Some nations have received so much aid from international financial institutions that their debts have had to be pardoned…more than $40 billion in foreign debt was totally written off in 2005 for 18 nations (14 of them African).  When countries are spending most of their money on repaying debts - and forgoing critical domestic improvements - they’re terminally screwed.  It’s called foreign ‘aid’ - loans granted to spur growth by organizations like the World Bank and African Development Bank - but aid turns into a burden as it instantly becomes debt.  This is where the head scratching starts…

If you ignore a nation’s request for aid terrible things can happen…including loss-of-life (e.g. no money for healthcare = people dying).  Yet, if you provide aid to a needy nation and they allocate money incorrectly, they’re worse off then before they received aid (e.g. money goes to elitist cronies, fails to trickle down to where it has to go).  So DC-based institutions like the IMF set rules for using aid money - as Dani Rodrik argues in his book that these rules need to be more flexible, and on top of that, they must be open to prioritization..that is, uncompromising adhesion to every rule, all at once,  shouldn’t be a condition for a country to receive aid.  The point here is that the country’s institutions are already in shambles - they can only solve a few issues at a time - and those issues must be prioritized to deliver the maximum results, with as few resources.

One of the most rewarding moments of yesterday’s event was when I spoke briefly to Dr. Zubair Iqbal (scholar and economics expert @ the Middle East Institute).  After his panel finished I asked him about the Washington Consensus and he told me that there is no consensus - and we don’t even follow those rules in the United States anymore.  In reality, this is more than a sentiment…it’s a fact that is admitted openly through our policies, and rightfully so.  After all, it is impossible to apply the same guidelines for economic growth to every LDC (less developed country) since each nation has its own unique set of challenges.

_

It’s common knowledge by now that more people are looking for jobs than ever before - many people have been laid off, some want to supplement their income with a second job, stay-at-home moms and dads are being forced to re-join the workforce, kids are graduating with Masters degrees, and bored retirees are seeking jobs simply to give them something to do.

There are a plethora of websites where you can look for jobs - but I really believe you should be avoiding the big names like Monster, Careerbuilder, and even Craigslist.

niche job boards are more effective.

Instead, time is better spent applying to jobs that are posted on niche websites that only post jobs for specific career fields, business sectors, or regions.  Below you will find advice and a listing of more effective niche job posting websites for various fields, including jobs in the nonprofit sector, bilingual careers, marketing job boards, environmental careers, etc.

why we avoid the job listing giants.

If you haven’t tried yet - sending your resume and applying to jobs on Monster and Careerbuilder can prove to be very unfruitful, in fact, depressing may be a better word.  Unless you’re applying for a highly specialized job (i.e. heart surgeon, swahili translator w/ top secret clearance, astronaut) you’re up against an enormous pool of competitors - there are too many highly-qualified people seeking jobs.  Since the demand for jobs is so high, employers are able to be pickier in their candidate selection…beyond that, they are offering lower salaries across the board.

When a job goes up on one of the big job boards like Monster and Careerbuilder it will be responded to by at least 25 people within the first hour - employers might receive several hundred resumes per day…for just one job listing.  This also goes for Craigslist - which receives similar response-rates.  Also remember that job posting in Craigslist is free in most job markets, and relatively cheap in the busiest cities — so the employer’s investment, and consequently, dedication to the job posting can be very low.

the easiest way to land a job. current relationships.

You can send your resume to hundreds of job postings and hope that your qualifications (and resume format) stands out and appeals to the hiring manager - but at least half of today’s job openings are placed through relationships.  For example: The hiring manager mentions the job to a few friends and receives resumes from trusted people, within their trusted network of relationships.

That said, several people within your network of friends, family, past co-workers, and schoolmates may already know someone that is looking to fill a position - talk to them and tell them what you do, and what you’re looking for in a job…they’re not going to tell you anything if they don’t know you’re looking to begin with.

and networking for new relationships.

Your current relationships are the first, and most natural place to start - in fact, job referrals that come from your own relationships carry a very high value - they come from trusted friends, who can vouch for your abilities and potential.  Nevertheless, you can take it one step further and do something called networking.  This is when you add new people to your network of relationships…you make new contacts and friends - affording you access to their own networks - exponentially expanding the amount of people who know you are looking for a job, thus increasing your chances of landing a job.

** Job Listing Websites **

These are all job sources that I have found to be effective for very specific and specialized job searches - if there are any great resources that are not listed, please share them in the comments and I will add them.

Philanthropy / International Development:

• Idealist.org (US Nonprofits)
• Nonprofit Oyster (US Nonprofits)
• Exec Searches.com (US Nonprofits & Public Organizations)
• Philanthropy.com (US Nonprofits)
• UN Jobs (UN & Int’l Organizations)
• Foreign Policy Association (US & Int’l Organizations)
• OneWorld.net (Int’l Organizations)
• Euro Brussels (European Organizations)
• US Dept of State (US, UN, and Int’l Organizations)
• International Relief & Development (US and Abroad)
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (US and Abroad)

Marketing / PR & Communications

• DC AdClub (DC Metro Area)
• MediaBistro.com (General)
• MRWeb (Market Research, US & Int’l)
• Quirks (Market Research)
• Marketing Sherpa (General)
• Sapient (General)
• Aquent (Recruiting Agency)

Online, New Media & Design (Graphic, Fashion, Industrial, etc.)

• MediaBistro.com
• Coroflot
• 37signals
• Sapient

Education / Higher-Ed / Training:

• Educause (Technology Jobs)
• Academic Keys (Teaching, Admin, etc.)
• Academic 360 (Teaching, Admin, etc.)
• The Chronicle of Higher Education (Teaching, Admin, etc.)
• ASTD Job Bank (Training)

Healthcare

• Health e Careers (Everything from Doctors to Nurses to Admin Staff)
• Nursing Informatics (Healthcare Informatics)

Government / Public Sector

• USAJobs (US)

General Job Boards

• LinkedIn
• LatPro (Spanish Bilingual)
• Dice.com (Technology)

Local: DC Metro

• DC AdClub (Marketing / PR / Web)
• WashingtonPost Jobs
• JobMatchBox (Technology / Social Media)
• Profiles (Technology / Design)

The rules are changing as the US begins to Nationalize failing businesses and China Privatizes state-owned organizations.

China’s Newest Import to the US: Landlords
US Citizens face a slew of regulations and restrictions when it comes to purchasing property in China - good real estate in China is expensive and the value of the US dollar is relatively low.  On the contrary, it is substantially easier for foreigners to purchase property in the United States.  In fact, New York City and Washington D.C. topped the list of the best cities for real estate investment published in 2008 by the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE).

The Latest Real Estate Trend.
Popular tour packages that showcase sound real estate investments for Chinese citizens.  Considering the current economic downturn, with the US real estate market hitting all time lows, Chinese investors find unbelievably great deals in foreclosed houses.  An important note is that most Chinese ‘property shoppers’ are not looking to live in their new homes, rather, the common intention is to rent commercial and residential property back to US clients.

Controversy.
This is where the controversy enters since US citizens end up paying for a foreigner’s revenue stream, money that is spent abroad.  There are also many rumors out there that the US has guaranteed the Chinese government ‘eminent domain’ over US property as collateral towards the $696 billion in US public debt holdings.  These rumors are ridiculous and have been dispelled.  However, it is true that China owns over 22% (over $696 B) of US Foreign Debt (US Treasury).

Where US Public Policy Comes In.
Claims of protectionism are at their peak, and given the tough economic times it’s easy to understand why governments are opting to place legislative priorities on their own industries.  Nevertheless, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), more commonly referred to as the Economic Stimulus Bill, dedicates $275 billion for housing recovery assistance that includes refinancing help and incentives to lenders.  The US government also bailed out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in late 2008 to the tune of $200 billion around the same time as it seized control of insurance giant AIG for $85 billion.

Irony? (switching places)
Once heralded as one of the best examples of successful free market capitalism and democracy, the United States is now finding itself nationalizing private companies.  Nationalization being a key identifier of socialist and communist states.  And in the other corner…we have China who for decades has been moving towards privatization, a reversal of nationalization policies that were introduced about 2,000 years ago by the Qin dynasty.

Here’s a very informal yet revealing timeline that provides an example of this ’switching’ of roles between the US and China:

• 221 BC: China - Qin Dynasty arguably begins ‘nationalization’ (unification of country, currencies, etc.)
• 1939: US - Nationalization of the Tennessee Electric Power Company
• 1980: US - The Resolution Trust Corporation seizes control of failed Savings and Loan Associations
• 1991: China - Sells a portion of a privatized perfume factory to Sara Lee Corp.
• 1997: China - Endorses the sale of all but the largest state-owned enterprises (around 262,000 remain)
• 2002: China - The amount of state-owned enterprises drops to around 159,000
• 2008: US - Assumes control (or Conservatorship) over Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae (Mortgage Giants)
• 2008: China - Passes land reform laws that move towards increased privatization
• 2009: US - Potential for auto industry ‘bailout’ (would involve a level of control over Automakers)

Wrapping this up: BRIC Nations & US Awareness
I don’t have an agenda here, and I’m not trying to skew facts - this is merely proof that we cannot ignore the importance of BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) in relation to the US economy.

Passing off Russia and China as communist countries that can never play a role in today’s fast-paced and globalized economy is terrible policy - and we’re quickly (very quickly) learning that.  Similarly, Brazil and India are no longer just impoverished third world nations that are weighed down by large masses of uneducated citizens…in fact, literacy rates are substantially higher for young populations (ages 15-24) than the nations’ overall literacy rates - that is just one critical socio-economic indicator that provides us foresight into the future of global economics.

Add’l Reading: US Public Debt, Trading Places by Jon Nadler, NPR on Chinese Landlords

A few weeks ago we posted a call for artists to assist in a massive mural in Washington DC, sponsored by the fantastic nonprofit group Albus Cavus. The final wall is absolutely stunning.

But to show how ignorant some people can be, we heard today that the local Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Marshall Phillips is now protesting the mural because, according to him, for it to be acceptable it needs to include references to MLK, the Redskins football team, and the Nationals baseball team.

Here’s the video and my commentary:

creativity and culture to counter crime and poverty.

Redskins? Part of the community? I walk through DC nearly every day … the kids make an effort to dress and act like individuals - this mural is inline with DC’s culture of creativity and beyond that it provides color and life to a neighborhood that is impoverished and rundown. There is so much crime and poverty in this city - we need every bit of motivation we can get for it.

graffiti is not a big problem in DC.

Hearing the ANC commissioner claim that graffiti is such a big problem is absurd. You’ll see a few mailboxes and alley walls tagged on - but not train cars or prominent building walls like NYC deals with. Besides…they should be allocating time on figuring out what kids can do after they get out of school (i.e. volunteer programs, community sports leagues, music and art training/co-ops, etc.)

local organizations helping youth.

Big Up to organizations that work hard for the youth in DC like the Latin American Youth Center, Youth Leadership Foundation, and the DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, among other organizations that are Literally and Measurably changing lives.

Nepotism is common in the political systems of impoverished communities - DC is one of these communities…The bureaucracy scares away well-intentioned bright minds from seeking leadership roles in their communities.

The ANC Commissioner’s Outfit.

The ANC Commissioner needs to jump his neon green outfit blob *** right into the wall and blend culture right into the mural.

Posted on August 8 by Bibi Morvarid to her Flickr.  Our UPS man delivering a package brought us this tiny little gift. He had found a litter of days old abandoned squirrels near our house. Lulu was the only one fighting to stay Alive, out of the three babies.
Btw he’s a boy with a girl’s name.

Update:
Lulu is doing very well, and healthy. Staying warm, eating allot, and growing allot of black hair in just the past 4 days.

The Nation of Gods and Earths (NGE) is a religion that was started in 1964 which borrows ideas from traditional Islam.  The NGE is also known as the Five Percent Nation of Islam, which refers to the NGE’s explanation that 5% of black people are chosen ‘Gods’ of the world and Islam is the black man’s natural culture (but not religion):

The 5%, who are the enlightened divine beings, the poor righteous teachers, having repossessed knowledge of the truth regarding the foundations of life and of oneself, and seek to liberate the 85% through education. (Wiki)

The Conflict with Traditional Islam.

In traditional Islam it is the worst form of blasphemy to liken any thing or being to God - so the teachings of the Five Percent Nation are viewed as condemnable heresy.  Five Percenter men refer to eachother as ‘Gods’ and women are called ‘Earths.’  This concept is explained by the above passage that states that 5% of black men are “enlightened and divine beings,” but is made convulted by turning the Arabic name of God, ‘Allah,’ into a simple acronym…according to the Five Percent Nation’s official website:

[...] the blackman is god and his proper name is ALLAH. Arm,Leg, Leg, Arm, Head.

The Five Percent Nation’s logo further distorts the link to traditional, monotheistic Islam, by stating ‘In the Name of Allah.’  The Arabic translation of this statement, “bismillah,“ is probably the most frequently recited phrase in Muslim worship, and it carries intense intrinsic value. That said, the term ‘Five Percent Nation of Islam’ is a paradox in itself.

Appeal to Urban Blacks.

The religion is popular among urban black youth, and serves as a positive influence that distracts otherwise trouble-bound youth from illegal activities, providing a structured purpose to live.  As Gods, they are required to treat their bodies with utmost respect, eliminating any contamination that comes from drug use; furthermore, it is their duty to educate the less-aware and nurture the people of their community…thus reducing the ‘black on black’ crime phenomenon.  In the United States 94% of black homicide victims are killed by blacks each year (US-DOJ).

Accessibility to the Five Percent Nation is increased with the popularity of the religion amongst popular urban musicians like Ghostface Killah (disputed), Erykah Badu, Nas, Rakim, and Busta Rhymes (disputed, see update below).  This allows most followers, who come from disenfranchised communities, to relate their beliefs to success…a success that is unapologetic and embraces a progressive urban black culture, rather than rejecting it.

Negative Perceptions of the Five Percent Nation (NGE).

While the Five Percent Nation emphasizes the importance of education and self-awareness, it can also be seen as a negative force that discourages equality amongst the diverse communities of the world…the Mentor Youth Street Academy website claims that “We [Five Percenters] do not believe in race mixing”.  This alienation from the larger global community prevents the Five Percent Nation from expanding its reach beyond urban communities where the black race is of majority; thus, preserving the perception that the Five Percent Nation is a cult of the Nation of Islam (which itself is regarded as a cult of traditional Islam).

Positive Perceptions of the Five Percent Nation (NGE).

But, the other side of the coin allows a totally different, and positive, interpretation of the religion’s notion of extreme self-awareness exclusive to black peoples.  What better way to motivate someone to change their life and improve their surroundings than to provide them with confidence.  As Gods, black men realize that they have the power to change their situation for the better;and furthermore, break free of the vicious cycle of disenfranchisement that plagues the deteriorating African-American communities of the U.S.  In fact…many Five Percenters encourage racial integration and strive to make a positive impact on the social condition of the world at large.

Resources:

• Islam in the Mix: Lessons of the Five Percent - A great paper that addresses the presence of Five Percent culture in popular music
• Five Percenter Rap: God hop’s music, message, and black muslim mission - a fantastic, well-researched book by Felicia M. Miyakawa
• Los Indios - An interesting and insightful blog by Five Percenter, Sha-King Cehum
• Allah School in Atlantis - A Blog written by a devout Five Percenter, Saladin Allah Atlantis
• The Nation of Islam - not affiliated with the Five Percent Nation

Another rapper that has definitely converted to Islam, without doubt, is Amir Muhadith (formerly known as Loon) - check out this detailed interview with Al Jazeera.

Rappers that are definitely Muslim, and follow traditional Islam.

Mos Def, Scarface, Napolean (Mutah Beale), Freeway, Beanie Siegel, Brother Ali, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, One Be Lo, Jurassic 5, Lupe Fiasco, Q-Tip, Amir Sulaiman, Black Thought, T-Pain, Swizz Beatz, Loon (Amir Muhadith)

There are several other rappers and musicians that are rumored to be Muslim like Akon and Ghostface Killah - but I’m not listing the ones I can’t confirm.

5 Percent Nation of Islam.

This story is still very much in development, I heard it on the way to work this morning while listening to the local Spanish-language radio station, El Zol. Relatives of the man and woman who were arrested came on the morning radio show to tell their story.

The story as told by relatives of the two arrested individuals:

Police enter the household, shoot three electroshock currents.
Police rushed into the house, which was in the midst of celebrating a child’s baptism (christening), and insisted on speaking with the owner of the house. Upon identifying the homeowner (Edgar Amado Rodriguez, 55), the police asked the gentleman for his immigration documentation. The homeowner, an immigrant from Guatemala, made every effort to comply with the police officers’ instructions - and immediately upon removing his wallet from his rear pant pocket to, one of the officers shot an electroshock current into the man using a taser. Typically one electroshock current is more than enough to subdue an adult male, in fact, the gentleman hit the ground; nevertheless, the officer shot two more currents into downed homeowner, for a total of three shocks.

Female Relative comes to the man’s aid, receives one electroshock in her back.
Upon witnessing the man’s weakened state, obviously down for the count and seemingly unconscious, a petite female relative (Leticia Elias, 25) came to his aid, as soon as she hunched over to check him she received an electroshock current from the officer’s taser. The two individuals who were tased were then arrested and taken back to the police station. They were charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest - relatives claim that police officers never mentioned anything about an arrest and confirmed that Miranda Rights (”You have the right to remain silent, etc.”) were not read.

Status of arrested individuals, immigration issues.
I don’t know what their status is, but I’m assuming that there are immigration issues on the table - and now, definitely allegations of excessive force from police. A representative from Guatemala’s consulate was part of the radio show conversation this morning and he insisted that this incident will not be overlooked - he also stated that a meeting is being arranged to bring together the arrested persons’ families, Prince William County Police, and several Latin American consulate representatives.

Relatives claim police misconduct, seek justice.
The relatives that spoke about this incident on the radio this morning spoke with conviction and are determined to fight for justice and fairness as it relates to allegations of police misconduct. They mentioned that even beyond the blatant use of excessive force, there is the factor of humiliation that the homeowner endured throughout that night’s incident. The gentleman is a source of strength and dignity for his own family and a dignified figure for many members of the local community since he also teaches classes and serves as a family counselor at the local church.

Summary of the story as told by Prince William County Police:

Police respond to a noise disturbance at the baptism party.
The homeowner (Edgar Amado Rodriguez, 55) was not cooperative, in fact he cursed at the police officers and refused to turn down the loud music, even after officers explained local noise ordinances. Apparently he was drunk because he was eventually charged with Public Intoxication and Resisting Arrest. He also refused to identify himself to police - this is when he was actually placed under arrest

Another person attempts to interfere with homeowner’s arrest.
A young lady (Leticia Elias, 25) was charged with Assault on a Police Officer, Obstruction of Justice, and Resisting Arrest.

Officers felt the need to call for backup.
The officers called for backup when several people at the party surrounded them.

Claims of mistreatment and excessive force, dismissed.
According to First Sgt. Kim Chinn (Prince William County police), the first officer that arrived on the scene was Hispanic and spoke fluent Spanish - this contrasts claims that Robert Rodriguez could not understand what the officers were saying.

Prince William County controversial immigration laws.
Two years ago, I wrote about Prince William County’s controversial immigration laws when they were first introduced. The law states that police officers can demand proof of lawful presence (right to be in USA) from any individual that can be detained on probable cause of violating federal immigration laws.

Final Thoughts.

Whether the cops acted correctly or not, which is up for argument, they have done irreparable damage to their reputation in acting the way they did. The fact that a non-lethal weapon was utilized, at a party full of children and community members, celebrating the baptism of two toddlers, on a key figure of the local community, and on a pregnant lady…is not going to look good, just about any way you tell the story. I can’t get over thinking that this event could have passed without incident if only the correct words were spoken (or the incorrect words not spoken).

I can’t get over that a taser was produced to begin with…citizens should know what to expect when encountered by police officers, and this ultimately displays a lack of effective community communication. These folks come from countries where police will beat the crap out of you just for talking back - you could also pay the same police a few dollars and they’ll let you beat the crap out of them. So we must understand that our immigrant populations have a different sense of policing…they know that police here are kinder, there are different rules, there is respect for the citizen, regardless of social class. So education must exist to dispel myths and generate goodwill throughout the community for the local police force - at the same time, immigrant populations should not be treated like they are often treated…as ignorant populations.

There is no doubt that force must be used to ‘control the situation’ and neutralize volatile people…so the usage of non-lethal weapons like stun guns and rubber bullets makes sense in many situations. But, no type of force can be more effective than amicable conversation and community involvement. Effective policing comes from deep integration with the community - an integration that involves dialogue and open communication between the police force and the citizens it cares for.

The Prince William County police department has just started doing a great job at listening to the community and this is why we’ve come to expect a lot from this police department…standards are already so high. The county is exhibiting an unprecendented surge of immigration from an influx of residents representing a variety of ethnicities - but it is obvious that most of the immigrants are coming from Latin American countries, primarily from Central America. In a few years this police department will have a level of expertise in dealing with the Hispanic community that could rival that of the NYPD, LAPD, and Miami-Dade Police.

So how many women actually wear a burqa / niqab in France?
There’s no official number, but estimates are in the hundreds - which means it cannot be more than 1,000 women.

Why ban the burqa / niqab?
The case for banning the burqa is primarily based on two points.

1. Wearing the burqa in public violates France’s intense adhesion to laïcité, or secularism.
   
2. It is an oppressive article of clothing.

Modern france has always placed an emphasis on secularism, known as laïcité in French.  Former president Jacques Chirac once said in an address to the nation that “secularism is one of the great successes of the Republic.”  Given France’s intense dedication to keeping religion and government as separate as possible it only makes sense to ban the burqa - after all, it’s much more conspicuous than Muslim headscarves (hijabs), Jewish scull caps (yarmulkes), or large Christian crosses - all of which are banned in public institutions like schools.

The burqa certainly ’seems’ like an oppressive article of clothing…at least by the majority of people living in western nations, in fact, the burqa concept is foreign to many Muslims. In most western nations you certainly couldn’t show up at a public courthouse or school wearing provocative/distracting clothing, but public decency laws typically only require covering of the ‘private areas’ as a bare minimum for leaving your private residence.

Why not ban the burqa / niqab? Most Muslim women wear it voluntarily, and it solidifies individuality contrary to popular western belief.  Huffington Post blogger Sabria Jawhar states that the ban would marginalize Muslims:

In effect, by mandating a dress code the French government excludes many Muslim women from society. Muslim women who believe it’s their right to wear the burqa simply will not leave their homes. They will not engage the grocer and their kid’s teacher. They will not run for public office. The oppression will not come from their culture or religion, but the French Republic. (source: Huffington Post)

Alternatives to the ban.
Potential alternatives to an outright ban on burqas/niqabs include:

• Restricting the ban to public facilities (i.e. schools, courtrooms, government offices) - but this would still “marginalize” Muslim women that believe in wearing the niqab or burqa as they would avoid public facilities.
• Restricting the ban to public schools - France already has a ban on the hijab (headscarf) in public schools and Turkey already has a loose ban on hijabs at public universities, it’s a Muslim nation, where about two-thirds of the women wear the hijab.
• Restrict the ban to include only forced/coerced wearing of the niqab or burqa - interpretation would be very subjective, but sanctioned public assistance would be well-received by women that are, in fact, being forced into wearing the article of clothing…which could shine a light on potentially harmful/abuse domestic relationships.

References: Niqab and Burqa, What’s the Difference?

In France, the terms “burqa” and “niqab” often are used interchangeably. A burqa is a full-body covering worn largely in Afghanistan _ with only a mesh screen over the eyes. A niqab is a full-body veil, often black, with slits for the eyes. (source: Huffington Post)

Also check out

• ‘An American Muslim Woman’s Response‘ to the ban on Goatmilk
• The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) response to Sarkozy’s ”xenophobic’ approach to French Muslims
• Supporting the burqa ban as a way to ‘free’ Muslim women from the Telegraph UK

Facebook in the Workplace
Facebook users and internet marketers have been pushing, often staunchly, for the privilege to use the social network while at work. Management didn’t really care about the harm to their IT infrastructure, for the most part they worried about the potential (and later observed) decline in productivity associated with allowing access to the website.

In 2007, Siemens banned Facebook from its offices then quickly backtracked by embracing the website and creating a corporate image for itself on the social network - currently it has well over 6,000 users and membership to its group is ‘invite only.’  You can find a group page for just about any established corporation - and many of the groups are not managed from within the company.  That said, it would be great foresight for a company to establish its own presence on any social network; hence, providing the highest level of control over their online corporate image.

Now What?
How can a company manage current threats without blocking Facebook altogether?  The short answer is that they cannot.  The Koobface virus is so crafty that even the most tech-saavy users are tricked into clicking through on links that appear to be sent from friends.  An entire company network can be paralyzed (or critically damaged) very quickly, in fact, all it takes is for a virus to be downloaded to a single computer in the network.

So that’s it…the case for totally blocking social networking websites at work has been established, once and for all.

By the way…
This doesn’t mean that companies should remove their corporate pages from social networking websites - it’s absolutely critical to keep abreast of all new web technologies and maintain a strong presence throughout the web.

Koobface Worm Example
Koobface takes you to a video site and asks you to download updates - Hello Virus…welcome to my computer!

And here’s the text message I received from an alert friend earlier this week:
“Facebook worm takes over ur computer. Don’t download any video from any friend or update ur video player to see it!!! Someone in our office just got screwed!

For the past 22 years the city has been totally uninhabited with the exception of a few (about 300 or so) elderly people who returned to their homes in surrounding villages.

Today Pripyat remains an empty and dreary desert of concrete, wild animals, and rampant flora. There are plants busting through pavement to reach the sky and wild horses roam free through vast open fields…untouched for 22 years by manking, perhaps for the better.

These are some photos I pulled together from various sources around the interwebs - enjoy!

Photo of the control board at Chernobyl…before the disaster

(May be from Reactor 3…but not Reactor 4)

Pripyat before the disaster…it was a well-planned city - you can see the Pripyat pool in the backdrop:

Look at this amazing photo of the Pripyat city center…after the nuclear disaster:

The abandoned Pripyat Ferris Wheel:

Children were affected physically and mentally by this tragedy…so many of them got Thyroid Cancer from simply drinking milk that originated from cows that ate contaminated grass…Here are some children drawings that depict the disaster:

Another child’s depiction

Decontamination Team

Even better prepared

A Child After Radiotherapy

Relics of the Soviet Era…still remain — as nobody was left to even care to take them down.

Toys are strewn about all over… Items were scattered around by looters in the event’s aftermath.

Rogue art has been drawn inside the Pripyat pool…that use to stand in city center.

Life still thrives in Pripyat…twenty-two years later (Chernobyl happened in 1986)…wildlife like these Mongolian horses roam the open fields…and continue to breed

More wild horses.

After evacuation about 300 elderly people returned to Pripyat’s surrounding villages - to continue living their lives, however lonely, in their old homes. This lady went back to live near her son’s grave…he was a ‘liquidator’ - one of the people that went back to help clean up the disaster.

Pripyat cultural palace…COMPLETELY Abandoned

Pripyat Central Square — You can see that the woods have come into the city - most of the vegetation pictured is new…and only started growing after the disaster.

The above Images and Information Sourced from these websites :

• Chernoblyee.com - Mark Resnicoff’s well-documented visit to Chernobyl
• A series of photos on English Russia
• Wikipedia page on Pripjat, Ukraine
• Facts about Chernobyl
• Pripyat.nu - Photo Resource
• Chernoybl Diary @ IAEA.org
• 26-04-1986 / A movie and photography website about the event
• fotomat.cz / Photos of Chernobyl aftermath
• Subterranea Brittanica site on Chernobyl

abandoned cities include pripyat ukraine of the chernobyl nuclear disaster

Domestic Reforms.
Some recent changes include the legalization of cell phone usage throughout Cuba, increasing the amount of state land available to private farmers, and the allowance of some citizens to seek title for their homes. Perhaps one of the most impressive moves was today’s announcement that Cuba is abandoning the egalitarian ’same wage for all’ scheme - now all workers will be entitled to compensation based on skill and performance - an essential component of free market capitalism.

Rejoining the International Community.
Domestic reforms are clear within the boundaries of the nation, but Cuba is also taking progressive steps towards improving its international image. Cuba doesn’t want to be the outlier anymore, it wants to make money, improve its economy, strengthen the morale of the Cuban people - and more importantly, they’re realizing that they have to play by the rules to achieve their goals. The European Union is exploring the possibility of providing aid to Cuba, specifically to fund reconstruction efforts in response to the $5 billion in damages caused by recent hurricanes. This is great PR for Cuba since the EU broke off dialogue and imposed sanctions on the nation for arresting dissidents in 2003.

Other recent ‘acts of diplomacy’ include yesterday’s meeting between the French senate and Cuba’s foreign minister, Perez Roque - and the proposal of a visit to Cuba put forth by the prime minister of Spain, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

US-Cuba Relations ‘On The Rocks.’
US-Cuba relations are still just about non-existent, in fact, there is still a lot of animosity in the air. Just last week while George Bush spoke at a fundraiser in Florida he called Cuba a “dungeon” and insisted that “someday Cuba will be free.” The US continues to impose an economic embargo and last month Cuba rejected $5 million in hurricane-related aid from the US. Many US farmers believe the restrictions are hurting their businesses, and citizens of Cuba and US believe that the embargo is an important first step for healthy diplomatic relations. Public opinion polls demonstrate that Americans favor the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba. The argument is that the the US cannot support a government that violates human rights and embraces communism. The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly called to an end to the embargo on Cuba — UN nations voted: 183 in favor and 4 against ending the embargo.

Latin American Solidarity & The Decline of US Influence.
As Cuba becomes increasingly involved in the international community and continues to be shunned by the US, it’s becoming clear that the US is facing increasing alienation throughout Latin America. Latin American countries are turning to one another for support (Venezuela provides 100,000 barrels of cheap oil to Cuba, and in return Cuba is loaning 20,000 medics to Venezuela) and US influence is decreasing at a fast pace. Bolivia is looking to increase diplomatic relations with Russia and Iran. “China’s trade with Latin America jumped from $10 billion in 2000 to $102.6 billion last year.” Brazil’s economy is booming.

In the U.S. and other ‘developed’ nations diarrhea is something we treat with over the counter (OTC) medications and very rarely seek medical attention - the problem just goes away and one returns to ‘regularity.’ Well, this is not the case in the third-world, where diarrhea is a real threat - it’s a fatal disease; in fact, it is the second most common cause of death for children under the age of five. Globally, about 2 million child deaths (children under five) occur every year. (UNICEF)

Handwashing alone, “at critical times“, can reduce diarrheal diseases by over 40% and respiratory infections by 30%. Governments of lesser developed countries should be focusing on these simple methods of disease prevention. Considering that access to resources is extremely limited in such nations it is still very possible to educate the public in an efficient, effective, and affordable manner. Printing up loads of informational pamphlets and creating micro-websites are great ideas - but people at the bottom of the pyramid have terribly low literacy rates and access to technology is just about non-existent.

—- — — -
Let’s use Pakistan as an example. A nation like Pakistan could realistically implement a nation-wide program, at very low cost, to reduce the diarrhea-related death rate - “250,000 children die of diarrhoea in Pakistan annually.” Since we already have real scientific proof that handwashing on its own greatly reduces the incidence of diarrhea, we are in a good position to assume that even the leanest campaign will save thousands of lives. A recent scientific study published in, The Lancet, and conducted in Karachi, Pakistan proved that children younger than 15 that washed their hands with soap exhibited a 53% lower incidence of diarrhea.

Here’s a concept for Pakistani health officials:

• Recruit 131 volunteers (unpaid, but with expenses reimbursed)
• Assign each volunteer to one of Pakistan’s 131 districts (124 districts + 7 tribal agencies)
• 15 Days to reach 15 pre-determined destinations in each district
• Meet officials and, more importantly, mingle with locals within each destination
• Tell them why handwashing is important. Scare them with statistics. Enthuse them with facts.

I don’t believe this is a case of ‘easier said than done.’ The expenses are rock bottom: Five paid program managers (each managing 26 volunteers); travel expenses for 131 volunteers (fuel, bus/taxi, meals, mobile phones); and that’s it, well pretty much.

Great Resources on Diarrhea and Water Sanitation:

• Rehydration Project
• Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council
• IRC International Water and Sanitation Center
• World Health Organization (WHO) Pages on Diarrhea
• “Diarrhoea and respiratory infections are the main cause of child death in India” - BBC

Source: UNICEF

These dolls are made my a select few niche manufacturers, and likewise, they are purchased by a very specific type of customer. The people that buy these dolls don’t buy them to decorate their bedrooms, they use these realistic-looking rubber creations to replace their real-life counterparts…human babies and women.

Okay, so this is beginning to sound very dark…that’s not my intent - but what is the reason for this? Grown men pose their ‘Real Dolls‘ throughout their homes to simulate typical human behavior like a housewife watching TV from the couch or a girlfriend posing sensually on a bed - where the doll’s owners are able to literally have sexual relations with their nude (or not) dolls. The reborn baby TV special shows ‘mothers’ sewing baby clothes, decorating nursery rooms, positioning their ‘babies’ in car seats, and taking them to the grocery store.

‘Reborn’ baby owners are often mothers that cannot or will not bear their own children for whatever reason and they can also be mothers of deceased babies. The human-like rubber flesh, real baby hair, and life-like faces of their purchased ‘babies’ are replacements for what they have lost or simply cannot produce; nevertheless, their is a group of customers that quite frankly prefer reborn babies over human babies…this certainly seems to reflect psychological imbalances.

‘Real Doll’ owners are often adult males that just don’t want to deal with real women, I can hear the bar jokes already. They custom order these rubber women at rates that start around $6,500 - selecting everything from breast size to skin tone to height and weight. ‘Real Doll’ owners use these dolls as companions and invariably utilize them as sexual objects.

The people that buy these dolls are invariably societal outcasts for one reason or another. They may have experienced some form of trauma (family deaths, sexual abuse, catastrophic relationships, etc.) or quite simply lack the social skills necessary to integrate and socialize into any community. In fact, both reasons for resorting to ‘rubber humans’ are perfectly viable, and the latter can actually be a result of the former.

If anyone out there can lend any sort of insight into this discussion I would certainly appreciate your comments. I am really hoping to get some feedback especially on the psychological aspects of this phenomenon - these life-like dolls also seem to be a great case study for the ‘Uncanny Valley Effect‘ described on Wikipedia:

The uncanny valley is a hypothesis that when robots and other facsimiles of humans look and act almost like actual humans, it causes a response of revulsion among human observers

Resources:

• Reborn Baby Manufacturer (Featured on the TV Special)
• Real Doll Manufacturer [NOTE: NUDITY] (Featured on the TV Special)
• ‘Guys and Dolls’ - Full Length Video on Real Dolls
• The Richard and Judy Show on Reborn Babies
• Baby Gifts:Unique Gift Newborn

In fact, SocialVibe.com and Ammado.com share many of the same ’causes’ . Both websites provide visitors with a wide selection of nonprofits to follow. SocialVibe wins my vote as the most efficient, usable, and well-designed website. The website allows you to ‘join’ as many causes as you wish - once you join a cause you can contribute to the nonprofit’s SocialVibe community by submitting donations, uploading multimedia (photos, videos), writing in a cause-specific forum, and finally, you can share the nonprofit’s SocialVibe page on other social networks (MySpace, Facebook, etc.). The ‘One Laptop Per Child’ cause has a well-utilized page on SocialVibe.

The Ammado.com platform offers just about everything SocialVibe does but not in Web 2.0 form. So the website doesn’t compare to Causecast or SocialVibe in many aspects - it does not have a donation function nor does it provide the ability to share a cause throughout the social-networking sphere; nevertheless, even modern websites fail to adress a primary principle of Web 2.0: ‘Harnessing Collective Intelligence.’

The Social Networking space is certainly saturated with general sites like Facebook and MySpace but it’s good to see this ’cause-centric’ flavor of social networking websites pop up. I only reviewed three of them because they attracted my immediate attention - but there are many useful and effective social networking sites that fall into this category (Max Gladwell has reviewed several of them)…here’s a brief listing:

• Idealist
• YourCause
• Changents
• Change.org
• JustCauseIt

Don’t forget the websites that allow you to build your own custom social network. There are hosted solutions like Ning, and completely ‘white label’ solutions like Crowd Factory.

This nationwide disconnect breeds fatalism, which is common to the region, providing yet another hurdle to political involvement across the social spectrum. In this heartfelt blog post the author states that “we [Pakistan] are the only nation that believes in refurbished leaders.” It’s that very fatalism that ensures political seats for out-of-touch and often unelected officials.

We don’t need to endure several more decades of this to achieve success, nor do we need a violent revolution, and Pakistan’s citizens certainly don’t desire another coup or forced resignation. So what’s the solution…the nation’s leaders must work with the people of Pakistan to remedy the problems that repeatedly earn Pakistan the label of failed nation.

With social, medical, and economical ills crippling the nation it’s difficult to tell citizens to get involved in politics. Any Ideas?

• Download USAID’S Strategic Interim Plan for Pakistan)
• Poverty in Pakistan Wikipedia Article
• Pakistan’s Infant Mortality Rate (67 out of 1000 infants die each year).

If executed effectively the ‘In My Name’ project will prove to be one of the most effective povert-related campaigns ever executed, both online and offline. Youtube’s massive reach (estimated 73.5 million per month) is the main reason for the campaign’s inevitable success. Today’s teens and young adults are spending more of their free time online than watching tv and reading magazines - if any youth-focused marketing campaign is to prove effective it must have a substantial online component. The youthful and tech-saavy demographic that accounts for the majority of Youtube’s daily audience is a huge plus on its own.

This campaign also takes advantage of well-selected partnerships with globally recognized organizations such as Oxfam and the One Campaign as well as popular musicians to include Will.i.am and John Legend.

Finally, on November 1st, Youtube will select the best user-submitted videos and use them to create a mash-up video that will be broadcast to world leaders at the UN General Assembly.

Check out the ‘In My Name’ website here: http://www.youtube.com/inmyname

Nonprofit organizations, constantly suffering a limited amount of resources, benefit from capital funding as well as the image of the partner corporation. Corporations stand to improve their reputation as socially responsible enterprises while developing priceless emotional connections with their stakeholders.

Lately we’ve seen prominent celebrities attaching their names and faces to nonprofit campaigns…these campaigns have in turn achieved levels of brand awareness that rival that of today’s most prominent corporations. Examples of celebrity-cause partnerships are Bono and Product (Red); Angelina Jolie and UNICEF; and who can forget Lance Armstrong and his own cancer fighting organization LiveStrong.

Strategic philanthropy is often contracted out to consultancies that specialize in this niche market - but you don’t have to look too far to find great development officers and directors that work on corporate partnership strategies in-house. Companies that provide cause-marketing and strategic philanthropy services include Business for Social Responsibility, Business in the Community, Cone, and Changing Our World.

And of course, there’s a web tie-in…check out the new startup Causecast.org. Causecast teams up nonprofit organizations with corporate and celebrity sponsors while providing a web platform for donations, promotional media, and social networking. Any 501(c)(3) organization can join Causecast and begin accepting donations immediately - they can also upload campaign-related media, provide real-time campaign updates, and use Causecast’s blogging system.

Click Here for an Update: More Web 2.0 Social Networks for ‘Causes’ and ‘Nonprofits’

Today in the news: Audi has alloted $2.5 million to support the Best Buddies (intellectual disabilities organization) bicycling challenge; Miller Lite raised more than $500,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association; and Olivia Newton-John has partnered with Curves to distribute 1 million breast self-exam aids.

Image Bank:

That’s all fine though…the marketing was great…and even though Consumer Reports found holes in the plan I don’t think this is a tough one to push past a sizable amount of consumers. This campaign sure sounds less shady than the ‘employee pricing’ ploys.

I just wish American auto manufacturers modernized their advertising a bit…we’ve been watching the same commercials for the past two decades: A shiny car that speeds through back roads and handles curves with ultimate precision…all to a great all-American classic rock jam. And let’s not get started on the truck commercials! The new Acura commercials are a good example of a change of pace, they highlight lifestyles that appeal to their target market - hip 25-40 year olds that strive to achieve a balance between luxury, sport, and fun.

This article made me laugh: Why Local Car Dealers Ads Suck

Here’s the Top 10 (No surprises here!):

1. Somalia
2. Sudan
3. Zimbabwe
4. Chad
5. Iraq
6. D.R. Congo
7. Afghanistan
8. Cote d’Ivoire
9. Pakistan
10. Central African Republic

By the way…give it up for Scandinavia because Sweden, Finland, and Norway are the bottom three nations on the index, making them the ‘least failing’ nations in the world.

These are the twelve indicators The Fund for Peace uses to rank nations into the Failed States Index:

Social Indicators
• I-1. Mounting Demographic Pressures
• I-2. Massive Movement of Refugees or Internally Displaced Persons creating Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
• I-3. Legacy of Vengeance-Seeking Group Grievance or Group Paranoia
• I-4. Chronic and Sustained Human Flight

Economic Indicators
• I-5. Uneven Economic Development along Group Lines
• I-6. Sharp and/or Severe Economic Decline

Political Indicators
• I-7. Criminalization and/or Delegitimization of the State
• I-8. Progressive Deterioration of Public Services
• I-9. Suspension or Arbitrary Application of the Rule of Law and Widespread

Violation of Human Rights
• I-10. Security Apparatus Operates as a “State Within a State”
• I-11. Rise of Factionalized Elites
• I-12. Intervention of Other States or External Political Actors

Check out The Fund for Peace ‘Failed States Index’ at their website here.

With these tougher sanctions in place the EU along with the United States hope to force Iran into a situation where they pretty much have to compromise their nuclear program in order to preserve the health of Iran’s economy.

Read this Reuter’s article for more information:

“The economy of Iran will be more dependent on Chinese markets,” he added of a growing shift in Iran’s focus to Asia that has seen Europe’s share of the Islamic Republic’s trade dwindle to 25-30 percent from twice that five years ago. [read more]

Read this ‘International Herald Tribune’ article for a detailed article on the topic

Pashe Keqi recalls the day nearly sixty years ago when she decided to become a man. She chopped off her long black curls, traded in her dress for her father’s baggy trousers, armed herself with a hunting rifle and vowed to forsake marriage, children and sex.

Had she been born in Albania today, says the 78-year-old sworn virgin, who made an oath of celibacy in return for the right to live and rule her family as a man, she would choose womanhood. [Read More]

So how much will you get? When will you get it? How will you get it? The answers are here:

How much will I get? Starting in May, the Treasury will begin sending economic stimulus payments to more than 130 million households. To receive a payment, taxpayers must have a valid Social Security number, $3,000 of income and file a 2007 federal tax return. IRS will take care of the rest. Eligible people will receive up to $600 ($1,200 for married couples), and parents will receive an additional $300 for each eligible child younger than 17. Millions of retirees, disabled veterans and low-wage workers who usually are exempt from filing a tax return must do so this year in order to receive a stimulus payment. (irs.gov, Mar 08).

When will I get it? As long as you filed your taxes before April 15 you can live by this payment schedule:

DIRECT DEPOSIT

Last two SSN digits:	Payment will be transmitted:
00 through 20	May 2
21 through 75	May 9
76 through 99	May 16

PAPER CHECK

Last two SSN digits:	Payments will be mailed by:
00 through 09	May 16
10 through 18	May 23
19 through 25	May 30
26 through 38	June 6
39 through 51	June 13
52 through 63	June 20
64 through 75	June 27
76 through 87	July 4
88 through 99	July 11

How will I get it? If you specified a bank account for direct deposit on your 2007 tax return you’ll see the money in your bank account soon enough. Otherwise, you’ll receive a traditional paper check in the mail.

Resources

Income Tax Filing - Great Site for Advice

Hagel expresses support for Bush’s efforts in Iraq and Iran and respectfully points out that our current policy towards Iran is not producing results:

I am increasingly concerned, however, that this diplomatic strategy is stalling.

Hagel continues to explain that this hostile situation can erupt at any time if it is not handled appropriately:

Unless there is a strategic shift, I believe we will find ourselves in a dangerous and increasingly isolated position in the coming months.

Here is the text of Chuck Hagel’s letter to George Bush:
Click Here to Download the Original Letter

October 17, 2007

The President

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write to urge you to consider pursuing direct, unconditional and comprehensive talks with the Government of Iran.

In the last two years, the United States has worked closely with the permanent members of the UN Security Council, Germany, Japan, and other key states as well as the UN Secretary General and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency to pursue a diplomatic strategy regarding Iran’s nuclear program. I have supported your efforts. Maintaining a cohesive and united international front remains one of our most effective levers on Iran.

In the last year, you have also authorized our Ambassador in Iraq, Ryan Crocker, to hold bilateral talks with Iranian officials regarding the situation in Iraq. I have also supported this effort. Although Iran has continued dangerous actions in Iraq, this channel for dialogue is important.

I am increasingly concerned, however, that this diplomatic strategy is stalling. There are growing differences with our international partners. Concerns remain that the United States’ actual objectives is regime change in Iran, not a change in Iran’s behavior. Prospects for further action in the UN Security Council have grown dim, and we appear increasingly reliant on a single-track effort to expand financial pressure on Iran outside of the UN Security Council. Iran’s actions, both on its nuclear program and in Iraq, are unchanged. Iran’s leaders appear increasingly confident in their positions vis-a-vis the United States.

Unless there is a strategic shift, I believe we will find ourselves in a dangerous and increasingly isolated position in the coming months. I do not see how the collective actions that we are now taking will produce the results that we seek. If this continues, our ability to sustain a united international front will weaken as countries grow uncertain over our motives and unwilling to risk open confrontation with Iran, and we are left with fewer and fewer policy options.

Now is the time for the United States to active consider when and how to offer direct, unconditional, and comprehensive talks with Iran. The offer should be made even as we continue to work with our allies on financial pressure, in the UN Security Council on a third sanctions resolution, and in the region to support those Middle East countries who share our concerns with Iran. The November report by IAEA Director General ElBaradei to the IAEA Board of Governors could provide an opportunity to advance the offer of bilateral talks.

An approach such as this would strengthen our ability across the board to deal with Iran. Our friends and allies would be more confident to stand with us if we seek to increase pressure, including tougher sanctions on Iran. It could create a historic new dynamic in US-Iran relations, in part forcing the Iranians to react to the possibility of better relations with the West. We should be prepared that any dialogue process with Iran will take time, and we should continue all efforts, as you have, to engage Iran from a position of strength.

We should not wait to consider the option of bilateral talks until all other diplomatic options are exhausted. At that point, it could well be too late.

I urge you to consider pursing direct, unconditional and comprehensive talks with the Government of Iran.

Thank you for considering my views.

Best wishes.

Sincerely,

Chuck H.

Chuck Hagel
United States Senator

cc: Condoleezza Rice

Robert M. Gates

Stephen J. Hadley

And so…
Obviously, foreign policy and international relations are not simple orders; nevertheless, common sense is often overlooked for the sake of personal/political interests. The idea that ‘we do not negotiate with terrorists’ is one that will very likely cripple our ability to negotiate for our interests in the present and even worse, in the future. If current events are any indicator of the drama to come, we need to put on the thinking caps and prepare.

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- Tags: Latest Pakistan News - Latest Iran News - News from Iran

Victim Did Not Press Charges - Attacker goes Free

The victim and her family, perhaps afraid of consequences, declined to press charges and the local judge let the attacker go home, with no criminal charge. Spain’s main anti-racism and civil-rights groups are hoping to appeal the judge’s decision and demand jail time for the attacker’s actions. I wrote some commentary in Spanish below.

The attacker denies he is racist…

Fue un Crimen Contra La Humanidad
En los países Latino-Americanos no existe el racismo de la misma forma que se observa en los Estados Unidos y en Europa. Sería por que todos somos una mezcla verraca de tantas razas; la mayoría de la gente en Sudamérica son criollos y mestizos de alguna manera, y comparten sangre con los Europeos, Africanos, Anglos, Árabes, etc. No estoy hablando del racismo natural basada en riqueza/pobreza que es común en las clases sociales pero el racismo que es mas peligroso. El que se desarrolla dentro del mismo grupo social y cultural. Este es el tipo de prejuicio que ocurrió en Barcelona y es indicador de falta de educación y éticas morales.

Un fenómeno que se presenta hoy día y que no ha recibido atención es el aumento de grupos racistas en Europa y en los países de Sudamérica. Los Skinheads, traídos a los países Hispanos por la música Oí y Punk se esta evolucionando al estado den los Nazis de Hitler. Estamos en el mejor tiempo para empezar a combatir el racismo en los países Latinos. Si los eventos actuales son alguna indicación de lo que viene en el futuro hay que prevenir con educación ahora antes de que no se pueda controlar la situación.

Para mas comentario en Español sobre el ataque visite este enlace

A Natural Gas Pipeline that will connect these three critical nations.
Iran, Pakistan, and India, collectively known as the IPI, are very close to finalizing the ‘Peace Pipeline’ plan that would drop a critical natural gas supply line that would run through the three neighboring countries. As always, there is a catch (or several) - and India is weary of signing on because of the Price Revision Clause being imposed by Iran that would base the price of the natural gas on a formula that utilizes Japan’s gas market as a benchmark. Nevertheless, India’s participation in the ‘Peace Pipeline’ doesn’t seem to matter as much to Iran and Pakistan as they continue bilateral talks that suggest India’s role as merely an added bonus that would sweeten the deal. Pakistan’s ambassador to Iran, Shafkat Saeed, insists that if India rejects the terms of the deal, the oil will be routed through China instead.

�We have informed Iran that we are prepared to transfer Iran�s gas to China through this pipeline should India decide not to join the gas project.� [ Associated Press of Pakistan, Oct 2007 ]

Though India has assured that it will take part in the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline - it is clear that the TAPI pipeline is not a replacement for the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, and their lack of an absolute decision in light of U.S. pressure is proof that the IPI pipeline stands to bring benefit to the Indian economy.

U.S. Threatens Sanctions on Pakistan if they seal the deal with Iran - Who Cares?
Check out this Business Week editorial from June of 2005 that demonstrates the United States’ declining ability to ‘demand’ U.S.-friendly international policies. The U.S. perhaps using scare tactics, has mentioned that investment sanctions are a possibility for India and Pakistan should they join hands with Iran on this business deal - But who’s economies are at stake on a local level? There was a time when the U.S. could influence just about any nation to favor U.S. interests - either by the diplomatic efforts of our 20th century leadership or brute force.

Russia doesn’t care.
“Russia’s Gazprom has established a branch office in Islamabad to participate in IPI project (Press TV Iran, Oct. 2007)” Furthermore, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin issued a statement last week to confirm that he will continue to cooperate with Iran on their nuclear program, identified as a deadly threat by the United States.

China doesn’t care.
Chinese officials continue to insist that sanctions are not the solution and will only complicate the situation - and as a permanent U.N. Security Council member they have rejected any and all U.S. involvement in Iran.

And of course…Iran doesn’t care.
Mr. ‘what me worry?’ himself, President Ahmadinejad, is not worried about U.S. sanctions. As a matter of fact a senior Iranian military commander has warned that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard will carry out suicide bombings throughout the Persian gulf if “necessary.”

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