The 411 on Ways To Stop Global Warming

Source: Hindustan Times ()

The problem with Taslima, from the point of view of anybody who has to deal with her — journalists, politicians, bureaucrats, policemen etc — is that they usually come away feeling that there is less to her than meets the eye.

The general view is that she seems like a much worthier cause on paper than she does in real life. Bengali literary critics say that while her fiction is not without merit, few of her books will be remembered.

Journalists regard her as an ace-publicity hound, as the sort of woman who is unable to go to the bathroom without phoning in an exclusive to the press. They say that she spends more time talking to journos than she does writing fiction. After an initial burst of publicity when she talked at length about her sex-life (the lover who had a venereal disease etc), she has now adopted a shrill, complaining tone portraying herself as a tragic victim of circumstances and asking the press to help her while simultaneously giving the same ‘exclusive’ to six different media outlets.

Government officials who have dealt with her say she can be unreliable, pleading for shelter one moment and then rushing off to complain to the media about them the next.

All this means that Taslima is desperately short of supporters within the literary, government and media establishments. It has reached the stage now where journos may take her calls because she is currently in the news, but no sooner do they start writing their stories than the usual muttering about ‘publicity-hound’ begins.

So, how do we react to the controversies surrounding her?

The knee-jerk response is to say that she’s not worth the effort to defend her, that her problems are her own fault, that if she had just spent the last dozen years living quietly in Calcutta and not attracting any attention then she wouldn’t be in any today.

I’m pleased to note, however, that most of us have gone beyond knee-jerk reactions. We …

Source: RIA Novosti ()

On December 19, the council listened to the Serbian prime minister and the Kosovo president, and to the report of the trio of mediators - the European Union, Russia and the United States. But the future of Kosovo still remains undecided.

Will developments follow the road mapped by the UN? Or will Serbia and Kosovo settle their problems regardless of the norms of international law? The latter will be more dangerous, as Kosovo's self-proclaimed independence might incite Albanian and Serbian paramilitary groups to take up arms.

This negative outcome of the meeting in New York could be predicted since the sides parted ways long ago. Although the general atmosphere at the talks has improved, the sides refuse to budge even an inch, advocating a purely ethnic solution to the problem. Both sides claim that Kosovo is their ethnic territory where "others" do not belong.

Belgrade and Pristina cannot change their stances, because Serbian politicians who recognize the independence of Kosovo and Kosovar politicians who renounce the idea of independence will have no political future.

But public opinion is not set in stone. The results of the referendum on the draft Serbian Constitution and the subsequent parliamentary elections in early 2007 showed that a substantial part of Serbian society would accept, although not happily, the independence of Kosovo.

They view the Kosovo problem as an obstacle hindering their advance to socio-economic reforms and their accession to the European Union, whose membership promises a tranquil and relatively prosperous life.

However, this view has not yet been formulated as a political concept, and the presidential elections in Serbia, set for January 20, 2008, are expected to play a crucial role.

It would be logical if Washington and recommend Pristina not to proclaim independence before February 3, the possible second round of the elections. …

Source: Sydney Morning Herald ()

From the 1912 black-and-white short The Night Before
Christmas to Die Hard, the list of films with a festive
backdrop leaves Santa’s naughty and nice list for dead. Common
themes range from stranded children (Home Alone, 1990) to
harried lawyers and advertising executives - the modern definitions
of a money-grubbing scrooge needing a not-so-gentle reminder ’tis
the season to be jolly (Tim Allen in the Santa Clause
trilogy or Bill Murray in Scrooged, 1998).

Special mentions also go to criminals mending their wicked ways
(Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa, 2003) and genuine
tear-jerkers (Joyeux Noel, 2005).

That’s not to mention remakes of classics such as Charles
Dickens’s A Christmas Carol and the Miracle On 34th
Street (1947), long credited as the film that helped propel the
fat man in the red and white suit from Coca-Cola marketing tool to
cultural icon. This year - with the exception of SBS, which has all
but no Christmas programming - Christmas television is again mostly
turkey.

Nine is the exception, leading the way with almost back-to-back
Christmas content starting tonight with the spin-off television
special Shrek The Halls followed by Carols By
Candlelight from the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne and,
for the parents still up wrapping presents well past midnight,
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation followed by The Man
Who Saved Christmas after the Christmas lunch.

The ABC has more carols plus the midnight Mass from St Peter’s
Basilica in Rome, and screenings of favourites such as Merry
Christmas Mr Bean. Seven goes light on the trimmings with the
quasi-Christmas film Hogfather - an adaption of the Terry
Pratchett novel - followed by the Hillsong Christmas
Spectacular and a midday movie before Christmas is forgotten in
favour of repeats of Deal Or No Deal. Finally, on Christmas
Day Channel Ten will show films The Grinch Babe,
sure to make you feel queasy after all that Christmas ham.

1. Love Actually: Eight stories …

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune (subscription) ()

IN THE GLOBAL MARKET: HERE ARE NINE TWIN CITIES SHOPS THAT TRANSPORT
This list of ethnic food markets represent a fraction of the choices available throughout the Twin Cities and suburbs. Explore, enjoy.
AFRICAN FOOD MARKET
Congenial atmosphere, all kinds of interesting African foods. The deli serves West African specialties such as palm butter soup, a savory stew made with palm nuts, peppers and chicken.
5736 Lakeland Av. N., Crystal. 763-560-2263.
BILL’S IMPORTED FOODS
Buying a 3-liter tin of Kalamatan olive oil (for about $24) at Bill’s is a boon in two ways: You save money, and you get amazing olive oil. Don’t leave without fresh feta cheese and olives. Cash or checks only.
721 W. Lake St., Minneapolis, 612-827-2891.
CASPIAN BISTRO & DELI
This Persian restaurant with attached grocery offers delicacies from throughout the Middle East, from dried figs to delicious halva (a confection made from sesame or semolina paste). The restaurant serves a wide range of Persian specialties.
2418 University Av. SE., Minneapolis, 612-623-1113.
EL BURRITO MERCADO
The stuff of great Mexican meals is easy to find in the Twin Cities, but El Burrito Mercado, in business for more than 25 years, remains a favorite.
175 Cesar Chavez St., St. Paul, 651-227-2192 www.elburritomercado.com.
INGEBRETSEN’S
From fiskeboller (fish balls) to gjetost (goat cheese), Ingebretsen’s has been supplying Scandinavian soul food to the cities for 87 years. Two attached stores sell sweaters, yarn and Nordic tchotchkes.
1601 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, 612-729-9333 www.ingebretsens.com
KIEV FOODS
Pick up some blinis (stuffed Russian crepes), vareniki (Russian ravioli), kielbasa (Polish sausage) and Lithuanian rye bread at Kiev. Great sandwiches in the deli.
2509 W. 7th St., St. Paul. 651-690-5655.
SEOUL FOODS
The flavors of Korea and Japan dominate this which carries several varieties of kimchi (fermented cabbage), produce and a wide range of Korean seafoods, …

Source: Asia Times Online ()

     Dec 22, 2007

Annus financialitis

By Chan Akya

Reality is often stranger than fiction. It is only much more so in financial
matters. Who would have thought at the beginning of this year that a few
deadbeats driving trucks in Arizona would spark the greatest financial crisis
in recent history, aided and abetted by the very regulators who are (over) paid
to stop such things from every happening? And that their actions would have
consequences enough to dethrone many a Wall Street head and their lackeys, as
well as threaten a multitude of regulators and in future, governments too? That
the attempts at keeping these truckers in good financial health would unleash
inflation across Asia and in turn threaten further economic calamities in the
near future?

Given the unprecedented nature of recent events, it is necessary to invent a
new word, which captures the emotive, urgent and 

contagious nature of the new disease at the heart of the global financial
system, and for those reasons, I hereby coin the term “financialitis” to mean
the unexpected and wide-ranging blow up of a country’s financial system. The
US, Germany and the UK have seen forms of Financialitis this year and yet
are nowhere near a recovery point.

In …

Source: American Chronicle ()

1. Introduction

At present, many economists agree that economic development implies not merely growth plus change but growth plus progressive changes in the socio-economic structure of the country. It implies changes in technology, the system of production organisation and pattern of income distribution. It implies reduction in poverty, inequality and unemployment. According to the proponents of the “basic needs” approach, there are five basic goals of development (Kuhnen, 1987). These are: (a) economic growth to secure food and other requirements for the population; (b) social justice to reduce inequality; (c) employment as means of earning an income but, as well, because of its ethical and social value; (d) participation as political involvement and social sharing; and (e) independence as freedom from external domination.

While individual societies may have different opinions on the priorities of these goals, in the absence of a general theory of development; one can use the criterion of fulfilment of these goals as a yardstick in development. Development is then understood as a simultaneous progress towards these five goals (Kuhnen, 1987).

While many African countries achieved the fifth basic goal of development half a century ago, after decolonisation of most countries in early 1960s, many countries still today failed to achieve most of the five basic goals of development. These countries are classified as the least developed countries (LDCs) in the world. Among the 49 least developed countries of the world as of 2007, 33 are in Sub Saharan Africa. These are: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Democratic Republic, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

The LDCs are characterized …

Source: Scoop.co.nz ()

Nanjing Journo Sun Lin Finally Gets To See Lawyer
Wednesday, 19 December 2007, 7:43 am
Press Release: Reporters Sans Frontieres

Held on trumped-up charges, Nanjing-based journalist
finally gets to see lawyerJournalist Sun Lin denied
charges of “illegal possession of firearms” and “disturbing
the peace” when he finally received a visit from lawyer Mo
Shaoping, on 14 December 2007, in prison, in the eastern
city of Nanjing. Mo was refused a visit in September. The
police have sent the findings of their investigation to
prosecutors along with a request that Sun be brought to
trial.

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Also known by the pen-name Jie Mu, he told Mo
that, during questioning, the police asked him about his
journalistic activities and told him he had been arrested
for refusing to stop writing articles for Boxun (
http://news.boxun.com ), a Chinese-language news website
based abroad. Sun said the firearms charge was based on
false statements by persons who claim he gave them air
pistols of the kind used for sport. He said he does not know
any of these persons. He added that the charge of disturbing
the peace was based on an incident in 2004 when he was
helping evicted people and did nothing illegal. Sun’s
wife, He Fang, has meanwhile been detained on a charge of
“illegal possession of explosives.” Reporters Without
Borders calls for the release of both Sun and He on the
grounds that the charges against them have clearly been
trumped up. Arrested in Nanjing on 30 May, Sun was the
founder of the now-banned newspaper “Da Du Shi” as well as
being a Boxun correspondent. He told Reporters Without
Borders before his arrest that he had written articles about
of authority but had never done anything illegal.
ENDS Latest World
News | Top World
News …

Source: Times Online ()

Last week’s effort by the world’s central banks to relieve the global credit
crunch with a cash injection failed to impress the markets. But the move is
bound to win round the sceptics within the next few months. The decision is
likely to be just the precursor to much more important, but controversial,
operations to ensure the “solvency” of the international financial system.

The distinction between the problems of liquidity and solvency, which looks
like the next challenge for monetary authorities around the world, is
illustrated by the British Government’s travails over Northern Rock. The
Northern Rock crisis looked initially like a liquidity crisis.

Nobody questioned the underlying value of the Rock’s mortgages and therefore
its ability to repay depositors in the long term. The problem was simply one
of timing – if too many depositors wanted to withdraw their money, the bank
could not sell off or “liquidate” its mortgages and other long-term assets
quickly enough to pay the depositors back. It is now apparent, however, that
Northern Rock also faces a solvency problem. The collapse of confidence in
the British housing market has reduced the market value of its mortgages.

As a result, Northern Rock’s problem is no longer just a matter of liquidity
and timing. Even if the Rock could liquidate all its mortgages tomorrow, it
could not raise enough money to repay its depositors and the Bank of England
in full, because the market prices of mortgage assets are today much lower
than 100p in the pound. The upshot is that the Government will almost
certainly have to nationalise Northern Rock after putting it into
administration. The two options of nationalisation and administration are
not, incidentally, polar opposites, as suggested in much of the media
coverage, but one and the same. The Government only seize control of
the Rock and wipe out the claims of its shareholders by first …

Source: Scoop.co.nz ()

A Dozen Ways To Save The Tiger: A Blueprint
Monday, 17 December 2007, 6:02 am
Press Release: IFAW

A Dozen Ways to Save the Tiger: Blueprint for
conservation released by range states Following
recent reports that the world’s wild tigers have dwindled to
as few as 3,000, one dozen of the 14 countries with
remaining wild tiger populations recently publisheda unified
global “roadmap” to save the tiger from imminent extinction.
Vivek Menon, Director of the Wildlife Trust of India and
tiger team leader for the International Fund for Animal
Welfare (www.ifaw.org), welcomed the initiative: “Tigers are
disappearing before our very eyes. The only solution is to
tackle tiger conservation in a targeted and concerted way,
as “Action Tiger” sets out, across all the nations where
tigers still roam free.”

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“Action Tiger” contains
the conservation plans of 12 tiger range countries and will
be launched this afternoon by a forest guard from Sariska -
the sanctuary which hit the headlines with the disappearance
of all its tigers in 2005. The document, a compilation of
the respective National Tiger Action Plans (NTAPs), contains
comprehensive plans, strategies or blueprints of the tiger
conservation measures to be taken by each country. Mr Menon comments: “This important document will help
conservationists, law makers, supporters and others
concerned to understand the differing requirements of the
tiger countries. Comprehensive plans exist, for the first
time in one place. The challenge now is to make sure
countries act now before wild tigers are gone from the earth
forever.”The event was jointly organised by the
Global Tiger Forum (GTF), the Wildlife Trust India (WTI)
and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which
compiled and published the document.Fred …

Source: Bangkok Post ()

For the first time, the United Nations Framework Convention on Change (UNFCCC) will also address the outstanding problem of the 20 per cent the world’s global emissions caused by deforestation.