China has just been declared the world's second biggest economy, and now it has a monster traffic jam to match.
Triggered by road construction, the snarl-up began 10 days ago and was 100 kilometers (60 miles) long at one point. Reaching almost to the outskirts of Beijing, traffic still creeps along in fits and starts, and the crisis could last for another three weeks, authorities say.
In the worst-hit stretches of the road in northern China, drivers pass the time sitting in the shade of their immobilized trucks, playing cards, sleeping on the asphalt or bargaining with price-gouging food vendors. Many of the trucks that carry fruit and vegetables are unrefrigerated, and the cargoes are assumed to be rotting.
The immediate cause of the traffic jam that began Aug. 14 is construction on one of three southbound highways feeding into Beijing.
Authorities are trying to ease the snarl-up by letting more trucks into the capital, especially at night, said Zhang, the traffic director. They also asked trucking companies to suspend operations and advised drivers to take the few alternate routes available.
"Things are getting better and better," he said, but he added that the construction would go on until Sept. 17.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Somalian insurgency
NAIROBI, Kenya — Somali insurgents disguised in government military uniforms stormed a Mogadishu hotel on Tuesday and killed at least 30 people, including 4 lawmakers, laying bare how vulnerable Somalia’s government is, even in an area it claims to control.
The insurgents methodically moved room to room, killing hotel guests who tried to bolt their doors shut, Somali officials said. When government forces finally cornered the insurgents, two blew themselves up with suicide vests.
The attack shows that “operational momentum has shifted to the insurgents, who can go anywhere they want except where the African peacekeepers are deployed,” said J. Peter Pham, senior vice president at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.
The most powerful insurgents are the Shabab, a militant Islamist group that has stoned civilians to death and pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda. The Shabab seem to be constantly two steps ahead of Somalia’s transitional government, analysts say, even though the government receives tens of millions of dollars in security aid from the United States and other Western countries.
American officials have said the government, however weak and disorganized, is the best bulwark against a Shabab-ruled Somalia, though the Shabab already rule much of Somalia.
The insurgents methodically moved room to room, killing hotel guests who tried to bolt their doors shut, Somali officials said. When government forces finally cornered the insurgents, two blew themselves up with suicide vests.
The attack shows that “operational momentum has shifted to the insurgents, who can go anywhere they want except where the African peacekeepers are deployed,” said J. Peter Pham, senior vice president at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.
The most powerful insurgents are the Shabab, a militant Islamist group that has stoned civilians to death and pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda. The Shabab seem to be constantly two steps ahead of Somalia’s transitional government, analysts say, even though the government receives tens of millions of dollars in security aid from the United States and other Western countries.
American officials have said the government, however weak and disorganized, is the best bulwark against a Shabab-ruled Somalia, though the Shabab already rule much of Somalia.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Kalihi property tax quadruples
Kalihi homeowners whose properties were reclassified to industrial or commercial are facing a fourfold property tax jump they describe as unfair.
Jayme Cabais, 79, a lifelong resident of a Stanley Street house, said yesterday that he received no notice of the change until the end of July when he received this year's tax bill for $10,552.40, more than quadruple last year's $2,335.52 bill.
The retiree cannot afford $10,000 a year on a monthly $1,000 Social Security check. "I want to be able to afford to eat," he said.
City Council member Romy Cachola said his office has been flooded with complaints about the tax increase from the residential rate of $3.42 to $12.40 for industrial or commercial per $1,000 of assessed value. Cachola knows of 95 structures that were affected but suspects the number is higher.
"The Hannemann administration pulled the trigger" last year and decided to reclassify these residential homes without the Council's knowledge, Cachola said.
He believes the problem is islandwide, likely striking other older neighborhoods that had been rezoned to industrial and commercial, often hurting the needy and seniors on fixed incomes.
While many owners did not receive notices, some got letters in December notifying them of the zoning reclassification, but the letters failed to mention any tax increase. They only learned of the major increase when they got their bills in the mail.
They were told by the city they have no recourse but to pay this year's bills. Their only consolation is to file a form by September asking their land be reclassified as residential.
The Council passed a bill in July that would allow residential property owners to dedicate their properties to residential, allowing them to pay the lower rate.
The changes were made in response to "complaints of inequitable treatment by owners of similar properties who were already being assessed at the higher commercial or industrial class rate," said Gary Kurokawa, the city's real property tax division administrator.
***
City Council members are irate that, unbeknownst to them, the city administratively reclassified about 250 residential properties from Waipahu to Kapahulu, jacking up some homeowners' property taxes by more than 300 percent.
"I don't recall ever sitting down or having one conversation, one memo, one iota that this reclassification was occurring," said Council Budget Chairman Nestor Garcia on Friday.
He said he would have remembered "something that was going to hit this many people this deep in the pocketbook."
Council Chairman Todd Apo said the Council members should have been advised beforehand.
"Had we been informed, we could have, either through a new law or via the budget bill, created some form of relief for this situation," he said.
By today, owners of formerly classified residential properties must pay the first installment of quadrupled property taxes or face late penalties.
Last year the city reclassified some residential properties in areas zoned commercial or residential to commercial or industrial use. Some owners received letters from the city in December informing them of the reclassification but had no clue it would result in a huge jump in taxes.
Acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell defended former Mayor Mufi Hannemann's administration on the issue, saying, "The change in classification of these apartment properties was not the result of any policy decision on the part of either the Hannemann or Caldwell administrations.
***
[8/26/10] I would like to provide clarification of the classification of real property ("Tax jump alarms Kalihi residents," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 20).
By law, the city's Real Property Assessment Division is the sole agency responsible for determining the classification and assessment of all taxable real property in the City and County of Honolulu. To suggest that the mayor or City Council could influence an assessment is irresponsible.
The main objective in assessing the city's real property inventory is to be uniform and equitable. The employees of the division work hard to maintain the integrity of the assessment system.
Recent changes in classification from residential to commercial/industrial were done to address complaints from taxpayers who were paying a higher tax rate than some of their neighbors. Unfortunately, application of existing laws sometimes results in unintended, negative consequences, as was the case here. Acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell and the Council are currently working to fashion a measure of tax relief to assist taxpayers impacted by the reclassification this year.
Gary T. Kurokawa
Administrator, Real Property Assessment Division, City Department of Budget and Fiscal Services
Jayme Cabais, 79, a lifelong resident of a Stanley Street house, said yesterday that he received no notice of the change until the end of July when he received this year's tax bill for $10,552.40, more than quadruple last year's $2,335.52 bill.
The retiree cannot afford $10,000 a year on a monthly $1,000 Social Security check. "I want to be able to afford to eat," he said.
City Council member Romy Cachola said his office has been flooded with complaints about the tax increase from the residential rate of $3.42 to $12.40 for industrial or commercial per $1,000 of assessed value. Cachola knows of 95 structures that were affected but suspects the number is higher.
"The Hannemann administration pulled the trigger" last year and decided to reclassify these residential homes without the Council's knowledge, Cachola said.
He believes the problem is islandwide, likely striking other older neighborhoods that had been rezoned to industrial and commercial, often hurting the needy and seniors on fixed incomes.
While many owners did not receive notices, some got letters in December notifying them of the zoning reclassification, but the letters failed to mention any tax increase. They only learned of the major increase when they got their bills in the mail.
They were told by the city they have no recourse but to pay this year's bills. Their only consolation is to file a form by September asking their land be reclassified as residential.
The Council passed a bill in July that would allow residential property owners to dedicate their properties to residential, allowing them to pay the lower rate.
The changes were made in response to "complaints of inequitable treatment by owners of similar properties who were already being assessed at the higher commercial or industrial class rate," said Gary Kurokawa, the city's real property tax division administrator.
***
City Council members are irate that, unbeknownst to them, the city administratively reclassified about 250 residential properties from Waipahu to Kapahulu, jacking up some homeowners' property taxes by more than 300 percent.
"I don't recall ever sitting down or having one conversation, one memo, one iota that this reclassification was occurring," said Council Budget Chairman Nestor Garcia on Friday.
He said he would have remembered "something that was going to hit this many people this deep in the pocketbook."
Council Chairman Todd Apo said the Council members should have been advised beforehand.
"Had we been informed, we could have, either through a new law or via the budget bill, created some form of relief for this situation," he said.
By today, owners of formerly classified residential properties must pay the first installment of quadrupled property taxes or face late penalties.
Last year the city reclassified some residential properties in areas zoned commercial or residential to commercial or industrial use. Some owners received letters from the city in December informing them of the reclassification but had no clue it would result in a huge jump in taxes.
Acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell defended former Mayor Mufi Hannemann's administration on the issue, saying, "The change in classification of these apartment properties was not the result of any policy decision on the part of either the Hannemann or Caldwell administrations.
***
[8/26/10] I would like to provide clarification of the classification of real property ("Tax jump alarms Kalihi residents," Star-Advertiser, Aug. 20).
By law, the city's Real Property Assessment Division is the sole agency responsible for determining the classification and assessment of all taxable real property in the City and County of Honolulu. To suggest that the mayor or City Council could influence an assessment is irresponsible.
The main objective in assessing the city's real property inventory is to be uniform and equitable. The employees of the division work hard to maintain the integrity of the assessment system.
Recent changes in classification from residential to commercial/industrial were done to address complaints from taxpayers who were paying a higher tax rate than some of their neighbors. Unfortunately, application of existing laws sometimes results in unintended, negative consequences, as was the case here. Acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell and the Council are currently working to fashion a measure of tax relief to assist taxpayers impacted by the reclassification this year.
Gary T. Kurokawa
Administrator, Real Property Assessment Division, City Department of Budget and Fiscal Services
Friday, August 27, 2010
Jonathan Lee
BEIJING — A 13-year-old American boy who made a rare visit to Pyongyang says officials there welcomed his idea for a "children's peace forest" in the demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea, although they said it would only happen if the countries signed a peace treaty first.
Jonathan Lee returned Thursday from an eight-day visit to the reclusive country during which he was taken on a tour of the DMZ. A hoped-for meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il did not materialize, although Lee said the officials forwarded to Kim a letter from him.
"On this trip, I discovered that both sides want reunification and that Korea is one, so I see hope on the Korean peninsula," Lee, who made the visit with his parents, Kyoung and Melissa Lee, told The Associated Press.
Jonathan Lee returned Thursday from an eight-day visit to the reclusive country during which he was taken on a tour of the DMZ. A hoped-for meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il did not materialize, although Lee said the officials forwarded to Kim a letter from him.
"On this trip, I discovered that both sides want reunification and that Korea is one, so I see hope on the Korean peninsula," Lee, who made the visit with his parents, Kyoung and Melissa Lee, told The Associated Press.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
the last American combat brigade leaves Iraq
[9/1/10] WASHINGTON — Claiming no victory, President Barack Obama formally ended the U.S. combat role in Iraq after seven long years of bloodshed, declaring firmly Tuesday night: "It's time to turn the page." Now, he said, the nation's most urgent priority is fixing its own sickly economy.
From the Oval Office, where George W. Bush first announced the invasion that would come to define his presidency, Obama addressed millions who were divided over the war in his country and around the world. Fiercely opposed to the war from the start, he said the United States "has paid a huge price" to give Iraqis the chance to shape their future—a cost that now includes more than 4,400 troops dead, tens of thousands more wounded and hundreds of billions of dollars spent.
In a telling sign of the domestic troubles weighing on the United States and his own presidency, Obama turned much of the emphasis in a major war address to the dire state of U.S. joblessness. He said the Iraq war had stripped America of money needed for its own prosperity, and he called for an economic commitment at home to rival the grit and purpose of a military campaign.
In his remarks of slightly less than 20 minutes, only his second address from the Oval Office, Obama looked directly into the TV camera, hands clasped in front of him on his desk, family photos and the U.S. and presidential flags behind him. His tone was somber.
Even as he turns control of the war over to the Iraqis—and tries to cap one of the most divisive chapters in recent American history—Obama is escalating the conflict in Afghanistan. He said that winding down Iraq would allow the United States "to apply the resources necessary to go on offense" in Afghanistan, now the nation's longest war since Vietnam.
As for Iraq, for all the finality of Obama's remarks, the war is not over. More Americans are likely to die. The country is plagued by violence and political instability, and Iraqis struggle with constant shortages of electricity and water.
Obama is keeping up to 50,000 troops in Iraq for support and counter-terrorism training, and the last forces are not due to leave until the end of 2011 at the latest.
[8/20/10] Baghdad - — Iraqis danced in the streets when U.S. troops withdrew from their cities a little over a year ago. After the last American combat brigade trundled across the border into Kuwait early Thursday, reversing a journey that began more than seven years ago, there was no rejoicing.
Instead, a mood of deep apprehension tinged with bitterness is taking hold as Iraqis digest the reality that the American invaders whom they once feared would stay forever are in fact going home - at a time when their country is in the throes of a deep political crisis that many think could turn increasingly violent.
"I'm not happy at all. I'm worried. They're leaving really early," said Wissam Sabah, a carpet seller in one of Baghdad's shopping districts. "We don't have a government and we don't know what is going to happen next. Maybe we will go back to civil war.
***
KHABARI CROSSING, Kuwait — As their convoy reached the barbed wire at the border crossing out of Iraq on Wednesday, the soldiers whooped and cheered. Then they scrambled out of their stifling hot armored vehicles, unfurled an American flag and posed for group photos.
For these troops of the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, it was a moment of relief fraught with symbolism. Seven years and five months after the U.S.-led invasion, the last American combat brigade was leaving Iraq, well ahead of President Barack Obama's Aug. 31 deadline for ending U.S. combat operations there.
In a statement released by email, the president noted that the drawdown has been significant -- but isn't over yet:
From the Oval Office, where George W. Bush first announced the invasion that would come to define his presidency, Obama addressed millions who were divided over the war in his country and around the world. Fiercely opposed to the war from the start, he said the United States "has paid a huge price" to give Iraqis the chance to shape their future—a cost that now includes more than 4,400 troops dead, tens of thousands more wounded and hundreds of billions of dollars spent.
In a telling sign of the domestic troubles weighing on the United States and his own presidency, Obama turned much of the emphasis in a major war address to the dire state of U.S. joblessness. He said the Iraq war had stripped America of money needed for its own prosperity, and he called for an economic commitment at home to rival the grit and purpose of a military campaign.
In his remarks of slightly less than 20 minutes, only his second address from the Oval Office, Obama looked directly into the TV camera, hands clasped in front of him on his desk, family photos and the U.S. and presidential flags behind him. His tone was somber.
Even as he turns control of the war over to the Iraqis—and tries to cap one of the most divisive chapters in recent American history—Obama is escalating the conflict in Afghanistan. He said that winding down Iraq would allow the United States "to apply the resources necessary to go on offense" in Afghanistan, now the nation's longest war since Vietnam.
As for Iraq, for all the finality of Obama's remarks, the war is not over. More Americans are likely to die. The country is plagued by violence and political instability, and Iraqis struggle with constant shortages of electricity and water.
Obama is keeping up to 50,000 troops in Iraq for support and counter-terrorism training, and the last forces are not due to leave until the end of 2011 at the latest.
[8/20/10] Baghdad - — Iraqis danced in the streets when U.S. troops withdrew from their cities a little over a year ago. After the last American combat brigade trundled across the border into Kuwait early Thursday, reversing a journey that began more than seven years ago, there was no rejoicing.
Instead, a mood of deep apprehension tinged with bitterness is taking hold as Iraqis digest the reality that the American invaders whom they once feared would stay forever are in fact going home - at a time when their country is in the throes of a deep political crisis that many think could turn increasingly violent.
"I'm not happy at all. I'm worried. They're leaving really early," said Wissam Sabah, a carpet seller in one of Baghdad's shopping districts. "We don't have a government and we don't know what is going to happen next. Maybe we will go back to civil war.
***
KHABARI CROSSING, Kuwait — As their convoy reached the barbed wire at the border crossing out of Iraq on Wednesday, the soldiers whooped and cheered. Then they scrambled out of their stifling hot armored vehicles, unfurled an American flag and posed for group photos.
For these troops of the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, it was a moment of relief fraught with symbolism. Seven years and five months after the U.S.-led invasion, the last American combat brigade was leaving Iraq, well ahead of President Barack Obama's Aug. 31 deadline for ending U.S. combat operations there.
In a statement released by email, the president noted that the drawdown has been significant -- but isn't over yet:
Over the last 18 months, over 90,000 U.S. troops have left Iraq. By the end of this month, 50,000 troops will be serving in Iraq. As Iraqi Security Forces take responsibility for securing their country, our troops will move to an advise-and-assist role. And, consistent with our agreement with the Iraqi government, all of our troops will be out of Iraq by the end of next year. Meanwhile, we will continue to build a strong partnership with the Iraqi people with an increased civilian commitment and diplomatic effort.P.J. Crowley, a spokesman for the State Department, told MSNBC that this is "an historic moment" that marks the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom, but not the end of the U.S. mission in Iraq.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
tax cuts good for economy?
The Republicans justify their desire to continue the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of the population by saying it will stimulate the economy and promote more jobs.
Haven't these cuts been in effect since 2002?
So how have they helped stimulate the economy and jobs over the last eight years? Haven't we just gone through the worst recession since the Great Depression during this same time?
All they have done is raise the income of the same wealthiest people and cost the jobs, income and homes of many lower- and middle-income workers. This is what we can expect if the Republicans increase their influence in Congress.
Vernon Wong
Waipahu
***
note: see voodoo economics
Haven't these cuts been in effect since 2002?
So how have they helped stimulate the economy and jobs over the last eight years? Haven't we just gone through the worst recession since the Great Depression during this same time?
All they have done is raise the income of the same wealthiest people and cost the jobs, income and homes of many lower- and middle-income workers. This is what we can expect if the Republicans increase their influence in Congress.
Vernon Wong
Waipahu
***
note: see voodoo economics
Monday, August 16, 2010
California's gay marriage ban overturned
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge overturned California's gay marriage ban Wednesday with an unequivocal ruling that could eventually force the U.S. Supreme Court to confront the question of whether same-sex couples have a constitutional right to wed.
Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker's strongly worded opinion in the landmark case — the first in a federal court to examine if states can lawfully limit marriage to a man and a woman — touched off a celebration outside the courthouse. Later in the day, a jubilant crowd marched through the city that has long been a haven for gays.
The ruling met immediate criticism from Mormon and Catholic church leaders and cheers from gay-rights advocates.
As word of the verdict spread, about 300 people assembled in a West Hollywood park waving rainbow gay pride flags. In New York City, a crowd of about 150 gathered outside a lower Manhattan courthouse. They carried signs saying "Our Love Wins" as organizers read portions of the 136-page decision aloud.
Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker's strongly worded opinion in the landmark case — the first in a federal court to examine if states can lawfully limit marriage to a man and a woman — touched off a celebration outside the courthouse. Later in the day, a jubilant crowd marched through the city that has long been a haven for gays.
The ruling met immediate criticism from Mormon and Catholic church leaders and cheers from gay-rights advocates.
As word of the verdict spread, about 300 people assembled in a West Hollywood park waving rainbow gay pride flags. In New York City, a crowd of about 150 gathered outside a lower Manhattan courthouse. They carried signs saying "Our Love Wins" as organizers read portions of the 136-page decision aloud.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Missouri rejects universal health care
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a key provision of President Barack Obama's health care law, sending a clear message of discontent to Washington and Democrats less than 100 days before the midterm elections.
About 71 percent of Missouri voters backed a ballot measure, Proposition C, that would prohibit the government from requiring people to have health insurance or from penalizing them for not having it.
The Missouri law conflicts with a federal requirement that most people have health insurance or face penalties starting in 2014.
Tuesday's vote was seen as largely symbolic because federal law generally trumps state law. But it was also seen as a sign of growing voter disillusionment with federal policies and a show of strength by conservatives and the tea party movement.
***
More than half a dozen states suing to overturn President Barack Obama's health care law are also claiming its subsidies for covering retired state government employees, according to a list released Tuesday by the administration.
About 2,000 employers have been approved for the extra help to cover early retirees, mainly private businesses. But the list also includes seven states suing to overturn the health care overhaul as an unconstitutional power grab by the federal government.
The seven are Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Nevada.
They are part of a group of 20 states that have challenged the law's requirement for most Americans to carry health insurance or face fines from the IRS. They argue that government cannot order individuals to buy a particular product. The administration counters that the mandate falls within broad powers conferred on Congress to regulate interstate commerce.
***
[9/1/10] More than half a dozen states suing to overturn President Barack Obama's health care law are also claiming its subsidies for covering retired state government employees, according to a list released Tuesday by the administration.
About 2,000 employers have been approved for the extra help to cover early retirees, mainly private businesses. But the list also includes seven states suing to overturn the health care overhaul as an unconstitutional power grab by the federal government.
The seven are Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Nevada.
They are part of a group of 20 states that have challenged the law's requirement for most Americans to carry health insurance or face fines from the IRS. They argue that government cannot order individuals to buy a particular product. The administration counters that the mandate falls within broad powers conferred on Congress to regulate interstate commerce.
About 71 percent of Missouri voters backed a ballot measure, Proposition C, that would prohibit the government from requiring people to have health insurance or from penalizing them for not having it.
The Missouri law conflicts with a federal requirement that most people have health insurance or face penalties starting in 2014.
Tuesday's vote was seen as largely symbolic because federal law generally trumps state law. But it was also seen as a sign of growing voter disillusionment with federal policies and a show of strength by conservatives and the tea party movement.
***
More than half a dozen states suing to overturn President Barack Obama's health care law are also claiming its subsidies for covering retired state government employees, according to a list released Tuesday by the administration.
About 2,000 employers have been approved for the extra help to cover early retirees, mainly private businesses. But the list also includes seven states suing to overturn the health care overhaul as an unconstitutional power grab by the federal government.
The seven are Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Nevada.
They are part of a group of 20 states that have challenged the law's requirement for most Americans to carry health insurance or face fines from the IRS. They argue that government cannot order individuals to buy a particular product. The administration counters that the mandate falls within broad powers conferred on Congress to regulate interstate commerce.
***
[9/1/10] More than half a dozen states suing to overturn President Barack Obama's health care law are also claiming its subsidies for covering retired state government employees, according to a list released Tuesday by the administration.
About 2,000 employers have been approved for the extra help to cover early retirees, mainly private businesses. But the list also includes seven states suing to overturn the health care overhaul as an unconstitutional power grab by the federal government.
The seven are Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Nevada.
They are part of a group of 20 states that have challenged the law's requirement for most Americans to carry health insurance or face fines from the IRS. They argue that government cannot order individuals to buy a particular product. The administration counters that the mandate falls within broad powers conferred on Congress to regulate interstate commerce.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Reducing civilian casualties in Afghanistan also reduces attacks on American troops
Efforts to reduce civilian casualties by restricting U.S. airstrikes and other uses of force in Afghanistan are also sparing American troops from attack, according to a study to be unveiled Tuesday.
The study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, being released at the nonpartisan New America Foundation in Washington, undercuts the notion that the military faces a zero-sum choice between protecting its troops and protecting civilians, said one of the authors, Jacob Shapiro of Princeton University.
"Doing a little bit more to protect civilians looks like it reduces the rate of attacks" on troops, he said.
The study, funded by the Air Force and Stanford University, analyzed 4,000 civilian casualties and 25,000 fights between U.S.-led forces and insurgents over 15 months ending April 1. A typical incident that caused two Afghan civilian deaths provoked six revenge attacks in the district by the Taliban and other militants, the study found.
"The data are consistent with the claim that civilian casualties are affecting future violence through increased recruitment into insurgent groups after a civilian-casualty incident," the study says.
Pentagon officials, including Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, have long acknowledged that civilian casualties were fueling the insurgency in Afghanistan, which is why McChrystal pushed hard to reduce them. Officials have noted that the Pashtun ethnic group, which dominates the Afghan insurgency, lives by a code of honor requiring men to avenge the deaths of relatives.
The study also examined Iraq, finding that civilian casualties in a particular district did not result in a similar long-term increase in insurgent violence in that district. The finding is consistent with what U.S. military officials have observed. In Iraq, the U.S. military has tamped down anger over civilian casualties by making payments to families. That approach has been greeted with affront in Afghanistan.
The study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, being released at the nonpartisan New America Foundation in Washington, undercuts the notion that the military faces a zero-sum choice between protecting its troops and protecting civilians, said one of the authors, Jacob Shapiro of Princeton University.
"Doing a little bit more to protect civilians looks like it reduces the rate of attacks" on troops, he said.
The study, funded by the Air Force and Stanford University, analyzed 4,000 civilian casualties and 25,000 fights between U.S.-led forces and insurgents over 15 months ending April 1. A typical incident that caused two Afghan civilian deaths provoked six revenge attacks in the district by the Taliban and other militants, the study found.
"The data are consistent with the claim that civilian casualties are affecting future violence through increased recruitment into insurgent groups after a civilian-casualty incident," the study says.
Pentagon officials, including Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, have long acknowledged that civilian casualties were fueling the insurgency in Afghanistan, which is why McChrystal pushed hard to reduce them. Officials have noted that the Pashtun ethnic group, which dominates the Afghan insurgency, lives by a code of honor requiring men to avenge the deaths of relatives.
The study also examined Iraq, finding that civilian casualties in a particular district did not result in a similar long-term increase in insurgent violence in that district. The finding is consistent with what U.S. military officials have observed. In Iraq, the U.S. military has tamped down anger over civilian casualties by making payments to families. That approach has been greeted with affront in Afghanistan.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Pakistan floods kill at least 800
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Floods driven by record-breaking rainfall have killed at least 800 people and destroyed thousands of homes over the past week, officials said Saturday, in the latest disaster to test Pakistan’s already strained government.
The crisis comes as the government is struggling to fight an Islamic insurgency and to cope with the aftermath of Wednesday’s plane crash in which 152 people died in the fog- and rain-shrouded Himalayan foothills just outside this capital city. It was the deadliest domestic plane crash in Pakistan’s history.
Officials said the deluge was the worst since 1929 in northwest Pakistan, where water levels in dams continued to rise. And with more rain forecast for all but that part of the country, increasing the likelihood of more flash floods and landslides, government officials issued pleas for international aid.
The crisis comes as the government is struggling to fight an Islamic insurgency and to cope with the aftermath of Wednesday’s plane crash in which 152 people died in the fog- and rain-shrouded Himalayan foothills just outside this capital city. It was the deadliest domestic plane crash in Pakistan’s history.
Officials said the deluge was the worst since 1929 in northwest Pakistan, where water levels in dams continued to rise. And with more rain forecast for all but that part of the country, increasing the likelihood of more flash floods and landslides, government officials issued pleas for international aid.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Seven Billion
With 267 people being born every minute and 108 dying, the world’s population will top seven billion next year, a research group projects, while the ratio of working-age adults to support the elderly in developed countries declines precipitously because of lower birthrates and longer life spans.
In a sobering assessment of those two trends, William P. Butz, president of the Population Reference Bureau, said that “chronically low birthrates in developed countries are beginning to challenge the health and financial security of the elderly” at the same time that “developing countries are adding over 80 million to the population each year and the poorest of those countries are adding 20 million, exacerbating poverty and threatening the environment.”
***
I remember the population as four billion when I was growing up. I wonder how fast the population is growing. Enter wikipedia.
The population of the world reached one billion in 1804, two billion in 1927, three billion in 1960, four billion in 1974, five billion in 1987, and six billion in 1999. It is projected to reach seven billion by late 2011, and around eight billion by 2025.
By 2045-2050, the world's population is currently projected to reach around nine billion, with alternative scenarios ranging from 7.4 billion to 10.6 billion. Projected figures vary depending on such things as the underlying assumptions and which variables are manipulated in projection calculations, especially the fertility variable. Such variations give long-range predictions to 2150, ranging from population decline to 3.2 billion in the 'low scenario', to high scenarios of 24.8 billion, or soaring to 256 billion.
In a sobering assessment of those two trends, William P. Butz, president of the Population Reference Bureau, said that “chronically low birthrates in developed countries are beginning to challenge the health and financial security of the elderly” at the same time that “developing countries are adding over 80 million to the population each year and the poorest of those countries are adding 20 million, exacerbating poverty and threatening the environment.”
***
I remember the population as four billion when I was growing up. I wonder how fast the population is growing. Enter wikipedia.
The population of the world reached one billion in 1804, two billion in 1927, three billion in 1960, four billion in 1974, five billion in 1987, and six billion in 1999. It is projected to reach seven billion by late 2011, and around eight billion by 2025.
By 2045-2050, the world's population is currently projected to reach around nine billion, with alternative scenarios ranging from 7.4 billion to 10.6 billion. Projected figures vary depending on such things as the underlying assumptions and which variables are manipulated in projection calculations, especially the fertility variable. Such variations give long-range predictions to 2150, ranging from population decline to 3.2 billion in the 'low scenario', to high scenarios of 24.8 billion, or soaring to 256 billion.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
war in Pakistan
[8/4/10] ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A wave of violence after the assassination of a senior politician on Monday has left at least 47 people dead in Pakistan’s largest city, the southern port of Karachi.
The violence erupted after the politician, Raza Haider, a provincial lawmaker and the leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, was shot to death along with his bodyguard.
Within hours, mobs spread out across Karachi, setting fire to public and private property, including dozens of vehicles. Business centers were forced to shut down. Normal life has since come to a virtual standstill, and schools and government offices remained closed on Tuesday.
[7/2/10] LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistanis lashed out Friday at the U.S., blaming its alliance with their government and its presence in Afghanistan for spurring two suicide bombers to kill 42 people at the country's most important Sufi shrine.
The reactions showed the challenge facing Washington and the Pakistani government when it comes to rallying public support against the Islamist extremism that has scarred the South Asian nation, even after an audacious attack on the moderate, Sufi-influenced Islam most Pakistanis practice.
Thousands of people had gathered late Thursday at the green-domed Data Darbar shrine in Lahore when bombs went off minutes apart. The blasts ripped concrete from the walls and left the white marble floor awash with blood. There was no claim of responsibility, but Islamist extremists consider Sufism — a mystical strand of Islam — to be heretical.
But on Friday, few Pakistanis interviewed saw militants at the root of the problem.
"America is killing Muslims in Afghanistan and in our tribal areas (with missile strikes), and militants are attacking Pakistan to express anger against the government for supporting America," said Zahid Umar, 25, who frequently visits the shrine, where 180 people were also wounded.
Pakistanis are suffering because of American policies and aggression in the region, said Mohammed Asif, 34, who runs an auto workshop in Lahore. He and others said the attacks would end if the U.S. would pull out of Afghanistan.
***
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Dilla Baz Khan was pulling a woman from the rubble of an air raid when Pakistani jets screamed back into the valley for a second bombing run, killing scores of people in a village locals say had been supportive of army offensives against militants along the Afghan border.
Khan and other survivors said Tuesday at least 68 villagers were killed in the weekend airstrikes, sharply contradicting initial army accounts that the dead were Islamist militants. A local administration official said $125,000 had been paid in compensation to victims.
The official declined to say how many of the dead were civilians but said Shafiullah Khan, the top official in Khyber, apologized to local tribesman and admitted the victims were "mostly" innocent villagers.
The violence erupted after the politician, Raza Haider, a provincial lawmaker and the leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, was shot to death along with his bodyguard.
Within hours, mobs spread out across Karachi, setting fire to public and private property, including dozens of vehicles. Business centers were forced to shut down. Normal life has since come to a virtual standstill, and schools and government offices remained closed on Tuesday.
[7/2/10] LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistanis lashed out Friday at the U.S., blaming its alliance with their government and its presence in Afghanistan for spurring two suicide bombers to kill 42 people at the country's most important Sufi shrine.
The reactions showed the challenge facing Washington and the Pakistani government when it comes to rallying public support against the Islamist extremism that has scarred the South Asian nation, even after an audacious attack on the moderate, Sufi-influenced Islam most Pakistanis practice.
Thousands of people had gathered late Thursday at the green-domed Data Darbar shrine in Lahore when bombs went off minutes apart. The blasts ripped concrete from the walls and left the white marble floor awash with blood. There was no claim of responsibility, but Islamist extremists consider Sufism — a mystical strand of Islam — to be heretical.
But on Friday, few Pakistanis interviewed saw militants at the root of the problem.
"America is killing Muslims in Afghanistan and in our tribal areas (with missile strikes), and militants are attacking Pakistan to express anger against the government for supporting America," said Zahid Umar, 25, who frequently visits the shrine, where 180 people were also wounded.
Pakistanis are suffering because of American policies and aggression in the region, said Mohammed Asif, 34, who runs an auto workshop in Lahore. He and others said the attacks would end if the U.S. would pull out of Afghanistan.
***
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Dilla Baz Khan was pulling a woman from the rubble of an air raid when Pakistani jets screamed back into the valley for a second bombing run, killing scores of people in a village locals say had been supportive of army offensives against militants along the Afghan border.
Khan and other survivors said Tuesday at least 68 villagers were killed in the weekend airstrikes, sharply contradicting initial army accounts that the dead were Islamist militants. A local administration official said $125,000 had been paid in compensation to victims.
The official declined to say how many of the dead were civilians but said Shafiullah Khan, the top official in Khyber, apologized to local tribesman and admitted the victims were "mostly" innocent villagers.
the Akaka bill
[8/9/10] Akaka will offer substitute amendment
***
[7/30/10] When the revered kupuna and master educator, Gladys Kamakakuokalani Ainoa Brandt, gave her name to the UH-Manoa Center for Hawaiian Studies, she did so with the proviso that we Hawaiian academic activists needed to find a peaceful resolution to the political conflict between the American government and the Hawaiian people.
U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka's Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act is one step in that peaceful direction, and I ask all people of America to support its passage.
Yes, we had hoped that the Akaka Bill would follow the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which gave Alaska natives both money and land in compensation for taking their homeland, and it does not.
However, our federal recognition bill allows native Hawaiians to form their own government and negotiate for lands and monies over time, and in harmony with our neighbors.
Alaska natives have amended their bill more than 30 times; no doubt we will do so, too. So let's support equity for Hawaiians and pass the Akaka Bill.
Lilikala Kameeleihiwa
Professor, Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies
***
[7/27/10] The state Hawaiian Homes Commission has voted to support a new version of a native Hawaiian federal recognition bill and is urging the bill's passage in the U.S. Senate.
"It gives us that right to exist. But most importantly, it also helps to protect our trust and our trust assets moving forward," said Kaulana Park, chairman of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which is governed by the commission.
The commission joins the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and other Hawaiian groups that back the bill, known as the Akaka Bill for its main sponsor, U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii.
The bill would create a process for native Hawaiians to form their own government and negotiate with the federal and state governments on land use and cultural issues. Akaka has agreed to amendments to win back the support of Gov. Linda Lingle. The amendments protect the state's regulatory powers over health and safety activities while the negotiations are in progress.
***
The drafting of the Akaka Bill has been a challenging 11-year process, but we now have a carefully written piece of legislation that should be enacted into law. Its passage will benefit everyone in the state by establishing a formal process to address the injustices resulting from the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the continuing disenfranchisement of native Hawaiians. By officially recognizing native Hawaiians as indigenous people of the United States, it will protect the federal programs for native Hawaiians that bring millions of dollars into the state annually.
The Akaka Bill -- formally called the native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act -- was passed by the U.S. House of Representative in February and now awaits passage by the Senate. It will provide a framework to allow native Hawaiians to create a government similar to the 562 federally recognized indigenous groups in the United States. After that phase is completed, negotiations will begin for the return of land and resources currently held in trust by the state and federal governments.
- by John Waihee, staradvertiser, July 21, 2010
***
[7/30/10] When the revered kupuna and master educator, Gladys Kamakakuokalani Ainoa Brandt, gave her name to the UH-Manoa Center for Hawaiian Studies, she did so with the proviso that we Hawaiian academic activists needed to find a peaceful resolution to the political conflict between the American government and the Hawaiian people.
U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka's Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act is one step in that peaceful direction, and I ask all people of America to support its passage.
Yes, we had hoped that the Akaka Bill would follow the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which gave Alaska natives both money and land in compensation for taking their homeland, and it does not.
However, our federal recognition bill allows native Hawaiians to form their own government and negotiate for lands and monies over time, and in harmony with our neighbors.
Alaska natives have amended their bill more than 30 times; no doubt we will do so, too. So let's support equity for Hawaiians and pass the Akaka Bill.
Lilikala Kameeleihiwa
Professor, Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies
***
[7/27/10] The state Hawaiian Homes Commission has voted to support a new version of a native Hawaiian federal recognition bill and is urging the bill's passage in the U.S. Senate.
"It gives us that right to exist. But most importantly, it also helps to protect our trust and our trust assets moving forward," said Kaulana Park, chairman of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which is governed by the commission.
The commission joins the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and other Hawaiian groups that back the bill, known as the Akaka Bill for its main sponsor, U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii.
The bill would create a process for native Hawaiians to form their own government and negotiate with the federal and state governments on land use and cultural issues. Akaka has agreed to amendments to win back the support of Gov. Linda Lingle. The amendments protect the state's regulatory powers over health and safety activities while the negotiations are in progress.
***
The drafting of the Akaka Bill has been a challenging 11-year process, but we now have a carefully written piece of legislation that should be enacted into law. Its passage will benefit everyone in the state by establishing a formal process to address the injustices resulting from the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the continuing disenfranchisement of native Hawaiians. By officially recognizing native Hawaiians as indigenous people of the United States, it will protect the federal programs for native Hawaiians that bring millions of dollars into the state annually.
The Akaka Bill -- formally called the native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act -- was passed by the U.S. House of Representative in February and now awaits passage by the Senate. It will provide a framework to allow native Hawaiians to create a government similar to the 562 federally recognized indigenous groups in the United States. After that phase is completed, negotiations will begin for the return of land and resources currently held in trust by the state and federal governments.
- by John Waihee, staradvertiser, July 21, 2010
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Afghans sign trade pact with Pakistan
Afghanistan and Pakistan signed a landmark trade agreement on Sunday, auguring a thaw between these two perennially suspicious neighbors and handing the Obama administration a rare victory in its beleaguered war effort in Afghanistan.
The United States had prodded the two countries to sign the accord, calculating that it would bolster the Afghan economy by expanding its trade routes and curbing rampant smuggling. The pact would cover a multitude of trade and transit issues, ranging from import duties to port access.
Trade negotiations have dragged on fitfully since 1965, interrupted by wars, political coups, mutual distrust and the long shadow of India, which is not a party to the deal. The accord must still be ratified by the Afghan Parliament.
The United States had prodded the two countries to sign the accord, calculating that it would bolster the Afghan economy by expanding its trade routes and curbing rampant smuggling. The pact would cover a multitude of trade and transit issues, ranging from import duties to port access.
Trade negotiations have dragged on fitfully since 1965, interrupted by wars, political coups, mutual distrust and the long shadow of India, which is not a party to the deal. The accord must still be ratified by the Afghan Parliament.
Sunday, August 01, 2010
less days in classroom, higher scores (I'm just saying..)
Despite spending fewer days in the classroom, public school students continued to make gains in reading and math test scores this year, according to results released yesterday.
And nearly half of Hawaii's schools reached annual progress goals under No Child Left Behind requirements, compared with 36 percent last year, the state Department of Education said.
The improvements on the high-stakes test made for some downright giddy educators, many of whom had been bracing for declines in test scores in the wake of teacher furloughs.
And nearly half of Hawaii's schools reached annual progress goals under No Child Left Behind requirements, compared with 36 percent last year, the state Department of Education said.
The improvements on the high-stakes test made for some downright giddy educators, many of whom had been bracing for declines in test scores in the wake of teacher furloughs.
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