Syria civil war continues despite G8 summit

 

The Group of Eight (G8) is a forum for the governments of eight of the world’s eleven largest national economies. It is presently held at the Lough Erne resort in Northern Ireland and is being hosted by British Prime Minister David Cameron. The leaders of United States, Japan, Canada, Russia, Germany, France and Italy are in attendance. Not included are the leaders of China, Brazil and India.

While they may be discussing the world’s economy, of which the G8 countries account for 50 percent of the output, on the sideline, however, the civil war in Syria is one hot topic to be discussed and resolved.

But, as it appears, it is very unlikely that the leaders will go home with the conflict resolved, much less a compromise being reached just so the destruction, killings and influx of refugees out of Syria will stop.

What is more likely to happen is that the war will worsen, even as the US and Russia share interest in stopping the violence and atrocities committed, now with use of chemical weapons.

With Russia having Syria as its closest Middle Eastern ally and a trusted friend in President Bashar al-Assad, there is no way Russian President Vladimir Putin would allow the Western powers, led by President Barack Obama, to have Syria’s leader taken out of the equation in resolving the crisis.

Even before the summit started one could already deduce what the outcome would be with regards to Syria.

During talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London on the eve of the summit, Putin renewed his criticism of the West’s position in startling tones, describing Assad’s foes as cannibals.

“I think you will not deny that one does not really need to support the people who not only kill their enemies, but open up their bodies, eat their intestines, in front of the public and cameras,” Putin said at a joint news conference with Cameron.

“Are these the people you want to support? Is it them who you want to supply with weapons?”

This had reference to the US decision to send weapons to the rebels, saying Assad’s forces had crossed a “red line” by using chemical weapons.

For sure, Putin wants to achieve a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Syria, but not at the expense of the despot Assad to whom Russia has been sending weapons, including the planned shipment of the advanced S-300 air defense system, which will be a potential deterrent to any enforced no-fly zone thought of over Syria in the future.

Peace is, has been, and will continue to be elusive in Syria. And for as long as Assad continues to be in power there will be no meeting of the minds between the Russian leader and the rest of the G8 leaders.

China granted concession to build Great Nicaraguan Canal

Trying to equal and/or surpass the might and achievements of the USA in terms of armaments, economy, science, technology, production, construction and what have you, now China is on the verge of building a monumental legacy in shipping when Nicaragua’s National Assembly voted to grant Hong Kong-based HK Nicaragua Canal Development Investment Co. (HKND Group) the exclusive right to study and build the Great Nicaraguan Canal (GNC).

Like the US-built Panama Canal that was undertaken late in the 19^th century, the GNC across Nicaragua will be another engineering feat in the history of construction with the shipping channel linking the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

The project is estimated to cost upwards of $40 billion, and will include also a new rail line, an oil pipeline, two deep water ports, two international airports, and a series of free-trade zones along the canal.

The prospective GNC will dwarf the Panama Canal not only because it will be three times longer than the 50-mile Panama Canal, but the supertankers and other mammoth vessels that are unable to pass presently through the Panama Canal can now be accommodated in the much wider and deeper GNC.

Many of today’s largest vessels that cannot fit in the canal leave them with no other option but to take the notorious Cape Horn route around the tip of South America.

Unlike the Panama Canal, which was built using enormous number of laborers that threatened lives and limbs, the mechanization and advanced technology in global positioning and satellite imagery is going to make the building process of the GNC much safer and easier.

There are valid questions raised, however, by the environmentalists and critics of Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega over the ambitious construction of the GNC.

While supporters of Ortega believe that the project could uplift the lives of its poor people by bringing tens of thousands of jobs to the country and fueling an economic boom, just as it happened in Panama, critics are thumbing the project down because of its environmental destruction and questionable economic viability.

Environmentalists say it would devastate Lake Nicaragua, the country’s primary source of fresh water, while shipping experts say that it may be an economically unfeasible power play by China.

“We’re at a crossroads because either you use Lake [Nicaragua] for floating boats or you use it for drinking water, but you can’t use it for both things at once,” Victor Campos, assistant director of the Humboldt Center environmental organization said.

“It’s addressing a need that definitely is not here now and I’m not sure if it’s ‘a build it and they will come’ sort of thing,” Rosalyn Wilson, a senior business analyst at the Delcan Corporation, a Toronto-based transportation consultancy and author of the U.S. logistics industry’s annual report commented. “I wouldn’t invest my money in it.”

Wilson noted that the global economic slowdown led to a lower demand for massive container shipping, and that climate change means that the Arctic could become a viable alternative to crossing Central America by canal.

Experts are skeptical whether or not there will be enough increase in shipping between Asia and the Western Hemisphere to justify a new canal.

“There’s going be some growth in world trade. The big question is: What routes is that trade going to move on? That’s the real challenge that Nicaragua faces,” he said. “It’s very easy to say trade is going to grow, but that doesn’t mean that Nicaragua is going to be in a competitive position to take advantage of it. … I’m not convinced right now.”

If a route is decided on soon, construction on the Great Nicaraguan Canal could begin as early as 2015

If it completes the canal as agreed, HKND Group will be granted a 100-year concession to operate the canal.

Cycle of fatherhood

My Dad Can Do Anything!

Funny how adding years to your life can also add perspective to your years.

A Child says at:

4 years:    My daddy can do anything.
7 years:    My dad knows a lot, a whole lot.
8 years:   My father doesn’t know quite everything.
12 years:  Oh, well, naturally Father doesn’t know that, either.
14 years:  Father? Hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years:  Oh, that man is out-of-date. What did you expect?
25 years:  He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
30 years:  Maybe we ought to find out what Dad thinks.
35 years:  A little patience. Let’s get Dad’s assessment before we do   anything.
50 years:   I wonder what Dad would have thought about that. He was pretty smart.
60 years:  My dad knew absolutely everything!
65 years:  “I’d give anything if Dad were here so I could talk this over
with him. I really miss that man.”

-This essay appeared in Ann Landers, “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee!”

To all fathers out there,  HAPPY FATHER’S DAY !

India will overtake China as most populous country by 2028

 

India, the world’s largest democracy and second most populous country emerged as a major power in the 1990s. It is militarily strong, has major cultural influence and a fast-growing and powerful economy.

A nuclear-armed state, it carried out tests in the 1970s and again in the 1990s in defiance of world opinion. However, India is still tackling huge social, economic and environmental problems.

But, be that as it may, the United Nations (UN) recently published a report by the World Population Prospects saying that India’s population is expected to surpass China’s around 2028 when both countries will have populations of around 1.45 billion.

Subsequently India’s population will continue to grow until the middle of the century, while China’s slowly declines.

The UN also estimates that the current global population of 7.2 billion will reach 9.6 billion by 2050.

Developing countries, particularly in Africa, are expected to spiral upwards the population growth, according to the UN.

“Although population growth has slowed for the world as a whole, this report reminds us that some developing countries, especially in Africa, are still growing rapidly,” commented Wu Hongbo, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

The report found that most countries with very high levels of fertility — more than 5 children per women — are on the UN list of least developed countries. Most are in Africa, but they also include Afghanistan and East Timor.

But the average number of children per woman has swiftly declined in several large countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Brazil and South Africa, leading to a reduction in population growth rates in much of the developing world.

In contrast, many European and eastern Asia countries have very low fertility levels.

John Wilmoth, director of the Population Division in the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said the projected population increase will pose challenges but is not necessarily cause for alarm. Rather, he said, the worry is for countries on opposite sides of two extremes: Countries, mostly poor ones, whose populations are growing too quickly, and wealthier ones where the populations is aging and decreasing.

Wilmoth’s statement seems to reassure the world that there will be food available, even to the third world countries, but only if population  growth is prudently controlled by government.

Philippines still mired as ‘least peaceful’ country

 

Isn’t it ironic indeed that for a country that has become the envy of many Asian countries for having the fastest growing economy for the first quarter of 2013, it still continues to remain in the list of the ‘least peaceful’ countries in the world?

A few months ago Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning of the Philippines Arsenio Balisacan confirmed the report issued by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) that the country’s gross domestic product grew by 7.8 percent in the first quarter of 2013, faster than China (7.7 percent), Indonesia (6 percent), Thailand (5.3 percent), and Vietnam (4.9 percent).

NSCB attributed the 7.8 percent increase in the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country to the strong performance of the manufacturing and construction sectors, as well as the increase in government and consumer spending.

Yet, in a recent Global Peace Index released by the Australia-based Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) in June 11, the Philippines ranked 129^th out of 162 nations in the list of ‘least peaceful’ countries in the world.

One can’t simply reconcile the fact that if a country is seen to be having the fastest growing economy, wouldn’t being considered, at the same time, as ‘least peaceful’ adversely affect the economic growth of the country?

Among countries in Southeast Asia, the Philippines was seen to be the third worst, next to Myanmar, which was ranked 140th, and Thailand, which took the 130th spot.

The index is calculated using scores in 22 indicators that reflect countries’ status in terms of ongoing domestic and international conflict; societal safety and security; and militarization.

The Philippines bagged a score of 2.37 in the index, which describes peace in countries with scores close to 1 point as “very high.”

Now, how could it be that high if the country’s domestic problems with insurgencies are isolated? Besides, whatever internal conflict the country has is being taken cared of as peace negotiation is being established.

It is not as if there is war going on in the country’s capital or turmoil is happening in major cities to make the country ‘least peaceful’.

The fact that the economy is growing at an unprecedented rate only means that there is peace and stability in the country.

Singapore was the highest-ranked Southeast Asian country at 16th place. It was followed by Malaysia (29th), Laos (39th), Vietnam (41st), Indonesia (54th) and Cambodia (115th).

Considered the most peaceful countries in the report were Iceland, Denmark, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, Finland, Canada, Sweden and Belgium.

At the bottom of the list meanwhile were Afghanistan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Russia, North Korea and the Central African Republic.

Asia’s top universities

 

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) is a British company specializing in education and study abroad. They are regarded as the world’s leading network for universities and business schools to target.

Annually they come out with QS World University Rankings, which they say would enable motivated people anywhere in the world to fulfill their potential through higher education, international mobility and career development.

This year QS published the top ranking 300 universities in Asia and the following were highlighted:

-          Hong Kong University of Science and Technology once more topped the QS ranking. Once again it was followed by National University of Singapore, University of Hong Kong and Seoul National University.

-          Last year’s sixth-ranked Peking University rounded up the top five this year.

As far as the Philippine universities are concern, only five (5) made it to this year’s list of top 300.

This was led by University of the Philippines (UP) whose  rank improved one notch higher to 67^th.

This year Ateneo de Manila University was ranked 109th, down from its 86th ranking last year.

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) was ranked 150th, compared to 148th last year.

De La Salle University was ranked in the 151-160th range, down from its 142nd rank last year.

The University of Southeastern Philippines remained in the 251-300 range, where it was last year.

UP, Ateneo, La Salle and UST have consistently made it to the QS list of top Asian universities since the rankings began in 2009.

Nine Philippine universities that were on last year’s list but did not make the cut this year were Silliman University, Xavier University, Saint Louis University, University of San Carlos, Ateneo de Davao University, Adamson University, Central Mindanao University, Mapua Institute of Technology and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

QS rank universities worldwide according to nine indicators, mainly based on reputation and research citations.

The indicators are academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty and student population, citations per paper, international faculty, international students, papers per faculty, inbound exchange and outbound exchange.

Modern day version of creation

 

I am sharing with you another educational email I got from a friend.

It is in a story form and I aptly called it the modern day version of creation.

While it is a startling revelation of what is happening in the USA, undoubtedly the unhealthful practice of consuming the wrong food and not burning it out adequately is proliferating and trending all over the world today.

I just couldn’t comment on the ending of this tug-of-war story.

Suffice it to say that history will be the one to judge it.

Please click “Creation’ below to start:

CREATION

Annabelle shames Mike

Winner Mike Rama with loser Annabelle Rama

Who says blood is thicker than water?

No, not to Annabelle Rama, it isn’t.

I do not know if Mayor Mike Rama knew what he was getting into when he persuaded his cousin Annabelle to run under Team Rama against congressman-elect Raul del Mar in the north district of Cebu City.

For sure it was a political strategy of Mike to have the more popular Annabelle try her luck in politics in Cebu, not because he was sure that she could win, but to use her to boost his reelection campaign.

He needed Annabelle more than Annabelle needed him, and for a reason.

The fiery woman, a former actress and now a talent manager, is more popular in her own right, and not only were her equally famous children accompanying their mother in her sorties, but other well known movie personalities were also wooing the crowd for the Ramas.

What else could Mike ask for? He had the major ingredient for his winning recipe.

At the end, Annabelle’s naiveté did her in.

She thought and believed that her allege P3 million contribution to Team Rama will help make her win. She probably received assurances from the team and from Mike himself that she will win.

Alas, it was a rout as she garnered only 35,842 votes against del Mar’s 134,180 votes.

Annabelle feels she lost because the money was not put to its intended use. The reality is that one cannot easily trounce a political clan, like the del Mars, who have earned the respect and loyalty of their constituents not only because they have done good for the district, but more so because they have not been involved in any controversial issues.

The same cannot be said of Annabelle.

Thus, she is asking where her money went and she is particularly directing this question at Mike.

Now, she wants a refund as she feels she was not only defrauded, but also betrayed by no less than her kin.

Annabelle who is known for her acerbic tongue has, no doubt, shamed Mike.

Mike, however, said that there is no such thing as refund of campaign funds, as he preferred not to further delve on the issue after giving Annabelle his answer.

Being mum is the only way to silence Annabelle.

Nobody has to tell Mike that.

Simple but important reminders in life

A friend sent me these graphics with simple but important reminders in life printed on it and I thought I would be sharing it for the younger generation to learn from it.

The thrill of fishing

 

For those of us who love fishing, this video am sharing with you, perhaps, is the ultimate of the thrill and pleasure there is in catching fish.

This happened in Alaska (no specific place mentioned) where it is famous for halibut fishing.

While the fishermen were happy to have hooked a halibut, what thrilled them the most, however, was the sudden appearance of a killer whale or orca going after the catch. Their nervous laughter and the furor it created are simply infectious.

Either ways, the halibut was doomed from the moment it took the bait.