Spread across a chain of thousands of islands between Asia and Australia, Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population.
Ethnically it is highly diverse, with more than 300 local languages. The people range from rural hunter-gatherers to a modern urban elite.
Indonesia has seen great turmoil in recent years, having faced the Asian financial crisis, the fall of President Suharto after 32 years in office, the first free elections since the 1960s, the loss of East Timor, independence demands from restive provinces, bloody ethnic and religious conflict and a devastating tsunami.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Country profile: Indonesia
Overview of Indonesia
Sophisticated kingdoms existed before the arrival of the Dutch, who consolidated their hold over two centuries, eventually uniting the archipelago in around 1900.
After Japan's wartime occupation ended, independence was proclaimed in 1945 by Sukarno, the independence movement's leader. The Dutch transferred sovereignty in 1949 after an armed struggle.
Long-term leader General Suharto came to power in the wake of an abortive coup in 1965. He imposed authoritarian rule while allowing technocracts to run the economy with considerable success.
But his policy of allowing army involvement in all levels of government, down to village level, fostered corruption. His "transmigration" programmes - which moved large numbers of landless farmers from Java to other parts of the country - fanned ethnic conflict.
Suharto fell from power after riots in 1998 and has so far escaped efforts to bring him to justice for decades of dictatorship.
Post-Suharto Indonesia has made the transition to democracy. Power has been devolved away from the central government and the first direct presidential elections were held in 2004.
But the country faces demands for independence in several provinces, where secessionists have been encouraged by East Timor's 1999 success in breaking away after a traumatic 25 years of occupation.
Militant Islamic groups have flexed their muscles over the past few years. Some have been accused of having links with Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda organisation, including the group blamed for the 2002 Bali bombings which killed 202 people.
Lying near the intersection of shifting tectonic plates, Indonesia is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. A powerful undersea quake in late 2004 sent massive waves crashing into coastal areas of Sumatra, and into coastal communities across south and east Asia. The disaster left more than 220,000 Indonesians dead or missing.
President: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Former army general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono won Indonesia's first-ever direct presidential elections in September 2004, unseating the incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri. The election was hailed as the first peaceful transition of power in Indonesia's history.
Mr Yudhoyono, a former security minister in the Megawati government, promised to fight corruption, rejuvenate the economy and tackle separatist conflicts.
On the campaign trail he sought to present himself as a man of integrity and as an effective leader in times of crisis. He said the 2004 Asian tsunami disaster had precipitated the most difficult period in Indonesia's history.
The president identifies the fight against terrorism as a key challenge. As security minister he spearheaded operations to capture Islamic extremists blamed for the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings.
His administration won international plaudits for signing a peace deal in 2005 with separatist rebels in Aceh province but on the economic front he has struggled to better the lot of many Indonesians.
Some observers say he has failed to tackle corruption within the country's massive bureaucracy.
Mr Yudhoyono, a fluent English speaker, studied for his master's degree in the US. Rising through the ranks under former President Suharto, he led his country's peacekeeping contingent in Bosnia in the 1990s.
Sometimes called 'SBY', after his initials, Mr Yudhoyono is praised by his supporters for balancing strength and compassion. Critics have said he is over-cautious.
# Foreign minister: Noer Hasan Wirajuda
# Finance minister: Sri Mulyani Indrawati
# Defence minister: Juwono Sudarsono
Fidel's presence still keenly felt in Cuba
Cuba without Fidel Castro at the helm: many wondered whether communism in the Caribbean could survive without him.
There was dancing in the streets of Miami, as anti-Castro exiles wrongly assumed the end was nigh.
A year later, and outwardly little in Cuba appears to have changed after emergency surgery forced the 80-year-old Fidel to hand over power for the first time since his revolution in 1959.
It was a smooth transition, but so far stability has not led to any improvement to people's daily lives.
Low wages, food shortages and poor public transport are the complaints that dominate conversations here much more than questions of political freedom.
Practical and pragmatic
The world's longest serving defence minister, General Raul Castro has been his brother's right-hand-man since they were both guerrilla fighters in the Sierra Maestra, struggling to overthrow the US-backed dictator, Fulgencio Batista.
In those days, Raul was considered a hardline enforcer who was a dedicated communist long before Fidel.
He doesn't have Fidel's charisma, but Raul is considered the more practical and pragmatic of the two. 
This has raised expectations that some economic reforms may be on the way.
In an hour-long keynote televised address before a 100,000 strong crowd last week, Raul acknowledged there were problems with the economy and changes were needed.
"To have more, we have to begin producing more... to reach these goals, the needed structural and conceptual changes will have to be introduced."
He also said that the country may have to turn once again to foreign investment.
Elder statesman
Many Cubans and Western observers believe this to be a signal that Chinese-style reforms are finally on the way; an opening up of the economy while maintaining political control.
As caretaker president, Raul has also offered to sit down at the negotiating table with the United States. That's been rejected and under US law, there can be no lifting of the embargo against Cuba as long as either brother is in power.
Most Western observers believe Raul is running day-to-day government. What is less clear is who is setting the political agenda.
For the moment, Fidel has taken on the role of elder statesman as he continues to recuperate from a series of stomach operations. 
Recent pictures show that he has put on weight and appears to be getting stronger.
In recent months, Fidel has increasingly made his presence felt through regular newspaper editorials, called Reflections of the Commander in Chief.
Many are attacks on his ideological nemesis, US President George W Bush. Only a few have dealt with internal politics. All are read in their entirety on nightly television news and the first collection has been published in book form.
In one of his editorials last month, he suggested that what the economy really needed was a renewed sense of revolutionary dedication.
"The standard of living can be improved by raising knowledge, self-esteem and dignity of the people. It will enough to reduce waste and the economy will grow."
Fidel Castro's hand may not be on the tiller but his presence remains immense.
Many believe that there can be no major changes in Cuba without his approval, much less against his wishes.
Monday, July 16, 2007
GREEN HOMES FOR ALL IN A CHANGING WORLD.
n the US building standards, codes, and construction practices are now - and have been for decades - based on a set of assumptions that may no longer be be valid. Those assumptions: that energy is and will always be cheap and readily available, that the climate is, on average, stable and predictable, that the hydrologic cycle is, again on average, consistent and that materials to build with will always be inexpensive and easy to get. All these may prove false under the new changing climate and energy realities.
Eventually, existing homes may need significant modifications to adapt to these global changes.
--- Changes in the hydrologic cycle can change the water table. Homes with basements that have been dry for decades may suddenly be wet, for instance.
--- A rise or fall in the water table, as well, may affect foundation footings. Footings on earth that was once considered dry and stable may fail as the historical water table changes. Failed footings can lead to cracked foundations and settlement of the structure.
--- Little needs to be said about buildings situated near sea level in coastal areas. The oceans are set to rise whether global warming is halted or not. (Sea level rise could be slow and linear - a steady rate of climb - or accelerate, with more rise late in the century. No one is predicting yet.)
--- While the equipment used to heat and cool our homes has become steadily more efficient, the balance of the systems - existing ductwork buried in walls or ceilings - is likely as leaky and inefficient as the day it was installed.
--- Despite upgrades to insulation where accessible, such as attics, the insulation in our walls seems inadequate. (The outside walls in my solid masonry 1950’s row home in Baltimore have no insulation to speak of. The walls have about the same insulating value as a pizza oven - but I’m the pizza.)
The modifications needed to adapt older homes to a changing world will be expensive.
But older existing homes are not the only problem. Most new homes built in this country are using nearly the same set of construction standards and codes as homes have for years. Wall insulation is far too thin (It probably needs a doubling in R-value.) Homes are still being built in low lying areas or on areas that could have unstable ground. Our heating and air conditioning systems are still built for low cost, high profit to the builder, not for energy and cost savings for the eventual home owner.
And the materials used in construction? The cost of cement, for instance - made in an energy intensive process - goes up with the cost of energy. Every material that has a petroleum link will see its cost rise along with oil: paints, plastics, composite materials and others. And wood - the most common home building material in the US - is a special case.
True wood naturally sequesters carbon (that’s what trees do) but just planting new trees to replace those logged doesn’t seem like enough. A newly planted sapling doesn’t absorb anywhere near the same CO2 as a decades-old tree.
Further, trees removed to build new homes and developments need to be rethought. Are there saplings planted somewhere to replace those? And are as many saplings planted for the equivalent carbon absorbtion of each large old tree? Probably no on either account.
Fortunately - on their own - some visionary forward thinking homebuilders are taking greener building into their own hands, not waiting for building practices and green building codes to become law.
One of those forward-thinking home builders is PowerHouse Enterprises of Lawrence, Massacusetts.
The company has taken a big picture view of building greener homes.
--- Make them affordable by making them modular. Homes can be built faster indoors than out. Time is money.
--- Use sustainable, recycled, salvaged materials whereever possible.
--- In design use passive and active solar. Let the Sun heat, power and provide hot water for the house.
--- Use high R-value insulation in roof, walls and foundation to save energy.
--- Incorporate highly efficient appliances, lighting and heating cooling and air conditioning equipment.
The company too has a flagship product, its PowerPod, a small, modular, passive/active solar structure that can be used as a cottage, workshop or office and delivered to the site on the bed of a flatbed truck. It can be delivered as a simple structure or ready to move into and relax.
Kinda fun. Very green.
Green homes need to be affordable to all. This company seems to be taking that approach.
New WorldGBC Secretariat
The World Green Building Council is thrilled to announce the selection of Toronto as the home of the WorldGBC secretariat.
Housed inside the Living City Campus, the 350 person, 50 year old NGO that is being developed by the Toronto Regional Conservation authority, the WorldGBC will locate staff and direct our efforts from this world class city inside a LEED Gold building.
Chairman Kevin Hydes states "The decision to move our operations to Toronto was made based on working with a world class team that can support our efforts as we rapidly build capacity to meet global demand for green building councils.
This partnership will help accelerate our organization to reach our target of 100 Green Building Councils in three years and help transform local construction marketplaces globally.
We look forward to bringing our existing and emerging councils as well as friends and supporters to Toronto in July.
As a C40 and a Clinton Climate City, Toronto provides critical synergies with this global community for the WorldGBC through our partnership with Clinton Climate Initiative and now the City of Toronto."
Greens win first seat in Northern Ireland Assembly
The Green Party has celebrated an historical political breakthrough in Northern Ireland with the election of the first Green member to the Northern Ireland Assembly at the 7 March elections. Brian Wilson, the chairperson of the Greens in Northern Ireland was victorious in the North Down constituency, finishing third out of six candidates who were elected using the single transferable vote system.
Brian said: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity of pushing forward Green Party policy in the Assembly. We are one of the youngest political parties in Northern Ireland but these elections have shown the level of support out there for our policies, and how quickly this support is growing.” Green Party Leader Trevor Sargent TD said: “ Brian’s election, which resulted from extensive cross-community support, means that there is now Green representation at every level of political power on this island. Today’s outcome is further proof of the growing tide of public opinion that is recognising that the existing political parties lack the vision and determination to create and maintain an equal, just and prosperous society for all of the people of this island.”
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Nurture Your Spirituality
Survey after survey shows that people with strong religious faith — of any religion or denomination — are happier than those who are irreligious. David Myers, a social psychologist at Michigan's Hope College, says that faith provides social support, a sense of purpose and a reason to focus beyond the self, all of which help root people in their communities.
That seems reason enough to get more involved at the local church, temple or mosque. For the more inwardly focused, deep breathing during meditation and prayer can slow down the body and reduce stress, anxiety and physical tension to allow better emotions and energy to come forward.
Snog. Canoodle. Get It On.
It's no secret that a roll in the hay, and all that leads up to it, feels good. Endorphins are the neurotransmitters in your brain that reduce pain and, in the absence of pain, can induce euphoria. A rush of such chemicals might seem like a temporary solution to a dreary day
, but there are added benefits, not the least of which is expressing affection and strengthening the bonds of a relationship. Oxytocin is released by the pituitary gland upon orgasm; often referred to as the "hormone of love" or the "cuddle chemical," it is associated with feelings of bonding and trust, and can even reduce stress.
Enjoy the music
Whether regarded as an evolutionary accident that piggybacked on language or as the gateway to our emotions, music activates parts of the brain that can trigger happiness, releasing endorphins similar to the ways that sex and food do. Music can also relax the body, sometimes into sleep as it stimulates the brain's release of melatonin.
A study of older adults who listened to their choice of music during outpatient eye surgery showed that they had significantly lower heart rates and blood pressure, and their hearts did not work as hard as those who underwent surgery without music. A second study, of patients undergoing colonoscopy, showed that listening to their selection of music reduced their anxiety levels and lessened the dosage required for sedation.
Crime: Malaysia's Trial of the Century
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Prominent Malaysian Abdul Razak Baginda, center in blue shirt with his wife by his side, has pleaded not guilty to abetting the murder of Mongolian model turned interpreter Shaariibuu
A Mongolian part-time model whose naked body was allegedly blown up by military-grade explosives. A former political adviser to Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister charged with abetting the murder of his ex-lover. Two government security agents whom the prosecution alleges carried out the killing of the 28-year-old Mongolian woman. A loyal wife who, despite allegations of her husband's involvement in the plot, has worn a T shirt to the murder trial that says MRS. RAZAK BAGINDA on the front, AND PROUD OF IT on the back. Welcome to what may be the most sensational case in an Asian courtroom today.
Malaysia, a tidy Southeast Asian nation that is often held up as a model of a Muslim-majority democracy, doesn't usually play host to a murder trial that seems better suited to an episode of The Sopranos. Indeed, the killing of model turned interpreter Altantuya Shaariibuu last October has riveted this country of 25 million. First, there is the sheer luridness of the case. Then, there are the political implications: some Malaysians think it might hurt the succession hopes of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak. For others, the trial, which opened last month, serves as a bellwether of the integrity of Malaysia's legal system and its burgeoning press. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has vowed to make protecting such institutions a cornerstone of his administration. Yet the legitimacy of the Shaariibuu case was already questioned last month when the original chief prosecutor was removed just hours before the trial was to begin. Before that, several local journalists were briefly detained after covering the case. Although Malaysian newspapers have reported extensively on the trial since then, certain scandalous details emerging from the past week's testimony have been omitted from many local press reports.
The story begins in 2004 when a polished Malaysian think-tank director named Abdul Razak Baginda met the comely Shaariibuu at a party in Hong Kong. A married father, Abdul Razak, now 47, had been educated in Britain, had written several books on Malaysia's political economy, and was known to be close to Deputy PM Najib. Abdul Razak and Shaariibuu began a romantic relationship, meeting up for secret liaisons across Asia. Eight months later, Abdul Razak broke off the affair, according to the prosecution and a court affidavit filed by him. Abdul Razak alleges that Shaariibuu then began blackmailing him, presumably threatening to make their relationship public if he did not pay up.
By the spring of 2006, however, Abdul Razak says he stopped sending money. In October, Shaariibuu traveled to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. In his affidavit, Abdul Razak says that after Shaariibuu showed up in town, he confided about her to a high-ranking security officer who worked for Najib. Then, on Oct. 19, according to Abdul Razak's affidavit, the think-tank head called a police officer associated with a high-level unit that provided security for top Malaysian leaders to tell him Shaariibuu was outside his house. Soon after, a car with three police agents pulled up and took the Mongolian woman away. That was the last Abdul Razak says he saw of his former paramour.
On Nov. 6, Shaariibuu's burned remains were found in a jungle outside Kuala Lumpur. Abdul Razak has pleaded not guilty to abetting murder; the two policemen charged with carrying out the killing have pleaded not guilty, too. If convicted, all three could face the death penalty.
Just how the case will affect the Deputy Prime Minister is not yet clear. Najib, the heir apparent to PM Abdullah, has denied any involvement, stating that he never even met Shaariibuu. But on June 29 a court witness claimed she had seen a photo of Abdul Razak, Shaariibuu and a man she named as "Najib Razak" dining at a Paris restaurant. Najib has refused to comment on this specific testimony. "The longer he tries to avoid the issue, the more wild the rumors will be," says Lim Guan Eng, secretary-general of the opposition Democratic Action Party. "The government wants to be known as serious about transparency and justice, but this case damages those efforts."
This isn't the first time Malaysia's court system has faced scrutiny. Nearly a decade ago, then Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was jailed for sodomy and abuse of power—a ruling condemned as political by human-rights groups. Now, Anwar is leading the charge against high-ranking members of his former political party. "Any hint that the integrity of the system has been compromised during the investigation and trial will further erode the public's faith in the institutions of governance," Anwar said in a press statement.
For his part, Najib's boss, PM Abdullah, has promised that politics will not influence the outcome of the trial. But any link to such a high-profile murder can't be good news for Malaysia's leaders. The case will likely continue over the next month, just as the Southeast Asian nation gears up to celebrate a half-century of freedom from British rule. With so many salacious details emerging from court testimony, Malaysia can only hope that its trial of the century does not overshadow 50 years of independence.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Inflammatory Factor Could Spur Male Infertility
July 9 (HealthDay News) -- A substance present in the body as a result of inflammation may also help cause male infertility, new research suggests.
A team at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y., identified unusual levels of a substance called "macrophage migration inhibitory factor" (MIF) in semen samples obtained from infertile men.
Reporting in the current issue of Molecular Medicine, the researchers theorize that identification of this factor could lead to tests for infertility as well as the development of a male contraceptive.
Inflammation occurs when the body endures infections such as sepsis (blood infection), autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The factor is present in high levels during those conditions and is linked in some cases to tissue damage.
The researchers analyzed semen from 27 fertile men and 68 infertile men after several days of sexual abstinence. They found that men with fertility problems had MIF levels that were either too low or too high.
Healthy levels of MIF help sperm mature so they can unite with an egg, the team said. When they added the factor to Petri dishes containing healthy sperm, the number and mobility of the sperm decreased.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 2.1 million infertile couples in the United States. Almost 40 percent of infertility problems are due to the male.
4 Ways to Open Your Social Circle Cyber-Style
For female bonding today, the Internet is a girl's best bet. Moving to a new city? Looking for a career change? Want some fun new friends? Meeting new people is easier than you think! Your virtual options are vast -- and here are four to get you started:
It's Mutual
When it comes to meeting people, some favor the anonymity of the Web, while others find it disconcerting. So why not go through mutual contacts? Lynda Radosevich is VP Communications for Visible Path, a company that creates software to connect people through sets of colleagues. She says, "Women have traditionally been more hesitant than men to tap their social network for opportunities. But in the past year or so, there's been an upswing in new technologies that's closing that gender gap." And she has a success story of her own: Recently, Lynda was assigned a project for which she had to choose a known sales expert for a market research report interview. Through Visible Path's database of who knows who in the business world, she discovered that she has a contact in common with the CEO of a very influential sales consulting company. "I called him, and we were granted an interview within a few days," she says. "My natural tendency would not have been to go straight to the CEO -- and whether that's because I'm a woman or not, who knows -- but knowing I had a common contact made me much more comfortable, and that's something technology is enabling."
Lynda adds that there are always opportunities for overlap between networking for business and meeting people for fun; you never know where your new relationships will lead, be it romance, your dream job or a lasting friendship. To make casual connections through your pals instead of your business associates, Lynda recommends Friendster.com, which, like Visible Path, is based on meeting new acquaintances through people you already know. Friendster spokesperson Lisa Kopp says, "In a time when we're all so busy and don't have time to go to dinner parties or join a book club, we value our friendships just as much and are still looking for outlets to form new bonds with other interesting women." She says people use the site's elaborate profiles to find like-minded women for exchanging experiences and advice. "On Friendster, we see women looking for reviews of music and movies, vacation planning input, even job leads. It's a trusted source."
Girl Talk
Website message boards are another popular means of connecting with new people, and they're used for a variety of reasons, ranging from recipe swapping to getting sex advice. "Asia T," an iVillage message board member since 1998, has used the site to make friends across the country -- and even in her own neighborhood. "I met two people in my area through Parent Soup [a division of iVillage]. One of the two women lives only three miles from me, and we went to the same high school during the same years! It was a large school so we didn't know each other then," she says. Asia finds striking up these electronic conversations is simple when you have things in common. "Aside from talking about parenthood, talking about my home business is a wonderful way for me to meet other women who are doing the same -- or for those who aren't doing home business yet but are curious about getting started," she says.
Where's the Party?
Evite.com is a site featuring electronic invitations people can send to their friends to let them know about upcoming events. The organizer designs her own invitation -- from describing the occasion details to selecting the background images. (The bright "girls night fun" backdrop is one favorite among women.) And the invitations are specifically laid out to save people time: The Web page's RSVP forum allows those attending to see who else can make it and, if there are things to be done or brought to the event, to visibly determine who's taking care of what. Evite spokesperson Kristen Wareham says, "One of our users started an Orange County Christian moms' group, and she says it's made her life so much easier to know what they can each bring to the gatherings and what they plan to talk about." The invites are not only a great way to simplify keeping in touch with people you already know, they also have a feature encouraging the people invited to invite new people.
DIY
Laurel Touby is CEO of mediabistro.com, an online community of 300,000 media professionals that frequently throws parties in various cities around the country. She says she was lonely when she graduated from college 11 years ago, so she decided to start organizing these get-togethers in an effort to meet other people like her. "It's so hard when you graduate and you come to a big city or a small city, and everybody seems to hang out with people they already know." And if you think networking is just for college grads, think again. Laurel recently passed along some wisdom when her 65-year-old mother relocated to North Carolina, where she knew no one. Laurel recalls, "I told her to become a regular somewhere -- at the gym, the local cafe, a professional organization. In order to meet other people like you, you have to do things you like to do." She says, "Get out of your house. Get out of your office. If you're interested in film, volunteer for a film festival. I formed a network of media professionals because, if you follow what you love, you'll find others like you there."
Diane Darling, author of The Networking Survival Guide: Get the Success You Want by Tapping into the People You Know (McGraw-Hill, 2003), agrees. She says her theory of why women sometimes struggle to meet new people uses a sports analogy: "Men have been involved in sports for longer, so they're used to going on the field, trying, failing and then trying again. Women, on the other hand, are perfectionists. We've been socialized to do it nice and to do it pretty, but that's not [how it works]. You're not going to succeed until you try." So what does she suggest? "Always introduce yourself to people, attend forums where it may not be something that's an obvious match for you but might be a place where you might meet people. Get out there and try it."
4 Sex Secrets That Keep Any Guy Interested
So, you think you found the perfect guy. You're clicking on the emotional front, and now you want to leave a lasting impression in the bedroom too. So what's the big secret? It's not all about knock-his-socks-off sex. When it comes to keeping a guy's interest, the way you approach sex can make all the difference. So follow these four basic rules to keep him coming back for more. Don't believe us? Try them tonight!
Don't be a tease, but don't be a sure thing, either.
What many women — and men, for that matter — sometimes fail to realize is that there's a very fine line between being a tease and being playful. If you deny him gratification too often or for too long, he'll probably lose interest and begin to build resentment. While there should never be an expectation of sex, once that expectation has been created, it's very difficult to remove it without creating serious tension.
On the flip side, while men are inherently lazy and do love a sure thing, you also don't want us to take you for granted. Plus, if you're always available to satisfy him , he'll think you're no longer a challenge (and most men love a challenge). So if you can turn down a booty call every now and then, or say no to sex sometimes when you're not really up for it, he's actually going to want to see you more and make more effort.
Make him a believer, but don't oversell it.
Here's something that isn't exactly a secret: Men all like to think that they're “the man.” So you need to make him feel like he's doing something right! I can't stress enough the importance of playing to the male ego and placating his inevitable insecurities about penis size, stamina and the ability to bring you to orgasm. So if you're not fully satisfied, don't simply fake it for his sake; instead, communicate to him about what is working and praise him for the things he does do well. When a man feels consistently insecure about his ability to please his partner, he may get the urge to duck and run. A sincere compliment here and there will keep him focused on doing better by you in bed — instead of finding someone easier to please.
Underpromise, overdeliver.
As far as the bedroom is concerned, avoid creating false expectations at all costs. For example, no guy wants to hear about how great you are at giving fellatio if you're not going to perform it on him. And if you promise to “rock his world” and then don't? Well, you're setting him up for disappointment. It's good to be confident, but the less you promise, the less expectation you create and the more pleasant a surprise you can be for him. And when you're a pleasant surprise, there's usually going to be an encore performance; he'll want to see what else you have in your bag of tricks.
Desire is key.
Most women think great sex is all about the performance. Now, don't get me wrong — if you're really great at something and enjoy doing it, by all means, go right ahead! But it's important to remember that simply expressing a desire for your guy makes a man feel sexually powerful, and making him feel wanted will make him want you even more. So don't forget to let him know how badly you want him, in as much detail as you feel comfortable with. It will be a big turn on for him, even if you aren't the most experienced or skilled at any particular act.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Hamas Freed a BBC Reporter
BBC Correspondent Alan Johnston was released on Wednesday after 114 days in captivity because the Hamas authorities in Gaza made his kidnappers an offer they couldn't refuse: either they freed the Briton or they would be hunted down and killed, a senior Hamas militant told TIME. To Johnston's captors, the Army of Islam, an offshoot of a powerful criminal clan in Gaza known as the Dogmush, there was no doubting Hamas' resolve. In the 48 hours prior to the journalist's release, Hamas gunmen took up positions on rooftops around the Dogmush compound in Gaza City, cut off water and electricity, and arrested several clan members, including a leader of the Army of Islam. The first sign that the kidnappers were cracking under the pressure came on Tuesday with the release of nine pro-Hamas students that the Army of Islam had grabbed earlier.
Earlier, Hamas officials said they could have raided the Dogmush compound and freed the captive journalist in "15 minutes," but that they were afraid that Johnston might have been harmed. (Johnston was moved to four different hideouts during his kidnapping but always kept in a windowless room.) Soon after these remarks were made public, a video of Johnston was released of him wearing an explosive belt and saying his captors would blow him up if Hamas tried to rescue him. Questioned about the video after his release, Johnston said: "If Hamas had stormed the hideout, there was a 50-50 chance I would've been used as a human shield."
Hamas' efforts to free the journalist weren't necessarily altruistic. Democratically elected to power in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza in January 2006, Hamas is locked in a fierce struggle with the Fatah movement loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is backed by the West. This rivalry culminated in Hamas ousting Fatah's armed forces from Gaza after six days of gun battles last month. Abbas retaliated by firing Hamas Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh and his cabinet, but Haniyeh has refused to step down. The Islamic militants of Hamas are anxious to show Palestinians in Gaza — and the rest of the world — that they can carry out their vow to impose order in Gaza. The photo op of a smiling BBC man is a huge publicity coup, allowing Hamas to say, with some legitimacy, that they are bringing back stability to Gaza.
Johnston says the only time he was mistreated was shortly before his release, when his captors apparently could not contain their angry frustration over Hamas' terms. He described how they "smashed me in the face" before they shoved him in the vehicle that delivered him to freedom before dawn on Wednesday. As Johnston later remarked, "If it wasn't for Hamas' pressure, I'd be in that room a lot longer." His surly captors drove Johnston to Haniyeh's modest residence. Fed only on cheese, potatoes and bread during his months of solitary confinement, Johnston was obviously grateful for the huge breakfast laid out for him by Haniyeh, and the gaunt Scot was shown on TV wolfing down food as he answered questions about his abduction. He described his kidnappers as "dangerous and unpredictable."
A senior Hamas militant told TIME that under the terms of Johnston's handover, the Army of Islam would be allowed to keep its weapons "for resistance against Israel" but vowed that the group would "no longer kidnap journalists and would obey the Hamas government."
The Army of Islam, Johnston said, was "a small jihadi group that wasn't so interested in the Israeli-Palestinian issue as much as getting a knife into Britain." The group, numbering several hundred, claim to be inspired by al-Qaeda's anti-Western agenda, but Hamas leaders refer to them as kidnappers and guns-for-hire patronized by Fatah security forces loyal to Palestinian President Abbas. It was only after Hamas defeated Fatah militia in Gaza last month, said Johnston, that his abductors became edgy and nervous.
Securing the release of Johnston is a timely boon for Hamas' leaders who, despite their election victory, are boycotted by the West for refusing to renounce violence against Israel. Britain, which along with the U.S. has steadfastly refused to deal with Hamas, found itself negotiating directly with Haniyeh. Sacked by Abbas after the Gaza clashes, Haniyeh continues to run a Hamas phantom government in Gaza. In contrast to Abbas, whose own authority in the West Bank is shaky, Hamas can now rightly say that it is fully in control of Gaza. Freeing Johnston will help Hamas achieve a measure of international respectability, and, according to Palestinian analysts, the move may pave the way toward the release of another Gaza hostage, Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped a year ago by several militants, including members of the Army of Islam. Hamas claims it is also trying to persuade smaller militant outfits in Gaza to cease firing rockets into Israel.
As for Johnston, after his breakfast with Hamas officials he was rushed by British diplomats to Jerusalem. He still seemed stunned by his long-awaited freedom: "It's hard to believe I'm not going to wake up in that room again."
Young Indonesia's Guitar Warrior
Rabbis are an uncommon sight in Indonesia, much less at a performance by the country's top rock star. Yet there they were, tapping along as Ahmad Dhani (also known as Dhani Dewa) sang his Warriors of Love at a recent conference in Bali on religious tolerance. Afterward, the rabbis—along with Islamic, Hindu and Catholic clerics—jostled for photos with the rock star.
The 35-year-old Muslim may have a way to go before reaching the musician-statesman stature of Bono, but he is talking the talk. "Warriors of Love is a song about love and tolerance for people of different faiths," he explains. "We reject the teachings of hate and the extremists who preach it." Some of his backers hope to widen the song's appeal by assembling a multilingual Muslim star cast to render it as a kind of We Are the World anthem of global Islamic moderation.
Dhani first has to win over his homeland, however. He grew up in Surabaya, listening to Queen and Japanese jazz-fusion outfit Casiopea. After notching up seven platinum albums in Indonesia with his own band, Dewa 19, he announced his intention to wean millions of his countrymen away from extremist Islamic views. "What happens depends on how we deal with the radicals and teach people about Islam," explains Dhani, who says he quit a religious school as a child because he was put off by its conservative Wahhabi teachings. "It's time to come together, even if we have to do it one song at a time."
While international music fans have yet to take notice, the U.S. security establishment already has. Last October, Dhani spoke at a Defense Department-sponsored conference at NORAD in Colorado Springs, explaining to military and government officials why he rejected the path of his father, a former member of the hard-line body Dewan Dakwah Islamiyah Indonesia, as well as that of his grandfather, a member of the outlawed Darul Islam, which once fought for an Islamic state in the archipelago. In so doing, the rock star "has chosen to help us annihilate the crisis of misunderstanding of the Muslim world," says C. Holland Taylor, an American who founded the LibForAll Foundation to promote moderate Islam, and who accompanied Dhani to NORAD. (It is Taylor's foundation that plans to gather other Muslim pop stars for the multilingual version of Warriors of Love.)
But promoting greater understanding of Islam may be a tall order for a star whose private life and secular peccadilloes, often fodder for sensational stories in Indonesian newspapers, seem at odds with his message of spirituality and tolerance. He is estranged from his wife and has told newspaper reporters that women should be free to do as they please "as long as they don't refuse," and that the place of a wife "is one level below the man." He has also been photographed posing in Jacuzzis with young starlets. Although these were publicity shots staged with performers that Dhani was trying to promote as a music producer, they made conservative Indonesians uncomfortable. "I doubt people will take him seriously as someone who can speak about religion given his personal problems," says Jakarta college student Mega Kharismawati, voicing a view common among her peers.
Then there is Dhani's self-professed interest in Sufism. The Sufis make up a mystical branch of Islam that conservative Muslims dismiss as unconventional at best, and deviant at worst. "The fact that he is a Sufi is already going to be controversial with most Indonesian Muslims," says Hamid Basyaib, director of the Liberal Islam Network, a Jakarta-based organization promoting a moderate version of Islam. So will Dhani's admission that he does not pray five times a day—one of the religion's cardinal commands. Says Shofwan Chairul of the University of Indonesia's Islamic Students Association: "People respect him for his music, not his religious views."
Critics say Dhani's newfound spiritual interest masks the falling sales of Dewa 19's albums (the latest shifted 400,000 copies, in contrast to the two previous ones, which sold over a million each). But residual love for his music remains sky high. "Most Indonesians have had a Dewa 19 moment," says Rian Pelor, a music writer for Trax magazine. Certainly, there is no musician like Dhani in the country—he is Indonesia's Cobain or Lennon. And while his new musical tack has been greeted with suspicion in some quarters, what if it does articulate a concern of Indonesia's silent majority? Channeling their feelings is something that Dhani has never failed to do in the past. "Music can reach the masses in a way that Muslim teachers cannot," he declares. "We hope to touch the kids in a way that will make them think about their faith." For now though, whether or not Warriors of Love can drown out the warriors of militant Islam is anyone's guess.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Volunteer discovers her mission: Helping families of wounded troops
Peggy Baker said she never gave much thought to the military before her son enlisted in the Army shortly after September 11, 2001.
"We were a family that walked around and had no idea of the sacrifices that were being made every day and throughout history," she said. "All of a sudden, I was put into a position that my child was going to defend our country, and it opened my eyes."
So, Baker said she looked for a way to support U.S. troops. Initially, she connected with other military mothers on the Internet to compile and send care packages to deployed troops.
But when a fellow mother's son was wounded, Baker joined her at Walter Reed Medical Center, in Washington, to visit him. There, as she looked around at the parents tending to their wounded children, Baker said she found her mission.
"[I] realized that there are a lot of things that we as American citizens can do to lighten the load of some families of the wounded," Baker said. "And so, from there it started."
"It" is Baker's nonprofit organization, Operation First Response. In the nearly three years of its existence, it has grown from just Baker and a few others bringing supplies to the families at Walter Reed to supporting U.S. military hospitals across several states; in Landstuhl, Germany; and in some combat hospitals in Iraq as well.
Operation First Response helps military families in several ways, Baker said. Through its "OFR backpack" program, it provide backpacks filled with clothing and hygiene items to military hospitals for families. The organization also collects donated frequent flier miles to help transport military families to be with their loved ones, and it continues to offer food, hygiene items, books and money to families at Walter Reed.
Techies dismantle iPhones
While most iPhone owners couldn't wait to try out their pricey new gadgets, a few raced to break them apart.The dismantled -- and in some cases, permanently busted -- iPhones revealed one of Apple Inc.'s closely guarded secrets: The names of the companies that supplied the chips and other electronic components for the highly anticipated device.
The findings sent all but a few of the component makers' stocks higher Monday, the first day of trading since the iPhone -- a combination cell phone, music player and wireless Web browsing device -- went on sale in the U.S. Friday evening for as much as $600 a pop.
The parts makers stand to profit handsomely if the iPhone proves popular over time. Apple itself has set a target of selling 10 million units worldwide by 2008, gaining roughly a 1 percent share of the cell phone market.
The phone was sold out in most Apple and AT&T stores by Monday afternoon, said AT&T spokesman Michael Coe. He declined to release specific sales figures
Coe added that most of the activation problems that surfaced over the weekend had been resolved.
Some iPhone buyers had trouble switching over to AT&T from their previous wireless carrier, delays that AT&T blamed on overloaded servers, a problem with the company's credit authorization system, and problems transferring customers' business accounts to consumer accounts
The issue is essentially behind us now," he said.
But as that problem passed, another glitch emerged. Some iPhone users in Western and Midwestern states were unable to get onto the Internet for several hours Monday because of outages on AT&T's EDGE network that were eventually fixed, Coe said. AT&T said it had not determined what caused the outages but was certain it wasn't due to an influx of iPhone users.
Despite the problems, investors flocked to the iPhone's newly unmasked parts makers.
Among the beneficiaries of Apple's business and the tear-down buzz were semiconductor heavyweights Intel Corp., Broadcom Corp., Texas Instruments Inc. and Infineon Technologies AG as well as lesser-known companies such as Skyworks Solutions Inc. and Linear Technology Corp.
Some researchers said Apple's secrecy surrounding the iPhone's component suppliers is yet another example of the Cupertino-based company's vaunted ability to keep their partners tightlipped even when facing a media frenzy and rampant speculation.
"They're very good at it -- and I think they make a point of holding their suppliers to a standard of secrecy, or you could lose the next round if you slip up," said Howard Curtis, vice president of global services for Portelligent, a research company.
The secrecy continued Monday. Most of the component makers either didn't return phone calls or declined to comment.
Much like the examinations of other much-hyped gadgets, the deconstruction of the iPhone was a mad dash to be the first to post online, with minute-by-minute updates on Web sites and the occasional howls of researchers who wound up destroying their iPhones.
Those that released detailed descriptions of the iPhone's innards included sites such as ThinkSecret.com and iFixit.com as well as research companies Portelligent and Semiconductor Insights. Several analysts also published the results of their own tear-downs.
Based on the results, one of the biggest winners is South Korean chip maker Samsung Electronics Co., which is making the main microprocessor used to run the phone's operating system and various applications. Samsung, the world's largest memory chip manufacturer, is also making a type of memory called NAND flash for the iPhone.
Santa Clara-based Intel, the world's largest semiconductor company, is supplying another form of memory, called NOR flash, according to various research firms.
Intel is in the process of unloading its troubled unit that makes the memory, which is primarily used in cell phones, amid fears about its long-term viability with the rise of NAND flash, a cheaper alternative that's commonly found in digital cameras and music players.
Intel's stock rose 53 cents, or more than 2 percent, to $24.27 in Monday trading.
Other chip makers whose stock rose on their involvement with the iPhone included Irvine-based Broadcom Corp., which is making a controller chip believed to be used for managing the touch-screen display. Broadcom's stock price rose 52 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $29.77.
Texas Instruments is supplying a power-management chip. Shares of TI gained 43 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $38.06.
German chip maker Infineon Technologies, which makes parts that handle cellular communications for the iPhone, saw its American Depositary Shares rise 50 cents, or 3 percent, to $17.03.
But it wasn't just the heavyweights who benefited.
Woburn, Massachusetts-based Skyworks Solutions Inc. was revealed as the supplier of a power amplifier used in the iPhone. Skyworks' shares jumped 26 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $7.61.
Shares of Milpitas-based Linear Technology Corp. rose 50 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $36.68 after the company was identified as the maker of the iPhone's battery charger chip.
Another company profiting from the iPhone is Cambridge Silicon Radio Ltd. out of England. Researchers said the company is responsible for making chips that allow Bluetooth wireless connectivity for the iPhone.
But the iPhone halo didn't touch everyone Monday.
Apple, for one, fell 78 cents, or less than a percentage point, to $121.26.
Shaw Wu, an analyst with American Technology Research, attributed the slight drop to profit-taking after a prosperous run over the past year, during which Apple's stock price has more than doubled. On Monday his firm raised its price target for Apple to $165 per share.
Marvell Technology Group Ltd., the Santa Clara-based provider of chips that allow the iPhone to connect over Wi-Fi networks, dropped 13 cents, or less than a percentage point, to $18.08. And Santa Clara-based National Semiconductor Corp., which is apparently making a display chip for the iPhone, fell a penny to $28.26.
Sport : Argentina, Paraguay qualify for Copa America quarters
Caracas, July 3: Argentina beat Colombia 4-2 and Paraguay defeated the US by 3-1 to qualify for the quarterfinal stage of the Copa America football tournament.
With the wins Monday both the winners joined Mexico in the quarterfinals of the tournament, all of them with a game in hand.
Like last week against the US, Argentina saw its rival hit first, and Colombia's Edixon Perea heeled the ball home in the 10th minute.
Ten minutes later Hernan Crespo converted a penalty on Lionel Messi. The goal, Crespo's third in the Copa, was also the last of the striker's contribution to the game, as he had to leave the pitch with a muscle injury.
A Juan Roman Riquelme header left the score 2-1 in the 34th minute, and the talented Riquelme made it 3-1 with a free kick seconds into extra time.
The first half was entertaining and Argentina - billed as the top favourite to win the Copa America - played some good football. The second half, however, was slow and had little to offer.
A Jaime Castrillon header added some excitement leaving the score 3-2 in the 73rd minute, but Diego Milito - who had replaced Crespo -put the definitive 4-2 two minutes into extra time.
Argentine players unanimously praised the spirit of the team to get back into the match with an adverse score.
Earlier Monday in Barinas, Paraguay beat the US by 3-1.
Edgar Barreto put the score 1-0 in the 29th minute, after an assist from Oscar Cardozo. Ricardo Clark equalized five minutes before half-time, but the striker Cardozo made it 2-1 after 55 minutes of play.
With the match almost over, two minutes into extra time, substitute Salvador Cabanas scored his third goal in the Copa, with an excellent free kick.
Paraguay was simply much more efficient than the team fielded by US coach Bob Bradley. The US had the ball and enjoyed many chances, but only managed to net the ball once.
Paraguay now leads Group C with six points, the same as Argentina but with a better goal difference. Both the US and Colombia are yet to obtain their first point in the tournament.
In the final matches of the first round in Group C, Argentina will play Paraguay and the US will face Colombia.
World’s biggest postcard sent in Russia
Moscow, July 3: The world's biggest postcard, more than 400 square metres in size, has been delivered in Novosibirsk,in Russia’s west Siberia, a local post office said today.
Organisers told RIA Novosti news agency that they would apply to the Russian and Guinness book of records with the postcard which measured 250.3 (820 feet) by 1.6 metres (5 feet) and weighed 119.8 kilograms (264 pounds).
The postcard was made to mark the 114th anniversary of Novosibirsk.
On June 24, it was placed in Novosibirsk's central square so that anyone could leave greetings for the city. It was then stamped and sent to the addressee - the Siberian Postal Museum.
In June 2005, a similar project was carried out in St Petersburg where a 10 by 15 metre love letter was made.
Physicists successfully control nanomachines with ultraviolet light
Washington, July 3 : Physicists at the University of California at Berkeley have been able to use light to control and move nanomachines.
During experiments they found that by shining ultraviolet light on tiny molecules of azobenzene adhered on a layer of gold, they could force the molecules to change shape at will.
Previous experiments with shape-shifting azobenzene had shown that the molecules only responded properly when suspended in liquids or incorporated into plastics, neither of which made a very good foundation for complex nanomachines.
This time round, the team added legs built of carbon and hydrogen atoms to hold the molecules slightly away from the metal.
Although the legs anchoring the molecules to the surface only provided a fraction of a nanometer of clearance (less than a billionth of a meter), it was enough to allow the molecules to move in response to the UV illumination.
A series of scanning tunnelling microscope images also confirmed that they could switch the molecules' shapes from one configuration and back again.
Researchers say the molecules could be incorporated into nanomachines in the form of remotely controlled switches, pistons or other movable components.
The findings appear in the journal Physical Review Letters.
Officials discuss health, climate change
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Officials from more than a dozen Asian countries met Tuesday in Malaysia to outline health problems their populations are facing in relation to a rise in global temperatures.
Officials discussed ways to work together to limit the fallout in a region expected to be hit hard by flooding, drought, heat waves, mosquito-borne diseases and waterborne illnesses.
The World Health Organization estimates climate change has already directly or indirectly killed more than 1 million people globally since 2000. More than half of those deaths have occurred in the Asia-Pacific area, the world's most populous region. Those figures do not include deaths linked to urban air pollution, which kills about 800,000 worldwide each year, according to WHO.
"We're not going to have a magic bullet to fix climate change in the next 50 years. We need to motivate an awful lot of people to change their behavior in a lot of different ways," said Kristie Ebi, of the WHO's Global Environmental Change unit, a lead author on the health chapter in a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a U.N. network of 2,000 scientists.
Ebi said health officials are about a decade behind other sectors, such as water and agriculture, in taking a look at what climate change could mean and how to deal with it. She said countries seeing the effects firsthand are now starting to realize that any problems with air, water or food will directly affect people's health. The poorest countries in Asia and Africa are expected to suffer the most.
Scientists have predicted droughts will lower crop yields and raise malnutrition in some areas, dust storms and wildfires will boost respiratory illnesses, and flooding from severe storms will increase drowning, injury and disease such as diarrhea. Increasing temperatures could also lead to the growth of more harmful algae that can sicken people who eat shellfish and reef fish. People living in low-lying coastal areas will also face more storms, flooding and saltwater intrusion into fresh groundwater that is vital for drinking.
Singapore saw mean annual temperatures increase 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit between 1978 and 1998, while the number of dengue fever cases jumped 10-fold during the same period.
Malaria has recently reached Bhutan and new areas in Papua New Guinea for the first time. In the past, mosquitoes that spread the disease were unable to breed in the cooler climates there, but warmer temperatures have helped vector-borne diseases to flourish.
Melting of glaciers in the Himalayas have created about 20 lakes in Nepal that are in danger of overflowing their banks, which could create a torrent of water and debris capable of wiping out villages and farms below.
The four-day workshop in Malaysia lays the groundwork for a ministerial-level meeting on the topic next month in Bangkok, Thailand.
USAID Planning for Disaster Responses in Indonesia
In April 2006, the Mount Merapi volcano on the Indonesian island of Java -- known by locals as the "Mountain of Fire" -- awoke from a four-year slumber, spewing gas and lava down its slopes.
One month later, as volcanic activity continued and local residents braced for the possibility of a large, explosive eruption, a devastating earthquake struck just 45 kilometers south of Mount Merapi.
With more than 1 million people affected by the earthquake and another 70,000 residents facing the potential of a major eruption, addressing the vulnerabilities and meeting the humanitarian needs of local communities was no small feat. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) successfully confronted the dual challenges by drawing on its robust preparedness and response capacities.
USAID helped the Indonesian Red Cross stock evacuation centers with shelter materials, blankets and water containers to meet the immediate needs of thousands of evacuees. Anticipating and preparing to address these needs proved essential to evacuating thousands of residents to the centers.
To assist local scientists at the Mount Merapi Observatory in monitoring continuing fluctuations in volcanic activity, USAID deployed a team of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) specialists.
The USGS team noted that the volcano was unusually unpredictable, posing challenges to local officials and the humanitarian community anticipating an eruption. The team developed a "probability tree" to better understand the risks to different communities and provided enhanced instrumentation for monitoring the volcano.
The team incorporated planning for a major eruption into its earthquake response activities. It made earthquake response grants flexible so partners could quickly respond if a major volcanic eruption occurred. USAID also supported the development of emergency radio broadcasts designed to warn residents of an impending volcanic eruption and to communicate other key messages.
In early June, Mount Merapi was at the highest level of alert when an avalanche of volcanic material and gas flowed seven kilometers down the southeastern side of the volcano. As a result of ongoing early warning and preparedness, local communities had become adept at evacuating on short notice. With USAID assistance, evacuation centers were poised to meet the humanitarian needs of evacuees. The avalanche did reach a nearby village but all residents already were sheltered safely in evacuation centers.
Threats posed by the Mount Merapi volcano and earthquakes are unlikely to diminish in the near future. However, with a proven arsenal of preparedness and response measures, USAID is well-positioned to identify and respond to multiple disasters in the same location.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
The progress of green movement in Thailand
After our first green political conference in 1995, there has been remarkable progress in our movement:
February 1995, Mr. Sulak Sivaraksa used his Alternative Nobel prize to set up an alternative college called SEM (Spirit in Education Movement) to promote holistic ideas and one of the main courses of SEM is Green Politics.
July 1996, Face the Environment, a weekly TV program presented series on green politics 4 weeks continuously. The first was on the green movement worldwide, the second and third were lessons from the Greens in Germany and the last was about a development strategy for such a party in Thailand. This serie was produced with many help of Greens in Germany, USA, Canada and New Zealand. Now I'm distributing 70 copies of it to the NGO's and grassroots organisations throughout the country.
The latest event was the SEM green course held between 12-13 April 1997. The lecturer was Ilana Eldridge, founder of the Northern Territory Green Party under the heading "Green politics in practice: learning from the Australian Greens".
The course content included what's the green party and why it's important, how the Australian greens work, consensus decision, media strategy and should Thailand have a Green party.
The last topic was widely discussed. It looked like everyone agreed that having a Green party should benefit the social and environmental movement because trying to solve many social and environmental problems separately only in local level will never achive, so there should be a movement to work toward changes in social, economic and political structure. This movement should base on a new philosophy, culture and life-style also, and the Green party would be one of the most important arms of this new movement.
The next and largest discuss question was "Are we ready for setting up a Green party right now?". Some said "NO" to this question for the reason that "the grassroots movement was not strong enough yet" and if there was a party it would suppress development of grassroots movement because most of resources, energy and attention might focus at the party.
Another interesting argument was that the green philosophy was not widely understood enough, although our Buddhist philosophy was so close to the green (in my opinion, many points were more obvious and more appropriate for Thai people, but to mix them to the new one should be our hard work).
The support reason was having such party should spark up the whole progressive movement and drew most attention to more structural issue, the new direction of social-economic policy should be discussed and spread throughout the society.
Anyway, this issue didn't reach any conclusion yet.
If we agree to started up a Green party then "How" was the next question. There were 2 ways proposed, one was proposed by the acting chairman of the old Buddhist based "PhalangDham Party" who was also in the seminar, he proposed to reform his own party into green but some thought this was inappropriate because this party was built up from the other philosophy-ideology and almost all the member wasn't held on the green idea yet.
Many want the Green party to be set up from the NGO's not the politician but it seemed we couldn't find NGO's who want to play the politician role.
One obvious point was we all agree that if there would be a Green party in Thailand in the future it should be a good mixture of western green ideas and our own Buddhist culture so it could act appropriately in our social context.
Any comment is welcome,
Deprogramming IT E-Learning
People solving IT problems need more than a cookbook approach to learning. Enter the constructivist model.
Many e-learning providers are using Internet technology to implement basic educational techniques that are derived from programmed learning models. For example, work through an e-learning course and, most likely, you'll see an introduction page followed by a series of informational pages followed by a multiple-choice quiz. But that technique is insufficient for IT workers learning subjective skills, such as programming and and application design.
People solving IT problems need more than a cookbook approach to learning. Enter the constructivist model.
Many e-learning providers are using Internet technology to implement basic educational techniques that are derived from programmed learning models. For example, work through an e-learning course and, most likely, you'll see an introduction page followed by a series of informational pages followed by a multiple-choice quiz. But that technique is insufficient for IT workers learning subjective skills, such as programming and and application design.
This type of programmed instruction, which is an outgrowth of Skinner's studies on behaviorism, was a big idea fifty years ago. It has a solid foundation in learning and performance objectives, uses a concrete instrument to deliver instruction, and provides a degree of interactivity in environments that lack instructors. Whether online or paper-based, it's effective for self-study of definitions, basic concepts, and such technical material as application structure. Training that's designed using a programmed learning model guides learners through linear or branching lessons that are followed by a test question. An incorrect answer directs learners to specific feedback or the original content material for remediation. IT workers that perform programming or design work need the opportunity to exercise their creative powers.
That type of learning isn't about problem solving; it's an assessment of memory. If the learner answers eight out of ten questions correctly, he or she can move to the next module. If the learner's constructed responses are slightly different, it may be hard to get the feedback he or she needs to retain the correct information. Indeed, one could argue that programmed learning is the antithesis of the dynamic, problem-based learning that IT workers need. In addition to learning basic skills, IT workers that perform programming or design work need the opportunity to exercise their creative powers. Rather than drill and quiz techniques, creative problem solving requires an environment where the learner performs within a specific context and receives feedback from an expert or mentor.
To accomplish that, instructional design moved beyond programmed learning to cognitive learning theory, which views learning as an active, creative endeavor. Learning theory progressed even further toward a constructivist model, which holds that active learning occurs best when it addresses real-life complexity in a natural context. Some basic constructivist model principles include
posing problems for learners to explore
seeking and valuing multiple perspectives
encouraging reflection of the learning process
embedding learning in realistic and relevant contexts
recognizing the social dimension of learning.
If e-learning is to compete with established corporate and university education, the technology to support the constructivist model must be developed. The e-learning environment needs to incorporate the following features:
Expert support. The learning environment must let mentors and experts collaborate to create learning projects and assess learner performance.
Context. Learners need convenient access to resources and learning experiences that are integrated with their work. Learning and working are related activities, but they're often thought of as conflicting.
Social interaction. Teams must be built into the learning environment. Team leaders should assign members, monitor progress, and assess individual contribution.
Collaboration. Learning environments should create situations where work and products are developed in a collaborative manner.
Appreciation for multiple perspectives. The environment must support joint courses, allowing collaborative relationships between teams in different, but related, classes. Learning becomes less isolated and the multidisciplinary context affords learners a richer experience.
Self-awareness and opportunities to try new approaches. Nurturing the creativity of IT workers is vital to building an environment that supports and enables innovative work. Learners need support for exploring knowledge, integrating their own experience, and synthesizing new knowledge.
Instructors must incorporate those principles to raise online learning of IT skills to a higher level. Learners need support for exploring knowledge, integrating their own experience, and synthesizing new knowledge. For example, imagine a learning experience that links learners to a team of people already using similar skills. The learner and support group are assigned to a simulated project where they must explore a partially completed application. Their objective is to evaluate the work of others, improve the design and code, and plan and execute original work that completes the application. Using a Web-based collaborative environment, team members can post critiques and suggestions, and concurrently edit the application design. An instructor monitors progress and provides guidance for resolving conflicting ideas. When the instructor approves the design, the team starts the next course activity.
Learning ideas
Here are several creative approaches to making learning information technology skills more interesting and challenging.
Combine a software project management class with a language development class. Have the two classes evaluate one another's efforts using parameters set by the instructor. Did the project managers develop clear requirements? Did the developers follow directions creatively or slavishly?
Have a software project management class role-play all of the tasks in a large project simulation. Such role-play can help reduce the myopia that develops when learners only interact with people in their own field.
Charge a Web development class with creating a marketing Website for a large company. Give them plenty of content to work with, and devise clear expectations for the required structure, navigation, and interactivity.
Challenge a new developer with a small-scale software design project that requires data gathering, analysis, and electronic sharing on a project Website that lets users and experienced programmers offer suggestions. Throughout the project, the developer incorporates or rejects the recommendations, and refers questions to an expert who has final sign-off of project completion.
Demonstrating learning
In constructivist model learning, actually performing the work assesses whether learning has occurred. Though evaluating constructivist learning is partially subjective, instructional designers can determine project-based criteria.
Where online quizzes must be used, try a less restricted approach. For example, rather than asking, "Which menu option do you choose to create X?" pose the question, "In the course of creating X, what result do you find at location Z?" Feedback for an incorrect answer to the first question would simply take the learner back to a menu option, but feedback to the second question would describe the creation process.
Recent developments in learning technology are impressive, but their application toward learning remains weak. Organizing material originally published in a textbook for online viewing might make the material flashier but does little to enhance the learning process. Before users and managers conclude that learning technology is merely an expensive fad, we must build support features that lead to higher forms of learning.
Monday, July 2, 2007
How to run the family firm
Running any firm has its challenges, but keeping a family company on track often requires a careful balance of business strategy and personal relationship skills. Corporate issues such as share ownership and board structure become far more complex and potentially business threatening when it is family members who disagree.
A simple solution, yet one that many firms overlook, is to draw up an agreement to head off potential shareholder problems and serves as a blueprint for the structure, management and future of the business.
Paul Johnson, a partner at Yorkshire law firm Keeble Hawson, says: 'The law confers only basic protection to a limited company or partnership, which is how the vast majority of family firms operate. What it doesn't deal with are issues such as succession planning, non-performance of family members and the transfer of shares.
'These need to be addressed, agreed and documented, so if conflicts arise there is a process in place for dealing with them.'
Without a written agreement, disputes can leave a business in deadlock.
'Take a hypothetical case of a business owned jointly by two brothers,' says Johnson. 'If one dies and his shares go to his widow, depending on what she decided to do with them, the business could be in trouble.'
A shareholder agreement would cover such an eventuality, in most cases by giving existing shareholders the first option to buy the shares.
Johnson says: 'People can be superstitious. They think that by raising these difficult issues, problems are more likely to happen. But the priority must always be to protect the business' future.'
Sisters Linnhe, Bryony and Cadi Cadlow set up their short film production studio 3 Bear Animations nine years ago near Kendal, Cumbria.
Though the three are close and rarely row, they decided it would be sensible to have a shareholder agreement.
Linnhe, 29, says: 'Though we all have long-term plans for the company, we know that if we go our separate ways, everything will be split equally.'
Assigning the key roles was just as straightforward. Linnhe, who manages the marketing and website operations, says: 'When we started out, we were all trying to do a bit of everything, which wasn't terribly productive, so we identified our individual strengths and skills and decided on our individual roles.'
Her twin sister Cadi heads the creative side, while Bryony, 25, handles finance and accounting.
Grant Gordon, director-general of the Institute for Family Business, says appointing family members to decision-making roles is an area where there can be no compromise.
He says. 'In the gene lottery there is no guarantee that a family will produce good leaders every generation, so the role of managing director or chief executive must be assigned according to skills, experience and qualifications.'
Melanie Wood, 33, and her sister Vicky Gibb, 34, along with brother Gordon Gibb, 31, had business ownership thrust on them when their father, Robert, died in a road accident 12 years ago.
He was the founder of the Pleasure Island Family Theme Park in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, and Flamingo Island and Zoo near Pickering, North Yorkshire.
Melanie says: 'Though we all had summer jobs working at the parks, we hadn't really planned to make a career of it. But given the situation we found ourselves in, we immediately committed to taking on the business.'
Chief executive Gordon and Vicky and Melanie, both directors, each own 30% of the shares, with the remainder held by their mother.
But there are no immediate plans to bring any other family members into the business, which employs 450 and has a turnover of £23m.
Melanie says: 'Our current board structure works very well and we don't see any reason to change that.'
However, with corporate governance a top priority for business, Grant says a key element in any well-run family business should be an independent voice at board level.
He says: 'The role of the non-executive director is to bring an unbiased view to the business decisions, with no vested interest. As the company grows, he or she can provide an increasingly valuable steering factor.'
Though the majority of family businesses remain in private ownership, a number have approached the public markets to raise capital and have been successful.
A study by Manchester Business School found that between 1999 and 2005, family-run plcs outperformed their FTSE All-Share peers by 40%.
Paul Crutchley, partner at Birmingham law firm Shakespeares, agrees that as part of the growth strategy, flotation can be a sound move for a family business.
He says: 'They have access to a larger pool of capital and there is greater scope for shareholders to sell their stakes. But it is a major step that should be taken only when the business is ready.'
The future in black and white
A family constitution or family charter outlines the company's values, purposes and principles and addresses a broad set of business issues. Less rigid than a shareholder agreement, a family charter can be revised and adapted as the business grows.
The key issues the charter should address include:
• Leadership, management and board structure.
• Share ownership, valuation and transfer, and dividend payment.
• Business strategy, objectives and values.
• Succession planning and management.
• The obligations of family members involved in the business.
• The appointment and involvement of non-executive directors.
• Dispute resolution procedures.
Credit Boosting Websites May Be Running Out of Time
With the recent tightening of regulations for bad credit mortgages, a "less than transparent" industry has thrived. It's the credit boosting industry and the salad days for this dubious business model may be numbered.
Credit boosting works like this: Folks with low FICO (credit) scores, such as a number in the low 500s, have a hard time qualifying for a mortgage with today's guidelines. However, federal regulations allow for people with good credit to have authorized users on credit cards and other loans. So credit boosting companies will search for people with very high credit scores that are willing to sign up authorized users with bad credit to their credit histories.
The person with bad credit is instantly linked to the history of the person with good credit, although they have no access to the actual credit cards or loans. This can almost instantly inflate a credit score 200 points or more. Suddenly a person with a score of 540 has a score of 780 and voila, they can qualify for the best mortgages at the best rates. This is very bad for mortgage companies and banks because it results in what amounts to fraudulent loans being written.
For as much as this hurts lenders, investors and the economy overall, this really hurts borrowers as well. If a borrower uses a credit boosting service to get a mortgage that they really can’t afford, there's a good chance they’ll default and end up in a foreclosure and ruin their credit. Even if they think they can afford the mortgage and are using this to game the system for a better rate, they need to know that the industry is working to shut down this process quickly.
In an effort to stop the practice of credit boosting, Fair Isaac, the company that manages FICO scores, has implemented changes to its FICO scoring policy to discourage and discount such practices. Fair Isaac has issued the following statement on its website, www.fairisaac.com:
"We will do whatever it takes to protect the reliability and accuracy of FICO credit scores for lenders, and to ensure lenders can continue to use FICO scores with confidence when making their most important customer decisions," said Dr. Mark Greene, CEO of Fair Isaac. "We will continue working with lenders, regulators and others in the credit reporting industry to end deceptive practices that fraudulently misrepresent consumer credit histories for profit."
The changes will go into effect starting September 2007. The bottom line is that if credit boosting continues, the whole FICO system is at risk of being replaced with a new system that will sniff out credit boosters. Either way, the end is near for this practice. This will help keep our economy healthy, and will keep borrowers with less than perfect credit from going down a slippery slope to ruined credit.
Where quality goes before profit
Quality, innovation and continually raising standards of care count for more with Andrew Allan than growth for growth's sake. And it is this approach that has got Active Assistance, his family-run specialist live-in care provider, to the final of the Coutts Prize for Family Business.
Now in their second year, the bank's awards, backed by Financial Mail, recognise the best-run family businesses in England and Wales.
There are three award categories based on turnovers of £1m to £5m; £5m to £25m; and more than £25m.
Finalists in each category will be drawn from all sectors of industry in three regions - northern England; southern England and Wales; and London and Greater London.
Active Assistance, from Sevenoaks, Kent, is the southern England and Wales finalist, providing specialist care for people with serious spinal cord injuries. The company employs 164 people, including 150 personal assistants, and has a turnover of £4m.
Managing director Andrew Allan, 42, took over a decade after the business was founded by his father, Bill, in 1992. But he insists that it is a united family approach - his father is chairman, while his wife, Nicola, is company secretary - that has helped it to flourish.
He says: 'There are so many pitfalls that can affect family firms. In defining and agreeing our family business plan, we have clear leadership and a shared vision for the company that has allowed us to develop it.'
Andrew says well-run family businesses can have added value in the eyes of the consumer. 'As a family business, you have a profile in the community,' he says.
'Our clients know that they can have direct contact with the family and that they can talk to me. It is about putting quality and service ahead of profit and growth. If you focus on quality, you will get growth.'
Demonstrable achievements such as setting new standards in the provision of live-in services for adults and children, and the decision to support one charity involved in lobbying and another involved in rehabilitation for people with spinal injuries, further impressed the evaluation panel.
Perry Littleboy, director of marketing and business development at Coutts, says: 'Having worked with family businesses for more than 300 years, Coutts understands the enormous contribution they make to the economy and to society and the specific challenges they face.
'In selecting the finalists, we looked for a clear demonstration of a combination of high standards of family governance and corporate governance, a competitive market position and consistent financial growth and a record of charitable giving or involvement in the local community.'
Active Assistance will compete against northern England finalist Swann Systems, a provider of automotive-components, and London and Greater London finalist Visioncare Eye Clinic in the £1m to £5m turnover category at the national finals in London on June 6.
Finalists in the £5m to £25m category include funeral director AW Lynn, (northern England), corporate finance firm BCMS (southern England and Wales) and The Goring Hotel (London and Greater London).
In the more than £25 million category, the finalists are motor retailer Meteor Group (northern England), construction and property development firm Wates Group (southern England and Wales) and WTA International Freight Management (London and Greater London).
A special prize category of heritage and innovation has been awarded to estate management company Clinton Devon Estates, which has been managing land in the county for more than 500 years.
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