PARIS (AP) - Forty-three nations, including Israel and Arab states, have agreed to work for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction in launching an unprecedented Union for the Mediterranean aimed at securing peace across the restive region.
In a final declaration, the nations represented at the summit - including Israel, Syria, the Palestinian Territories and countries across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa - agreed to "pursue a mutually and effectively verifiable Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction."
The statement said that includes nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their delivery systems, and said the countries will "consider practical steps to prevent the proliferation" of such weapons.
It was unclear, however, how the signatories - who included Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Syrian President Bashar Assad - would enforce the pledge.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
My Friend John McCain
It’s hard to believe it’s been 37 years since, as a POW in North Vietnam, I was moved from a fairly “easy” satellite POW camp to one of the cavernous cell bays of the medieval-like Hoa Lo prison in downtown Hanoi with 26 other “bad attitudes.”
“Because you have bad attitude you will go to a place more harsh,” the “V” snarled. ("V" was our generic slang term for the Communist interrogators.)
There, at what became known as the Hanoi Hilton, in cell bay No. 7, I first met Lt. Comdr. John McCain.
- by Jerry Coffee, Midweek, July 9, 2008
“Because you have bad attitude you will go to a place more harsh,” the “V” snarled. ("V" was our generic slang term for the Communist interrogators.)
There, at what became known as the Hanoi Hilton, in cell bay No. 7, I first met Lt. Comdr. John McCain.
- by Jerry Coffee, Midweek, July 9, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
At the G8 Summit
After yesterday’s session of the G8 summit, today, the leaders of the group of eight met with the leaders of eight other emerging economies, namely India, China, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Australia, South Korea and Indonesia. These sixteen countries together account for 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Climate change has dominated the discussions at this year’s G8 summit in Japan. Yesterday, the leaders of the Group of Eight countries had decided to half the global emissions by 2050. However, in today’s discussions, only Indonesia, Australia and South Korea have supported the G8’s vision. All developing countries argued hard that it was developed countries who sacrificed nature during their growth and industrialization and now they should bear the brunt of taking on the expenses of curbing carbon emissions.
However no consensus could be achieved on the proposed target of carbon emissions, and leaders ‘safely stuck to their target’ of 50% less by 2050.
These countries have agreed to cut their greenhouse emissions but they avoided setting specific targets for the same. Chinese President Hu Jintao said that China being a developing country was on the path of industrialization and improving people’s welfare. United States is already opposed to committing to firm targets without assurances that big emerging economies will act too. Experts are doubtful that any substantial steps to fight global warming will be taken unless the new U.S. president assumes office in January 2009.
Climate change has dominated the discussions at this year’s G8 summit in Japan. Yesterday, the leaders of the Group of Eight countries had decided to half the global emissions by 2050. However, in today’s discussions, only Indonesia, Australia and South Korea have supported the G8’s vision. All developing countries argued hard that it was developed countries who sacrificed nature during their growth and industrialization and now they should bear the brunt of taking on the expenses of curbing carbon emissions.
However no consensus could be achieved on the proposed target of carbon emissions, and leaders ‘safely stuck to their target’ of 50% less by 2050.
These countries have agreed to cut their greenhouse emissions but they avoided setting specific targets for the same. Chinese President Hu Jintao said that China being a developing country was on the path of industrialization and improving people’s welfare. United States is already opposed to committing to firm targets without assurances that big emerging economies will act too. Experts are doubtful that any substantial steps to fight global warming will be taken unless the new U.S. president assumes office in January 2009.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Obama = Carter?
I am writing in regards to Jade Moon’s column on Barack Obama. I don’t know why she is so big on him. Being a former newscaster and having lived through the Jimmy Carter presidency, I grew up in the ‘70s, just a she did, and wanted “change” from the old Nixon/Ford administration. I had just turned 19 in 1976 and jumped on the bandwagon of “change” and decided that I, along with all the other young, naïve people, were going to make a difference. We did, and got Carter elected.
Once he did, I realized that all of his policies led to a rapid rate of inflation, much higher gas prices and sky-high interest rates. I got my first car loan in 1978 and paid a 12.5 percent interest rate. All of his tax increases on the “rich” caused prices to get so high that the $200 he saved me through “tax breaks” cost me an extra $500 or more per year in inflation. Some change! An increase on capital gains taxes, raising taxes on big business and environmental restriction costs were passed on to regular people like me, people these changes were supposed to help!
Mr. Obama wants to implement these same laws and restrictions that have already failed in the past! How naïve can one be to think these policies would work now. I was a staunch and loyal Democrat for most of my life, and the Democrats have failed me. I refuse to make the same mistake twice!
As far as race or gender are concerned, and Jade Moon wants a “first,” why not nominate and elect Condoleezza Rice? She is highly intelligent, an expert on foreign policy, speaks numerous languages and actually knows something about the economy - qualities that Barack Obama seems to be lacking. I truly believe she would make a great president.
I think Jade Moon is seeing things through rose-colored glasses. Electing Obama will not only be a mistake, it will be one we have made before.
Mark Katayama
Honolulu
Once he did, I realized that all of his policies led to a rapid rate of inflation, much higher gas prices and sky-high interest rates. I got my first car loan in 1978 and paid a 12.5 percent interest rate. All of his tax increases on the “rich” caused prices to get so high that the $200 he saved me through “tax breaks” cost me an extra $500 or more per year in inflation. Some change! An increase on capital gains taxes, raising taxes on big business and environmental restriction costs were passed on to regular people like me, people these changes were supposed to help!
Mr. Obama wants to implement these same laws and restrictions that have already failed in the past! How naïve can one be to think these policies would work now. I was a staunch and loyal Democrat for most of my life, and the Democrats have failed me. I refuse to make the same mistake twice!
As far as race or gender are concerned, and Jade Moon wants a “first,” why not nominate and elect Condoleezza Rice? She is highly intelligent, an expert on foreign policy, speaks numerous languages and actually knows something about the economy - qualities that Barack Obama seems to be lacking. I truly believe she would make a great president.
I think Jade Moon is seeing things through rose-colored glasses. Electing Obama will not only be a mistake, it will be one we have made before.
Mark Katayama
Honolulu
Sunday, July 06, 2008
curbside recycling coming islandwide
[11/17/08] The blue bins are for aluminum cans; glass bottles and jars (without lids or tops); plastic containers marked with the 1 and 2 number code in a triangle; newspapers, minus magazines and glossy inserts; and corrugated cardboard only.
According to the opala.org Web site, materials in the blue bins are shipped to remanufacturing facilities, while yard waste placed in the green bins is composted locally.
"Low-grade" plastics and papers, such as plastic bags, Styrofoam containers, telephone books and cereal boxes can be tossed into the gray regular refuse cart to be burned at the city's HPOWER plant.
The city says those products "provide greater benefit to the island in local energy production than shipping to distant markets to be made into new products."
Tin or steel food cans should be tossed into the regular trash, not the recycling bin, because those metals are pulled out by magnets at HPOWER, then sold by the city to a metal recycler.
* * *
The city will roll out its curbside recycling program to the rest of Oahu by giving each homeowner one refuse and one recycling pickup each week without the option to pay for additional trash service.
The city Department of Environmental Services announced Tuesday that it selected the pickup method in Hawaii Kai, where the curbside recycling program is being done on an experimental basis.
"Definitely, we're going forward," said Marcus Owens, spokesman for the Environmental Services Department. He said the program will expand in September when the bins for 39,000 East Oahu homes are rolled out. The entire island will be converted by May 2010.
According to the opala.org Web site, materials in the blue bins are shipped to remanufacturing facilities, while yard waste placed in the green bins is composted locally.
"Low-grade" plastics and papers, such as plastic bags, Styrofoam containers, telephone books and cereal boxes can be tossed into the gray regular refuse cart to be burned at the city's HPOWER plant.
The city says those products "provide greater benefit to the island in local energy production than shipping to distant markets to be made into new products."
Tin or steel food cans should be tossed into the regular trash, not the recycling bin, because those metals are pulled out by magnets at HPOWER, then sold by the city to a metal recycler.
* * *
The city will roll out its curbside recycling program to the rest of Oahu by giving each homeowner one refuse and one recycling pickup each week without the option to pay for additional trash service.
The city Department of Environmental Services announced Tuesday that it selected the pickup method in Hawaii Kai, where the curbside recycling program is being done on an experimental basis.
"Definitely, we're going forward," said Marcus Owens, spokesman for the Environmental Services Department. He said the program will expand in September when the bins for 39,000 East Oahu homes are rolled out. The entire island will be converted by May 2010.
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