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.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Overview of Indonesia
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.
