to the power of the federal government and clear realms of power for the states. However, the simple and clear expression of purpose, to secure our natural rights, has evolved into the modern expectation that the national government has an obligation to ensure our life, to create our liberty, and fund our pursuit of happiness.

The national government has become a complex system of programs whose purposes lie outside of the responsibilities of the enumerated powers and of securing our natural rights; programs that benefit some while others must pay.

Today, the federal government seeks to control the salaries of those employed by private business, to change the provisions of private of contracts, to nationalize banks, insurers and auto manufacturers, and to dictate to every person in the land what his or her medical choices will be.

Forcing property from employers to provide healthcare, legislating what individuals are and are not entitled to, and using the labor of some so that others can receive money that they did not earn goes far beyond securing natural rights, and the enumerated powers in the Constitution.

The role of our American government has been blurred, bent, and breached. The rights endowed to us by our creator must be restored.

To be sure, the People created the federal government to be their agent for certain enumerated purposes only. The Constitutional ratifying structure was created so it would be clear that it was the People, and not the States, that were doing the ratifying.

The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that which has been delegated by the people to the federal government, and also that which is absolutely necessary to advancing those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States. The rest is to be handled by the state governments, or locally, by the people themselves.

The Constitution does not include a congressional power to override state laws. It does not give the judicial branch unlimited jurisdiction over all matters. It does not provide Congress with the power to legislate over everything. This is verified by the simple fact that attempts to make these principles part of the Constitution were soundly rejected by its signers.

With this in mind, any federal attempt to legislate beyond the Constitutional limits of Congress’ authority is a usurpation of state sovereignty – and unconstitutional.

Governments and political leaders are best held accountable to the will of the people when government is local. The people of a state know what is best for them; authorities, potentially thousands of miles away, governing their lives is opposed to the very notion of freedom.

We invite your state to join with us to form a joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government and to seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates.

Greece in ECOFIN: Adding Numbers Up

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Minister of Finance George Papaconstantinou participated at the European Council Economic and Financial Affairs meeting in Luxemburg (October 19-20).  The minister acknowledged that the budget deficit for 2009 will creep up to 12.5% of GDP, a figure which has been also confirmed by the Bank of Greece.  One third of this significant increase can be attributed to the economic crisis – GDP contracted by 1.5%, investment dropped by 20%, tourism by 15% and shipping revenue by 20%.  The rest can be equally attributed to expenditure excesses, as well as the revision of the way by which the deficit is measured.  Papaconstantinou is ready to negotiate a three-year extension for deficit curbing with the possibility of a further one-year extension.  “The first step is to decrease the deficit to a single digit figure” for 2010, said the minister. The government has pledged to present the Commission with a revised three-year Stability and Growth Programme (2008-2011).Thirteen out of sixteen countries of the eurozone will be put under EU deficit supervision. The European Commission estimates that public finances for all eurozone members will begin to recover by 2011 at the latest.  European Commission: Driving the European Recovery 

Essence of Creativity

You can be creative in your prospecting, store décor, employee attire, methods of gaining free publicity, and many other ways. If you train yourself to think that the opposite of creativity is mediocrity whenever you engage in marketing, you’ll start forcing yourself to use marketing tools in the most creative manner possible.

Creativity starts with knowledge. You need knowledge of your own product or service, knowledge of your competition, knowledge of your target audience, knowledge of your marketing area, knowledge of the economy, knowledge of current events, and knowledge of the trends of the time. From this knowledge, you’ll not only develop a creative  marketing program but you’ll also be able to produce creative marketing materials.

Armed with all the knowledge, you’re able to do what many people define as the essence of creativity. You can combine two or more elements that have never before been combined.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Lectures, Line of Sight

Hasbro quarterly profit rises

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Hasbro Inc (HAS.N) reported a higher quarterly profit on Monday, boosted by demand for toys related to movies.

The world's No. 2 toymaker behind Mattel Inc (MAT.O), known for its Transformers and Playskool brands, said third-quarter net profit rose to $150.4 million, or 99 cents a share, from $138 guaranteed payday loans.2 million, or 89 cents a share, a year earlier.

Net revenue was $1.28 billion, down from $1.30 billion a year earlier.

(Reporting by Martinne Geller; Editing by Derek Caney)

Hasbro quarterly profit rises

President Obama Discusses Home Buyer Tax Credit Extension With Congressional Leaders In The Oval Office

According to the National Association of Home Builders, The New York Times disclosed that President Obama discussed extending the Home Buyer Tax Credit in an October 7, 2009 Oval Office meeting with Democratic congressional leaders. Attending the meeting were Senator Harry Reid (Nevada), Senate Majority Leader, and Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi (California).

Congressional aides said that a tax credit extension is an option to stimulate the economy and create jobs, and that extending the credit beyond first-time home buyers is under consideration.

The Wall Street Rebound

Alan Greenspan carries a lot of the blame for last year’s economic collapse. He fought and stopped the Commodities Future Trading Commission from regulating the eventually $600 trillion dollar derivatives market. There was a good article in the Washington Post on the subject:

“In private meetings and public speeches, Greenspan also argued a free-market view. Self-regulation, he asserted, would work better than the heavy hand of government: Investors had a natural desire to avoid self-destruction, and that served as the logical and best limit to excessive risk. Besides, derivatives had become a huge U.S. business, and burdensome rules would drive the market overseas.”

There was also a mountain of banking deregulation that compiled during the almost 20years of his watch as Chairman of the Federal Reserve.  Banks were given the ability to shop for their own private regulators, and allowed to consolidate with securities firms and insurance companies into massive conglomerates.  There is an extremely strong case to question the libertarian approach to the economy that he endorsed and nurtured during his tenure.

I’m no socialist – I believe in the inherent value of competitive capitalist markets.  But I also believe that capitalistic institutions do not inherently act in their own long-term self-interest.  And if you’re totally rational like me (chuckle chuckle) you should be supporting Obama’s regulation reform.

I also supported the economic stimulus. The only way to restore confidence in those failing financial institutions was to back them by the government.  Letting them collapse just would have been far too destructive.  A real cut off the nose to spite the face kinda move.  It was also the only way to make them accountable for their roles in the collapse, though even with direct government oversight this is proving very difficult.  Obama and Timmy G can’t even  reel-in the executive bonuses.  Instead of ‘bonuses’, they should call them ‘guaranteed completely unrelated to performance end of year pay.’  I find it funny though, that Republicans don’t seem to realize how much the stimulus package got cut down from its initial form.  My favorite financial columnist, and Economics Nobel winner, Paul Krugman wanted a much larger package, with the assimilation of rescued institutions into some sort of controlling government body.  But efforts from GOP senators and representatives managed to strip stimulus money away from all sorts of things including public education!  They wouldn’t even let Obama subsidize building schools.

But what am I rambling about?  AH YES! the Dow made it over 10,000!  It’s somehow managed to jump up %53 since March.  What the hell does this mean?  Is the economy saved?  Has the ship been righted?

According to the analysts I trust, the answer is a resounding “No”.

Robert Reich contributed this to the conversation:

this is all temporary fluff, folks. Anyone who hasn’t learned by now that there’s almost no relationship between the Dow and the real economy deserves to lose his or her shirt in the Wall Street casino.

…With such horrid employment numbers, Wall Street figures the Fed will keep interest rates low for some time, and continue to flood the economy with money. That’s good news for the Street because it means money stays cheap — and with cheap money the Street can make lots of bets on almost everything under the sun and moon. As a result, the Street’s earnings are way up. But this, too, is temporary. At some point the Fed is going to worry about inflation and a falling dollar.

There have been a few financial watchdogs claiming that their numbers show that we’ve turned the corner.  But Krugman is quick to shoot down the hope.

in a zero-interest rate world — the three-month rate was .066% last I looked — especially one that’s suffered from a collapse of the shadow banking system, conventional indicators don’t mean what they usually mean. Increases in the monetary base aren’t especially expansionary. The yield curve more or less has to slope up, even if no recovery is expected.

So let’s recap.
First I rambled about my vague, still in the early-stages of educated, economic opinions.
Second I put a few links to intelligent people’s blogs who are eager buzz-kills on all this wall street hoopla.

-Dick Harvey

Get Ready for IT: Rodarte does Target

It’s a given that Rodarte is known for its eclectic & cool fashions. Although I’ve wanted every piece since their first collection, my budget doesn’t really agree with me. It was GREAT news when I read that Kate and Laura Mulleavy are Target’s new best friend for its “GO”series! This December our closets might just be filled with animal print dresses & mustard yellow cardigans.Why? Because items won’t go over $80!

Would you wear any of these?

I’m aiming for that yellow cardigan.

Reflection 151: Error Signals

(Copyright © 2009)

Looking at the world, as each of us does, through her own eyes, we see that world in reference to the uniqueness of our personal makeup and experience. My senses embody my particular history of life events, as your senses embody yours. These personal histories include our formative development, birth order, sex, class, education, temperament, political leanings, and the host of other influences that make us who we are.  Other people inhabit other worlds from ourselves, privileged by nature to exercise their unique sensibilities, often presenting themselves in ways that seem strange from our point of view. Sometimes, without knowing, we feel alienated from such other worlds because they strike us as being so foreign to our own.

When others conduct themselves in ways we would not conduct ourselves, we register the disparity as a strong sense of discomfort. That sense serves as a kind of error signal warning us we are out of our native element and approaching the limit of personal tolerance. Appropriate action being the desired outcome of any act of consciousness, we consider how we might improve the situation. Do we respond to what we take to be an insult with humor? Do we laugh it off, jeer, display hostility and aggression, seek sanctuary, or give way and, thinking we might learn something, pay attention while the others do their thing?

In truth, we have a great many options, but often resort to habitual modes of behavior for dealing with situations we take to be threatening. That way, we don’t waste any time thinking things through, but respond spontaneously as if the signals we take as insults were intentionally meant to inflict harm.

“You lie!” we shout, or “That’s stupid!” “Death panels!” “Killing Granny!” “Infidel.” If armed, we might shoot from the hip. The point is to take control of the situation by intimidating those we bother ourselves about. “Shock and awe!” was Rumsfeld’s battle cry in Iraq, as if mighty Ozymandias had shouted from the grave. “Let ‘em come!” said his boss, the same man who recited the phrase “axis of evil” from his Tele-Prompter.

Enmity is a cheap substitute for extending consciousness to embrace others who make themselves happen differently than we do. Particularly when affront is taken at, say, differences of dress, accent, sex, or religion. Distinctions interpreted as threats cause havoc, not righteousness. They can lead to attitudes of superiority over lesser beings, to put-downs, intolerance, bullying, armed conflicts, holocausts, colonial domination, and political strife.

Often envy, one of the seven transgreFigure-Ground, ssions formerly punishable by death, is at the root of such hostile behaviors. If they have what I want, I am justified in despising them, I tell myself as I blame others for frustrating my ambitions. Native Americans were in the way of European settlers, so were dispensable. The same for Aboriginal peoples in Australia, Palestinians in the so-called Holy Land, Obama in the White House through the eyes of those who choose to feel threatened by his right to hold office. It’s a figure-ground kind of thing.

We are prone to laying our assumptions and preferences—our personal values—on others as if they were obligated to act in our self-interest and not their own. This leads to domination, a sort of colonialism of the mind by which we impose our values on others as self-evident truths for the greater good (as seen from our personal perspective). This great game of as if causes more trouble in the world than almost any other aspect of consciousness. Think of the violence committed against children, wives, members of the true church, and other inferiors in the name of paternalism, the grand pretention that Father (or Husband) Knows Best. A great many advertising claims fall into this category, which confounds consumer interests with those of dealers and manufacturers. Such corporate or commercial takeovers of consumer consciousness are rampant in our way of economic thinking.

Consciousness is our greatest asset in dealing with challenges presented by the worlds we inhabit; that is, as long as it is managed by its rightful owner. Surrendering consciousness to those who covet it for their advantage amounts to resource extraction like mountain-top coal mining, clearcutting extensive forest ecosystems, or mining the wealth (formerly known as fish and sea mammals) of the world’s oceans. Our current economy is based on invading, subverting, and capitalizing on the consciousness of a gullible public. Minds are extracted every day for profit: that’s what capitalism amounts to: the coercive transfer of assets from those who have less in order that others can have all the more.

Being swayed to misinterpret the disparity between our expectations and what actually happens leads to the erosion of personal consciousness for the sake of getting along with groups of others characteristically more aggressive than ourselves. Self-realization (what I call “making ourselves happen”) by others’ rules is a brute distortion of the most fundamental principles of evolution and survival, which concern the well-being of individual persons, not institutions or corporate bodies. As Jeff Madrick reports in The Nation (August 31/September 7, 2009) regarding a study of Harvard College grads from the early 70s, 80s, and 90s of the last century:

Many more college grads have entered finance since the early 1970s than in previous years. That’s no surprise. But the premium they earned over their peers in other fields was enormous. Katz and Goldin found that the grads in finance made, on average, almost 200 percent more (“Money for Nothing,” page 6).

Of course the reckoning came later—with the financial collapse in the fall of 2008—but the young financiers had made a killing in the meantime, and their corporate bosses are still making a killing many times over. In our society, we consider them the smart ones. The ones we admire and would emulate if we could. They are emissaries of capitalism who mine the conscious minds of the rest of us as so many natural resources to be exploited for personal gain.

The disparity in wealth in the world represents a disparity in consciousness between those content with sufficiency and those who lust for more. The smart money capitalizes on that disparity, as mortgage grantors capitalized on the vulnerability of mortgagees struggling to pay their bills, widening the gap on their own behalf rather than equalizing distribution of Earth’s limited resources—always the anonymous standard backing any currency you can name.

The root of the problem lies in the gap between our conscious expectations and the hands we are dealt by the movers and shakers of our society who deliberately squeeze us to gain as big a survival edge for themselves as they can. When Joe Wilson shouted “You lie!” as President Obama was pushing his healthcare plan, it was the disparity between his party’s power and the president’s that made him do it. He never considered that his party’s fate had anything to do with chronic overreaching by Bush-Rove-Cheney, et al. who perversely plumped their slim hold on power into a mandate. The gap is in the eye of the beholder, who funds it with his personal brand of meaning—as long as it is to his personal advantage.

Such are the frailties of consciousness. The simple remedy is to wonder, when confronted by a gap between expectation and fulfillment, “Am I being unrealistic and it isn’t their fault at all?” Blame casting is our national sport, driven by our desires more than any realistic assessment of our performance. But my guess is that it is more likely that nine times out of ten, we have surrendered responsibility for our own behavior in order to find fault with some fall guy in order to cut him down to our size.

Envy used to be deemed a capital offense; maybe we should revisit that discussion. Or at least treat the defamed and exploited as innocent until proven guilty. As I said, it’s a figure-ground thing.

 

Texas heavy industries worry about EPA crackdown

By Bob L : NEWS AS I SEE IT!

These environmentalists don’t know when to back off, they just keep pushing until they end up closing companies down, they don’t care how many they put out of work, I worked for one of though companies that were shut down know matter how much they did to improve on the plant, the last straw was when they told them that they had to build a dome over the plant, this is how far they will go to get what they want, even though the company did what they were asked to do. If they want you out you mite just as well save your money and close your doors.
_________________________________________________________
By JOHN McFARLAND, Associated Press Writer – Wed Oct 14,DALLAS – For 15 years, environmentalists have complained that state regulations have allowed the powerful oil and chemical industries to skirt Clean Air Act standards in Texas, the nation’s foremost producer of industrial air pollution.

But the Environmental Protection Agency last month scrapped several aspects of the state’s air-pollution permitting program, including “flexible” permits that have allowed about 140 plants and refineries to exceed toxic emissions limits in the short term as long as they complied to overall federal averages in the long term.

Federal regulators say the move, set to take effect next year, is designed to cut toxic emissions and bring Texas in line with the Clean Air Act. And environmental groups say it will help improve the state’s ecology and the health of Texans and those living nearby.

Industry groups, however, warn that getting rid of the state program in favor of more rigid standards will hurt industries crucial to the Texas economy, and that the costs of compliance may hit consumers.

“If there is a cost associated with it, it is very likely that it could cost the consumer more,” said Debbie Hastings, vice president for environmental affairs for the Texas Oil And Gas Association, whose members provide about 25 percent of the nation’s gasoline supply and include industry giants including Exxon Mobil Corp. and ConocoPhillips.

It’s too early to know precisely how the rules will change or how much it will cost, but there’s worry in the heavy industries that billow tons of toxins but employ thousands of people and pay billions in state and local taxes. Texas has more oil refineries and chemical plants than any other state, and the permit ruling comes as Gov. Rick Perry and industry officials are railing against a climate bill pending in Congress.

Plants could be forced to spend millions of dollars to upgrade pollution control equipment. Industry groups say that in turn could jack up the prices of gas, tires, carpet, upholstery and other products that pass through Texas factories.

“The prices have to keep up with the cost of doing business,” said Mike Meroney, a spokesman for Texas Chemical Council, which represents about 80 companies with 200 sites that produce the state’s leading export. “Every site’s different — it could be very, very costly.”

States are required to enforce the Clean Air Act, but they’re given some flexibility in how to do it. The EPA approved Texas’ major clean-air permitting plan in 1992, and the state has since submitted more than 30 regulatory changes.

The EPA issued its ruling last month as a result of a lawsuit settlement that forced the agency to approve or disapprove aspects of the Texas permitting process, agency spokesman Dave Bary said. The EPA said no other state offered polluters such flexibility, and cited problems with the permit program’s enforcement, monitoring and record keeping, among other reasons.

The EPA held its first meeting last week with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which issues the permits, to work on getting the program into compliance. The commission’s executive director, Mark Vickery, said the state permit rules have helped cut down on pollution and said the agency would work with the EPA to resolve the problems. The agencies are working through a 60-day comment period before the rules become final next year.

Fadel Gheit, an analyst with Oppenheimer & Co. in New York, said the permitting problem is just one more bit of bad news for industries that are already struggling. Several major oil companies are coming off second-quarter profit declines of more than 50 percent, although the oil industry posted record gains in 2008.

“It’s bad, but how bad is the question?” Gheit said. “The outlook couldn’t be more grim, and yet the government finds a way to kick them when they’re down.”

Bary, the EPA spokesman, said there’s no way to know exactly how much cleaner the air would have been under federally approved permits.

But Neil Carman, an air specialist with the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club who spent years as an industrial plant inspector with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, said he’s certain ending the program will cut emissions. He said it will prove costly to the companies, but not as costly as treating long-term health problems caused by toxic emissions.

Al Armendariz, a chemical engineering professor at Southern Methodist University who is an expert on air pollution and an environmental advocate, said smaller and older facilities could face hefty costs, but major companies won’t feel a thing.

“They’ll say, ‘Look, if we have to spend half a million dollars to re-permit, big deal.’ They probably spend more than that on toiletries for those facilities,” he said, noting that even multimillion-dollar expenses would be a “one-time capital blip” for major companies. Armendariz also said he doubts industry claims that consumers could feel any pain.

The oil and gas industry provides about 190,000 Texas jobs and paid about $10 billion in state and local taxes and royalties last year, according to the oil and gas association, which represents almost every producer and refiner in the state. The chemical industry employs about 74,000 Texans and last year paid $1 billion in state and local taxes.

The chemical industry is the top air polluter in the state, producing about 16,000 tons of toxic emissions, according to the most recent EPA toxic release inventory in 2007. Oil ranked third, behind power plants, with about 4,500 tons.

Both groups and state regulators say flexible permits have helped, and point to reductions of cancer-causing chemical benzene and ground-level ozone levels in the Houston area that’s home to the bulk of the state’s oil refineries and chemical plants.

But Carman said it’s silly to be content with the progress because Texas is still so polluted.

“That’s like somebody going before a judge and saying, ‘Your Honor, I know I’ve had a DWI problem, but I brought it down from 50 DWI’s a year ago to 30 now,’” said Carman, who like other environmentalists has long derided the permitting process as a rubber stamp in an industry-friendly state. “That’s just not enough, especially when you’re talking about things that cause cancer.”

Environmental News Round-Up: Deliberate Destruction of Our Habitat

EPA Looking at Regulation of Gender Bender Chemicals in Drinking Water – Treehugger 9/24/09 Food Is Power and the Powerful Are Poisoning Us – TruthDig 9/7/09 Cell phone-brain cancer link found? – Raw Story 8/29/09 Weird Ways Global Warming is Changing Animal Populations – Treehugger 8/29/09 U.S. Pharmaceutical Factories Dumping Huge Quantities of Drugs Into Public Sewers, Rivers and Waterways - Natural News 10/3/09 In one study, conducted by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), researchers tested the water entering two water treatment plants down the sewer line of several pharmaceutical factories, as well as at other plants not receiving sewage from drug plants. Researchers discovered drugs at “much higher detection frequencies and concentrations” at the plants receiving effluent from pharmaceutical factories. Drugs detected included opiates, a barbiturate and a tranquilizer. 500,000 Clean Water violations since 2004 - Mother Nature Network 10/4/09 Male bass in many US rivers have female features - AP/Tulsa World 10/4/09 Half of All Animal Species Will Be Extinct in Your Lifetime, Unless Emissions Peak by 2020 – Treehugger 9/29/09 Radioactive rabbit poop litters Washington state – Mother Nature Network 10/10/09 Confirmed: Current Atmospheric CO2 Levels Highest in 15 Million (!) Years – Treehugger 10/10/09 Insect repellent DEET is toxic to brain cells – Natural News 9/6/09 Cheyenne, Wyo.: Pollution an enduring legacy at old missile sites – AP / Tulsa World 10/11/09 Pacific ocean “Dead Zone” may be forever - Boing Boing 10/9/09 The Arctic turns acidic – Mother Nature Network 10/5/09 EPA to evaluate whether common weed killer harms more than weeds – Mother Nature Network 10/8/09 Top researcher who worked on cervical cancer vaccine warns about its dangers – Prison Planet 10/8/09 Consumer health group calls for scientific inquiry into safety of cervical cancer vaccines - Natural News 10/11/09 CDC Lead Levels Cause Learning and Social Problems – Natural News 9/23/09 Secret FDA Memos Reveal Concerns About Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs) - video, via What Really Happened 9/9/09 Doctors Give Rat Poison to Heart Patients for Fifty Years -Natural News 9/2/09 Pfizer Directed Doctors to Use Drugs at Eight Times the Recommended Dosage and for Conditions Different to Those for Which They Were Approved- BBC via Cryptogon 9/4/09 Bayer Pesticides Blamed For Honeybee Deaths – Prison Planet 9/30/09 Autism Explodes As Childhood Vaccines Increase - Prison Planet 10/5/09 US Military involved in Huge AIDS vaccine trials – Prison Planet 9/24/09 Teen girl suffers permanent brain damage after cervical cancer vaccine - Prison Planet 10/7/09 Jury says chemotherapy drug death was “manslaughter” – Natural News 10/1/09 Farmers Vs Coca-Cola in Water Wars – Polaris Institute 10/1/09 Dangerous Mercury Contamination of Human Body Increasing, Study Finds – Natural News 9/23/09 Huge California study concludes soda consumption undeniably linked to obesity – Natural News 9/27/09 600 Coal Ash Dump Sites Found in 35 States: Is There One Near You? ‘Leading architect’ of Bush surveillance quietly appointed to declassification board - Raw Story 9/11/09

Alan Colmes: Is a Capitalist

Saturday afternoon, Alan posted on the emerging news media; citizenry media.

With newspapers folding and many denizens in the old media not understanding the new media, the young entrepreneurs at metrojacksonville.com are on the edge of the curve.  Locals, including officials, can’t wait to post there, knowing their messages will be read by an engaged citizenry.  They are using the web the way it is meant to be used, incorporating a level of interactivity that most newspapers haven’t grabbed onto.

I couldn’t help but being impressed by Ayn Rand reaching to us from the past:

Creative destruction. Even as a reliable icon like the delivered print newspaper makes it’s way into the the same museum as the rotary telephone, VCR and horse drawn buggy, we see the beautiful effects of ingenuity, creativity and the capitalist way. More and more people are finding that the old way of receiving news is no longer meeting their needs, so they “vote” with their wallets. Given the fact that news print and printing presses and journalists and editors are “rationed by price” we are seeing the release of these resources due to people purchasing other forms of news delivery.

Certainly the impact of the loss of their jobs will be hard for those journalists, editors and print specialists, but society overall will benefit and become more productive. Net/net, everybody wins. We see a less efficient form of media fall away, we see competition in the new forms that we are allowed to choose from and, even better, they are cheaper than the $0.75 a day it costs to purchase the local fish wrapper. In short, life is good, even great.

Imagine the lack of progress if the government stepped in, stole your money right from your pocket and propped up an industry that no one wants to see succeed? I would think we would be upset that the progress of a nation would be halted in it’s steps. Impossible? Nope:

blogs.reuters.com/mediafile/2009/09/24/how-to-subsidize-news-without-feeling-dirty/

Posted by John Galt
October 10th, 2009 at 10:56 pm

Who knew that Ayn lives?

Television

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Money Paid Out and Collected by the County of Hawaii in 2008-2009

From the Desk of Lincoln Ashida:

The Office of the Corporation Counsel was asked to provide information about taxpayer money paid out in litigation cases in fiscal year 2008-2009.  We were also asked for information concerning efforts made over the past year in the collection of delinquent accounts for water, solid waste, and other service fees due the County.  This information will be included as part of the County’s annual report required by our laws.

The office settled six major lawsuits during the fiscal year for a total of $3,595,500.  The potential monetary liability exposure for these cases was $8,302,000.  The difference between the potential exposure and actual settlement amount was +$4,706,500 in favor of the County.

Two major cases were dismissed by court order (one case remains on appeal), and three cases were partially dismissed.

There were 65 claims for damages against the County investigated.  The total amount paid for all valid claims was $54,974.

What is the County doing to reduce its liability exposure in future years?  The brutal reality is any government body offering a wide range of services to the public will be exposed to a certain degree of liability. With over 2,300 employees and a number of direct services such as police, fire, solid waste, water, recreation and sanitation offered to the public, there will be times when injury occurs and the County will need to be held financially responsible.  As illustrated above, the $3.5 million incurred during the past fiscal year involved just six cases.  Suffice it to say these were major cases involving extraordinary factual circumstances and thankfully represent the exception and not the norm.  Mitigating future liability is addressed through the County’s Risk Management Division responsible for assessing what happened, how it can be avoided in the future, and what steps the County can take to address the risk factors.  To this end, the County welcomes input and recommendations from the public we serve whenever there are any concerns.  Please contact our office and we will make sure the Risk Management Division is notified.

With respect to collections on delinquent accounts owed the County, the total collected for the fiscal year totaled $4,317,833.  This represents actual cash in hand, and not promissory notes or other promises to pay in the future.  Special recognition goes to Deputy Corporation Counsel Molly Lugo who heads our collection unit and effort while balancing the rest of her legal work and caseload.

Indian Education - Quantity Or Quality?

Premchand Palety writes a damning piece on B-Schools in India in the Wall Street Journal – “Quantitatively, it is an impressive growth story. However, the quality of education delivered in most of them is the disturbing aspect of this positive narrative.”

And on the same subject further bad news regarding high school education – half of Indian school kids don’t go beyond a secondary education, worse than Bangladesh and Vietnam!

Putting (Human) Waste to Work. By Fabiana Frayssinet

Via: IPS News.

Biodigester technology, which originated in Asia as a natural process for treating sewage waste, is reemerging in Latin America as an integrated system providing cheap energy, improved sanitation, and even attractive landscaping.

It is hard to imagine that beneath a delicate flower floating on a tank full of crystal-clear water, there is a hidden biodigester treating waste from a family home.

Even more difficult is to imagine that a small two-ring cooker, where a mother prepares rice and beans for her young children, is fuelled by gas produced by the biodigester.

But at the home of architect Jorge Gaiofato, the connection between ugliness and beauty, waste and useful materials, and what is nauseating and what is delicious, is not only imaginable but proven in practice.

“The Chinese were already using this technology over 300 years ago. Our purpose is to show that it is easy to treat the waste products of human consumption, and at the same time to produce wealth from the process,” he told IPS.

At his home in the middle of a lush forest in the Serra de Petrópolis, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Gaiofato practises what he preaches as technical director of the non-governmental Environmental Institute (OIA).

Surrounded by streams and waterfalls, the house uses the biodigester sewage treatment system as part of a more complex, yet simple, process called an integrated biosystem.

“The Environmental Institute had previous experience with treating waste in systems of water tanks using different varieties of plants, and when the biodigester came along, it combined the two systems,” he said.

“So now we have the biodigester performing the anaerobic part of the process, and the plants doing the aerobic part. This is what we call an integrated biosystem,” he said.

The words used are unfamiliar to the non-specialist but the process is simply natural, imitating, according to Gaiofato, “the sustainable cycles of nature, which reuses materials for a new cycle of production.”

“Instead of expecting the earth to produce ever higher yields, we must learn to do more with what the earth produces,” according to the OIA.

Sewage waste is piped to the biodigester, a hermetically sealed tank which is located as close as possible to dwellings.

Biodigesters ferment the organic material and produce biogas, a mixture of 74 percent methane and 26 percent carbon dioxide. The gas is piped back into the home, where it can be used as fuel for heating, cooking and lighting.

The process inside the biodigester is biological, said the architect. “It is carried out by anaerobic bacteria, that is, bacteria that live in conditions where there is no oxygen. Several types of bacteria break down the organic material, and in the last stage, methanogenic bacteria convert it into methane gas,” he said.

The biological solids that are produced by the same process have a high nutrient content, and can be separated, sun-dried and used as organic fertiliser on plants.

The liquid slurry from the biodigester can be filtered several times and used for “fertigation” – added to an irrigation system for fertilising crops – or for general cultivation purposes.

“Nutrient recycling” begins with a second tank where plants absorb nutrients from the treated slurry through their roots.

In a third container, residual nutrients are absorbed by aquatic plants.

Finally, in a sunlit pond, the remaining nutrients feed the growth of algae, which in turn are eaten by fish, like tilapia – a source of food.

A simpler and cheaper version of the system, to provide sanitation and supply energy for a local community, consists of just the biodigester, which can be hidden from sight by burying most of it underground.

Biogas has several uses, including fuelling conventional kitchen stoves, electric generators, garden lighting and water heaters.

According to OIA’s calculations, the average production of biogas is 50 litres per day, supplying a family’s needs for one hour a day.

Alessandra Fachini, who has a three-year old child and a baby, does not have to buy the cylinders of gas sold locally. Her biogas supply is enough for her daily cooking needs, and to run a small water heater and an outside light.

“If we want to conserve and use a sustainable resource that does not harm the environment, like natural gas, we have to re-educate ourselves and turn towards this form of use, which is healthier for everyone,” said Yuri, Fachini’s husband.

Gaiofato said that, with low equipment and maintenance costs, biodigesters treat sewage effluents, produce energy, and are good for the environment because they keep methane – a particularly harmful greenhouse gas – from being released into the atmosphere.

In Brazil, the OIA is promoting biodigester technology particularly in small villages of up to 500 people, where a community system can be installed. As well as in Rio de Janeiro, the organisation works in the states of Sao Paulo, Santa Catarina, Espíritu Santo and Bahia. It also has projects in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and the region of Valle de La Plata in Spain.

At present, the OIA is spreading the concept of integrated biosystems in slums in Haiti, not only for sanitation but also for recovery of degraded soils, the construction of more sustainable housing and integrated crop systems.

Whenever they put in a biosystem, the organisation seeks to train the beneficiaries so that they can spread the technology to others in their community, and whenever possible the projects include environmental education for local people. (END/2009)

Update on Typhoong Pepeng (Ang Gusto Kong Pangalan ng Susunod na Bagyo ay Segundina)

Typhoon Pepeng has weakened into a tropical storm; it was sighted 230 kilometers northwest of Laoag City. It is expected to remain stationary for the next three days according to Nathaniel Cruz of PAGASA. It  dumped an estimated 402.6 mm of rain in Laoag City Ilocos Norte and  417.3 mm of rain in Vigan, Ilocos Sur during the same 24-hour period ( from 8 a.m. of October 4  to  8 a.m. of October 5).

It seems that Pepeng is still in the Philippine territory, right Segundina?

On the other hand PAGASA announced the coming of  a new typhoon locally code named Quedan (international name Melor) which is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility by noon Monday. The new typhoon  packs a maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 250 kph.

Ang Bagyong Segundina

Noong bata pa ako ang lahat ng mga dumarating na bagayo ay ipinapangalan sa isang babae. Tinanong ko ang aking magaling na ninong, si Inspector Asyong (Livestock Inspector ng BAI noong araw) kung bakit walang bagyo  na ipinapangalan sa pangalan ng mga lalaki. Napaisip ang genius kong ninong na kamukha pa ni Rizal kaya marami siyang Maria Clara sa buhay. Akala ko ang sasabihin ay dahil sa pabago-bago ang isip nito kagaya din ng pabago-bago niyang direksiyon. Naitanong ko na kasi kay Mr. Calauang (pronounced as kalawang) ang aming industrial arts teacher at pabago-bago nga raw ang ihip (o isip) nito. Mali ako.  With authority ito ang sinabi ni ninong: “Kapag ipinangalan mo sa lalaki ang bagyo, lahat ng mga puno ay matutumba at pati ang mga bundok ay magigiba.” Matalinhagang magsalita si ninong kaya hindi ko siya nasasakyan kaagad sa mga sinasabi niya lalo na kung lasing.

Matagal nang namayapa si ninong at parang kasing tanda ko na rin nang tanongin ko siya; kaya napapaisip naman ako. May katotohanan ba ang sinabi ng aking magaling na ninong? Ang alam ko kasi lahat ng mga technique sa panliligaw na itinuro niya sa akin ay puros tumama. Kaya nga napangasawa ko si Tisay na noon ay ipapakasal na lang sa isang anak mayaman. Pero ang tungkol sa pangalan ng bagyo na gawing pangalan ng lalaki ay hindi ako sigurado kung totoong dodoble ang lakas nito. Mali na naman ako. Hindi ko dapat pinagdudahan ang sinabi ng genius kong ninong. Tignan mo naman ang hagupit ni Ondoy, binaha niya ang mga bayan at siyudad at giniba pati ang mga bundok sa landslide.

Kaya ibalik natin muli ang mga pangalan ng bagyo sa pangalan ng babae. Mas maigi na ito kaysa danasin na naman natin ang malakas na hagupit ng isang bagyong ang pangalan ay Pepeng. Duda nga ako sa paliwanag ni Colegiala kung bakit niya tinawag ang bagyong Pepeng na Pepeng mabaho at Pepeng malaki. Pero hindi na ito mahalaga, ibalik na lang natin sa pangalang babae ang lahat ng mga bagyo. At least dahil pabago-bago ang kanilang ihip o isip, kadalasan ay hindi sila tumutuloy sa atin. Utang na loob hirap-na- hirap na ang Pilipinas, di ba mareng Chi? Lalong nauunano ang paglago ng ating ekonomya tuwing tayo’y nasasalanta ng mga dumarating na bagyo.

Pero may mga darating pa raw na bagyo sa ating bansa (mabuti kung ang ibig sabihin ng bagyo ay sexy) at muling masasalanta ang ating mga ari-arian at mga pananim. Iyan naman ang inanunsiyo sa atin ng PAGASA at ang Matang Lawin na anak ni DENR Secretary Lito Atienza. Sabi naman ng gungong na si Banong ay bakit hindi na lang daw sa Malacanang  bumisita para masaya. Puwedi ba iyon? Gusto ba ninyong mapinsala ang tahanan ng mahal nating pangulo? Huwag naman ganoon… Kaya kung may darating man ay gusto kong ipangalan ito sa isang babae.

Sa darating na bagyo dalawa lang na pangalan ang pinagpipilian ko na ipangalan. Bagyong Mer, o Bagyong Segundina. Mga magaganda at kapwa “bagyo” talaga ang katawan. Kaso may pagkakaiba sa ugali, iyong isa ay pinong-pinong magsalita at kumilos. Pero iyong pinakabata sa kanila ay may pagkabutangera, hehehe. Kaya out na siya sa aking pinagpipilaan.

Bagyong Segundina, iyan ang gusto kong ipangalan sa susunod na bagyong daratin. Mahinhin, pinong magsalita, ngunit may kapilyahan nga lamang (sa pagba-blog lang). Sa halip na malakas na ulan ang papatak ay ambon lamang. At kung sa lakas ng hangin ang pag-uusapan ay bugang bentilador lamang. Kahit ilagay mo pa sa signal number 5 ang Metro Manila ay di ka manganganib.

Kaso, may kapilyahan si Segundina. Laging nasa loob ang kulo, hehe. Kagaya ng nasabi ng ninong ko (ewan ko kung sang-ayon kayo) pabago-bago daw ang takbo ng isip ng isang babae. Kaya ito ang peligro, papaano na lang kung magbago ang isip, este ihip ng hangin ni Bagyong Segundina? Sa halip na ambon ay torrential rain ang papatak. Sa halip na bugang bentilador lamang ay tornado na ang hatid na hangin ni Bagyong Segundina? Sa halip na wala nang pagbaha pa ay may rumaragasang tubig na naman galing sa mga dams at kabundokan. Kawawa naman itong mga bagong kasal baka sa mga evacuation centers pa nila ipagpatuloy ang kanilang honeymoon. 

Pero, teka, huwag na lang kaya. Masyadong malikot kasi ang imahinasyon ni Segundina. Baka mamaya iyong darating na Bagyong Segundina ay malikot din ang imahinasyon. Sa halip na bubungan ang liliparin ng hangin ay iyong mga underwear lang na suot ng mga kalalakihan at mga kababaihan from Mega Manila to Malacanang. Matutuwa si Doc.bobonyo dito at may idea na siya tungkol kina Adan at Eva sa Paraiso.

Premature Births Soar to nearly 10%

I wonder why air and chemical pollution aren’t being blamed for this
and only ‘use of technologies’ was mentioned:

‘Nearly 10% of babies born each year worldwide arrive prematurely, and the stress of caring for them “is exacting a huge toll emotionally, physically and financially on families, medical systems and economies,” the March of Dimes said today. Some 13 million babies are preemies, and more than 1 million of them live less than a month. The problem overwhelmingly affects Africa, where 12% of births are early, followed by North America and Asia.

‘”We need to know more about the underlying causes of premature birth in order to develop effective prevention strategies,” says a March of Dimes exec. Driving up North America’s numbers is the fact that the rates of premature birth in the US have soared, thanks in part to increased use of technologies that result in multiple births, HealthDay News reports.’
—M. Morris Source: HealthDay News

Israeli economy, recession and the opportunity

The “Economist” magazine has led with a fascinating article, outlying how clever companies have seen the global recession as an opportunity, and not just a free fall to disaster.

The article notes how DuPont, P&G and many others thrived on the 1930s Great Depression. In the early 1990s, “Bain & Company discovered that twice as many firms made the leap from “laggards” to “leaders” (ie, from the bottom quartile of companies in their industry to the top quartile)”.

And in the past year:

There is also every reason to believe that the current recession will produce lots of upstarts. The Kauffman Foundation, which studies entrepreneurship, points out that about half of Fortune 500 and Inc. 500 companies (lists of the biggest and fastest-growing firms in America, respectively), including such household names as FedEx, CNN and Microsoft, were founded during recessions or bear markets. A disproportionate number of these upstarts produced industry-changing ideas that established companies failed to appreciate until it was too late. Indeed, business is more likely to take advantage of this “serious crisis” than the world’s politicians.

In the late winter 2009, I wrote about a conversation with a UK banker, who compared the Israeli and British attitudes to the recession. He noted that neither country could avoid it, but Israelis tackled it head on. They saw it as just another challenge to go out there and to perform in the market place.

Because of this psyche and because of Israel’s economic structure, I had always predicted that Israel would be one of the first to emerge from the recession. Enter the IMF to confirm what is happening to the local economy.

The IMF’s forecast of a 0.1% GDP contraction (for 2009) is better than its forecasts for all other developed economies, including the US ….. The IMF predicts an overall contraction of 3.4% for developed economies as a whole in 2009.The IMF’s growth forecast of 2.4% for Israel in 2010 is also among the fastest rates projected for next year among developed countries. Only five countries are predicted to do better.

No, not everything is rosy; worrying unemployment figures. And the shekel is too strong against the currencies of major trading partners, a disturbing parameter in an export dominated economy.

So, I will leave the last word to the Governor of the Bank of Israel, Stanley Fisher, and his usual cautious optimism.

“Today, I’m less worried. It’s possible to relax, but not to overdo it; there are still problems, and still more things that need to be done. I am however concerned that, because we are emerging quickly from the crisis, we might not derive from it all the lessons that we should, particularly in the financial system.

Baby Boomers: Can we Bank on Them to Spend, Spend, Spend?

Mentioned in the classes, textbooks, and articles I read through graduate school there was always mention of the potential vast market of the aging baby boomers with loads of money and couldn’t wait to retire. They were set for their remaining years and wanted to spend, spend, spend.

Everything that I read was written before the current recession; depression; breakdown of the false economy;whichever is the preferred label. I was again reading an entire chapter dedicated to the untapped potential of this group in The Science of Shopping, that I thought to myself, “Does this still hold true in the current economy?”

When retirement benefits, pensions, and 401K’s quickly declined can this group truly pan out as predicted or will they be living a much more frugal lifestyle as the rest of us have come to do (or at least me)?

Without a true national survey analysis I can’t honestly state yay or nay however, I put out a call for this to be fully examined again. Our senior majority may be spending as little as the rest of us..or even much less.

Legalize Drugs we are unproductive anyway by design

Legalize Drugs we are unproductive anyway by design

 

In 2006 around the third quarter the unemployment rate was about 4% now it is about 10% nationwide.  That is one in ten Americans looking for work cannot find one.  When you calculate people who just gave up on looking the numbers are even higher like 14%.  Then 1 in 100 Americans are in prison, that 1% of the population in total.  As America is 2.5% of the world population and 25% of the prison population.  The average age is about 30 years old for the prison population.  Whereby 250 Americans are over 18 years old and about 35 million are over 65 years old. Another 35 million Americans suffer severe disability, so when we say 14% of Americans are unemployed, it’s more like 50% are out of work between age 18 and 65.  We have a population of over 310,000,000.  The idea that drugs legalized will make of a lazy unproductive nation is folly.  Because we are already a nation in cages be it physical of mental.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Isn't Our Job

We had a middle-aged guy approach the Reference Desk with what we thought was a question or two. It began with a question about how certain aspects of Google Maps work. The man was taking a test that accompanied a job application. The test that he had in hand must have been at least 20 pages long. It seems the man made it about halfway through and was then totally stymied. So he asked us for help.

Fine.

One question became two questions became three questions, became THREE PAGES of questions! Finally my coworker and I looked at each other and just as I was about to ask the guy how much the job pays, since we were the ones taking the test, the questions veered into a realm of proprietary knowledge that we had absolutely no way of knowing without being very familiar with websites that we never even heard of.

Had the questioning turned around again I was going to point out to the man that we were already over the edge of the ethical boundary. Obviously the company is asking these questions because the applicant needs to know the answers to effectively do the job.

I am not amused.