Sunday, December 26, 2010

Dmitry Medvedev: We must listen to the people’s voice

President Dmitry Medvedev summed up this year’s results in a live television broadcast.

As in the previous years, he talked with the heads of Russia’s three major TV networks: Channel One, Rossiya and NTV. They reviewed major events of the outgoing year and wished the audience a happy New Year. The theme that ran through the entire conversation was that top government officials must listen to the people’s voice and work on correcting their mistakes.

Medvedev promised to rectify one of such mistakes immediately. Recently, the government submitted a bill to the State Duma on a new procedure for calculating maternity benefits. The proposal provoked an angry response from many women, who staged a picket in front of the Healthcare Ministry, bringing along small children and carrying moving slogans.

The president responded to this protest by instructing his subordinates to draft amendments to the bill that women would deem acceptable. He also emphasized that the document produced by the Healthcare Ministry does not help resolve the demographic problem.Medvedev urged all officials to respond to signals from the public and returned to this subject many times. He recalled the Khimki forest case, when highway construction project executives ignored public protests and he was forced to take a drastic step and put the project on hold. Had they listened to the public, many problems could have been avoided.

The president described the problem with the planned construction of the Okhta Center in St. Petersburg in much the same terms but stressed that in this case the decision to change the new center’s location was made by the municipal authorities. It is true, though, that he had to raise his voice – and “the president’s voice is loud,” as he put it himself – to compel the local authorities to respect the people’s wishes.

Medvedev brushed aside the concern voiced by NTV Director Vladimir Kulistikov that “the public will never stop pestering the officials.” He said that “deep totalitarian trends” are still very strong in Russia and it is too soon to worry about the riot of public opinion. It is necessary to listen carefully to public opinion and always take it into account.

Governors should do the same. Medvedev insisted that they should always be concerned about their ratings and popularity, if only because unpopular governors will not be reappointed. He did not forget to mention the once popular Yury Luzhkov, former mayor of Moscow, and explained the reasons for his dismissal. The president said in no uncertain terms that corruption in Moscow had reached an unprecedented scale while the former mayor was only interested in his personal PR and political intrigues.

Medvedev contrasted Luzhkov with the new mayor, Sergei Sobyanin. “I hope that the new mayor will work in a different way. He is a man of action, a hard-working person who does not suffer from a superiority complex. He is not after improving his personal image and is not interested in political competition. Everyone must work hard. Let him do his job,” he said.

In this way Medvedev made absolutely clear the reasons behind Luzhkov’s notorious dismissal. However, he unequivocally refused to voice his opinion on the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former head of YUKOS: “Neither the president nor any other government official has the right to express an opinion on this case or any other case before the verdict is issued, be it guilty or not guilty.”

Finally, Medvedev turned to his favorite subject – modernization – which he discussed in his article “Go, Russia!” and which he always touches on in his public speeches. He admitted that although this year’s modernization results were quite good, not enough has been achieved in this area.

However, no fundamental changes can take place in a single year. The president said that “modernization has penetrated the political agenda” and is no longer just a subject of discussions. The creation of reliable feedback channels between the authorities and the public is one of the signs that the process has got underway.

The views expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.

USA: people going from bad to worse, but capital has record profits

The perversity of American capitalism emerges in the statistics on earnings and employment in the U.S. While the people are not, capitalist corporations are doing well.

Despite the deep economic crisis, they achieve extraordinary profits. Data published in November by the government shows that the profits of large companies in the country have reached record levels in the third quarter of this year.

A gain of more than 1.6 trillion dollars was recorded, which amounts to more than 10% of the U.S. GDP, estimated at 15 trillion dollars. The highest since the government has been keeping records on corporate profits for 60 years.

Profiting from unemploymentTotal corporate profits grew 28% over the same period in 2009. However, companies do not use these record profits to hire more workers. On Friday (3rd), the State Department said the unemployment rate rose in November to 9.8%. It had been 9.6% in the previous three months.

The number of unemployed in the country totaled 15.1 million in November, according to government statistics, which may be underestimated. Some economists estimate 30 million in the army of the unemployed and underemployed in the country.The contrast between profit and employment exposes the perverse, vicious face of capitalism. Three years after the onset of the recession in the U.S., the crisis is no longer a problem for big capitalists, who keep on making even greater profits and can claim recovery. The working class cannot say the same.

The state has poured trillions of dollars into the economy to protect the big capitalists and did little or nothing for the poor. It rescued bankers first, but not only. There was even a takeover of GM, which cost billions of dollars to state coffers and thousands of jobs to labor. This was because what the Obama administration imposed on the company was not keeping its employees, but they were dismissed, the shift workers were wiped from the place and production was moved abroad.

The working class was frustrated by the hopes that they had placed in Barack Obama. No wonder the Democrats have reaped a change on the vote during the congressional elections in November. Unfortunately, the energy aroused by popular revolt was appropriated by the right and diverted from its real purposes.

The crisis has the merit to deconstruct and clarify myths and contradictions. When profits and unemployment are rising, at the same time it is a sign of increased productivity and the degree of exploitation of the working class, which the capitalist imposes through the intensification of the work pace, increase of the journey, reducing wages and benefits, among other means widely used by companies in times of crisis. In this perverse way, the capitalist profits from massive unemployment, which reduces the resistance of salaried workers.

The poverty and pettiness of America

In the United States of America, people work like slaves on plantations. If you do not happen to be a property owner, all you will have to do is either to survive working in the service industry or playing the game of musical chairs for a cubicle (which will be outsourced to India some time next week anyway).

The best thing which you can hope for in the USA is to receive a professional's degree and milk the system for a piece of middle class pie. Even those who make it in the middle class stay just one disease or job loss away from poverty. Your jobs are not protected. Your company is not loyal to you. They will set you against your own colleagues at work, if they need to, and then they will get rid of you. It goes without saying that you do not have a choice at this point: this is the way this system works.

In many developed countries, a higher education is either free or subsidized. In the United States, getting a university degree will give you a debt of over $100,000. You are destined to step into the working world with a massive burden of debt on your shoulders. Forget about having a journey around the world or finding yourself - you have to start working. Otherwise, you will have to watch your credit rating rolling down the hill.

If you are one of the lucky guys, you can find a job that will be good enough to get you a home loan. Afterwards, you will have to spend a half of your life to pay the interest on the loan - welcome to the world of American debt slavery.

Most of your beef that you consume in the USA, has been exposed to fecal matter in processing. Your poultry is infected with salmonella. Your stock animals and poultry are drugged with hormones and antibiotics. In most countries, governments would try to protect their citizens against all this, but in the United States the government is bribed by industrialists to avoid regulations and inspections.

In a few years, the majority of all the produce for sale in the United States will be from genetically modified crops, thanks to the cozy relationship between Monsanto Corporation and the United States government. Worse still, due to the vast quantities of high-fructose corn syrup Americans consume, fully one-third of children born in the United States today will be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives.

Of course, it's not just the food that's killing you, it's the drugs. If you show any sign of life when you're young, they'll put you on Ritalin. Then, when you get old enough to take a good look around, you'll get depressed, so they'll give you Prozac. If you're a man, this will render you chemically impotent, so you'll need Viagra to get it up. Meanwhile, your steady diet of trans-fat-laden food is guaranteed to give you high cholesterol, so you'll get a prescription for Lipitor. Finally, at the end of the day, you'll lay awake at night worrying about losing your health plan, so you'll need Lunesta to go to sleep.

All this begs the question: Why would anyone put up with this? Ask any American and you'll get the same answer: because America is the freest country on earth. The country, in which the number of prisoners is larger than that in the 1.5-billion-strong China is the freest? This is not funny.

Unfortunately, the American political process is among the most corrupt in the world. In every country on earth, one expects politicians to take bribes from the rich. But this generally happens in secret, behind the closed doors of their elite clubs. In the United States, this sort of political corruption is done in broad daylight, as part of legal, accepted, standard operating procedure. In the United States, they merely call these bribes campaign donations, political action committees and lobbyists.

One can no more expect the politicians to change this system than one can expect a man to take an axe and chop his own legs out from underneath him.

No, the United States of America is not going to change for the better. The only change will be for the worse. As we speak, the economic system that sustained the country during the post-war years is collapsing. The United States maxed out its "credit card" sometime in 2008 and now its lenders, starting with China, are in the process of laying the foundations for a new monetary system to replace the Anglo-American "petro-dollar" system. As soon as there is a viable alternative to the US dollar, the greenback will sink like a stone.

Meanwhile, Asian and European countries were investing in education, infrastructure and raw materials. Even if the United States tried to rebuild a real economy (as opposed to a service/financial economy) do think American workers would ever be able to compete with the workers of China or Europe? Have you ever seen a Japanese or German factory? Have you ever met a Singaporean or Chinese worker?

There are only two possible futures facing the United States, and neither one is pretty. The best case is a slow but orderly decline - essentially a continuation of what's been happening for the last two decades. Wages will drop, unemployment will rise, Medicare and Social Security benefits will be slashed, the currency will decline in value, and the disparity of wealth will spiral out of control until the United States starts to resemble Mexico or the Philippines - tiny islands of wealth surrounded by great poverty (the country is already halfway there).

Equally likely is a sudden collapse, perhaps brought about by a rapid flight from the US dollar by creditor nations like China, Japan, Korea and the OPEC nations. A related possibility would be a default by the United States government on its vast debt. One look at the financial balance sheet of the US government should convince you how likely this is: governmental spending is skyrocketing and tax receipts are plummeting - something has to give.

Whether the collapse is gradual or gut-wrenchingly sudden, the results will be chaos, civil strife and fascism. Let's face it: the United States is like the former Yugoslavia - a collection of mutually antagonistic cultures united in name only. You've got your own version of the Taliban: right-wing Christian fundamentalists who actively loathe the idea of secular Constitutional government. You've got a vast intellectual underclass that has spent the last few decades soaking up Fox News and talk radio propaganda, eager to blame the collapse on Democrats, gays and immigrants. You've got a ruthless ownership class that will use all the means at its disposal to protect its wealth from the starving masses.

On top of all that you've got vast factory farms, sprawling suburbs and a truck-based shipping system, all of it entirely dependent on oil that is about to become completely unaffordable. And you've got guns. Lots of guns. In short: the United States is about to become a very unwholesome place to be.

Right now, the government is building fences and walls along its northern and southern borders. Right now, the government is working on a national ID system (soon to be fitted with biometric features). Right now, the government is building a surveillance state so extensive that they will be able to follow your every move, online, in the street and across borders. If you think this is just to protect you from "terrorists," then you're sadly mistaken.

They don't want their tax base escaping. They don't want their "recruits" escaping. They don't want YOU escaping.
This country started with slaves on plantations - this is how it is going to end. They will not be bringing slaves in, though. They already have them.

Prime minister of Laos resigns

Laos on Thursday announced a new prime minister after the surprise resignation of Bouasone Bouphavanh months before his term was scheduled to end.

"We have a new prime minister," government spokesman Khenthong Nuanthasing told AFP from Laos. "The former prime minister resigned."

Bouasone, 56, who had spent more than four years in office, was replaced by Thongsing Thammavong, president of the communist-dominated National Assembly, Khenthong said.
Thongsing's promotion was approved unanimously by the 101 assembly members present for the vote after Bouasone's departure, he added.

"We did not expect he would resign because he has performed quite well in his function," said Khenthong, adding that Bouasone told deputies he could no longer perform his duties because of "family problems."

The decision to resign was Bouasone's alone, the spokesman said, but he remains a member of the ruling Lao People's Revolutionary Party central committee.

Bouasone would have been eligible for another term when the party's Congress is held early in 2011.

"He can run for another post in the future," even at the next Congress, Khenthong said.
Laos, a rural-based society of about six million is one of Asia's poorest nations and is highly reliant on foreign donors.

Bouasone told a conference in Vietnam earlier this year that his country aims for "no less than" eight percent annual economic growth to 2015.

The country's economy has been expanding at an annual average of seven percent in recent years, and the government aims "to lift the country from underdevelopment by 2020," he said.
Non-governmental organisations this year urged the government to consider slowing the pace and scale of large foreign investment projects which, they said, form the basis of the country's growth strategy.

They expressed concern that the projects often rely on foreign labour, add little value in Laos, and potentially have negative effects on the environment and socio-economic development.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Horoscope 2013 Gemini

Horoscope : GENERAL
The astral configurations of this year 2013 will enable you to crown your launched efforts last year, in the relational field. This will have effects in many circumstances. Indeed, the impulses of Uranus in aspect to your sector, escorted Mars and Sun will notably facilitate your exchanges and their clearness. New choices become possible and those are turned spontaneously in the direction of evolutions which bring you closer to your objectives. And in spite of the agitation which at certain times will be intense, your personal road is seen facilitated by your entourage and its influence. Mercury comes to flux your practical steps, you will have more space to live with a big L !

WORK
Certain professional concern arrives in the long term, this year. Indeed, here that solution arrives thanks to outside assistances, proposals, etc…. You begin the year with a beautiful note of jupiterian optimism, which brings a promising relational chance to you. You will collect the fruits in November of them, for the hour, this is the moment to launch useful preparations. Your colleagues leave you more freedom of action that these three last years, peace settles and leaves you more freedom to devote itself to individual work.

That with the excess can lead you to too cutting you others and their opinions and supports, which will be able to pass for the ingratitude. It is up to you to keep a minimum of opening and especially of flexibility… You do not be the only one with being in truth !

LOVE
The stability of your emotional ties will be the one of your absolute priorities, this year. Indeed, the aspects of Saturn with Neptune beats full sound and wake up in your fears which will cause defense reactions in a constructive direction in your attitude with the Other. The effects Uranus in aspect to your Sun will support your efforts in the direction of a denser expression in love. Moreover, the changes you set up start to bear their fruits. The general climate is tender at the beginning of year. Your loves tint increased tenderness, you will have more resources to reinforce your agreement, the harmony settles, without you losing the intensity in love which holds you with heart.

Will be able to reason your requirements if you are alone, the meetings claim efforts in this direction, it is necessary to round the angles, not to appear harder than you are it actually. Your spontaneous reactions will be rich in emotions. But for your partner, you do not astonish if he considers them too whole and if you are taxed with susceptibility! If you are single, you will meet events very records, there are projecting meetings in prospect. The love at first sight is not a myth… You will not play shy person well a long time. These new departures made possible will force you to leave your reserve, but especially to look at your fears opposite: You attract to you people who discover your most hidden weaknesses without difficulties.

ADVICE
All that is related to legality, official signatures, and important sales is seen favored during June, March and October 2013. You will have to slice fuzzy situations, to more firmly redirect your life from your initiatives.

The Mercury impulses help you to take account of the external opinions, but you will have for remaining centered as much on your personal requirements and not forgetting what is essential for you. Relativize these influences by keeping your personal course. The Saturn impulses give you accesses of impatience, of diffuse nervousness, often even without knowing why you are thus; with driving back essential needs too much, you feel frustration. Measure your actions in continuity to avoid packing you in bad directions.

VITALITY
You profit from the joint supports from Jupiter and Uranus, this year, which confers to you a basic vitality almost with any test. On the other hand, you will be more vulnerable to the external agitation, particularly on your work place. It will be essential more than ever to preserve your intimacy of useless harmful effects which empty you your energy.

You will be able to reconstitute your reserves in the bubble of your hearth; it will be your artful thrust, this year. The Mercury impulses also facilitate the mental relaxation through arts and of the leisure. The only shelf to be avoided will be too to give you to your work, but also of sparing your digestive system, which tends to becoming more delicate and receptive with all that is spices and existing in all kinds. The contact with the ground will be compensation with the stress of the everyday life.

Horoscope 2012 Gemini

Horoscope : GENERAL
This starts again, this year; activities, actions, projects in all kinds. The impulses of Uranus in sextile come to instigate the course of your life of new hopes, new projects. If you find your life too monotonous, you will be able to spice the whole! New knowledge will mark out your course.

This is the Duet of Uranus and Jupiter in aspect with your sign which go a certain way, to oblige you to leave your reserve. The efforts will be profitable especially if you devote them to your relations. Your adaptability will cause satisfaction. The compromises are easier to set up, this is the moment to agree to take walkabouts !

WORK
You will profit from more peace that last year in the professional field. Indeed, the planetary influences slow down the tempo and bring a major serenity to you. What will enable you to revise your plan of career to the calm one, to take stock still further that last year. You already at the head have objectives which are completely valid and positive.

And this additional retreat will help you to find new ways to arrive there. This germination s' accelerate as from May. This is then that you will pass to pure action and lasts, and that your contacts will be more active to support you in the direction of your evolution. The commercial businesses are particularly well faced during the season of autumn.

LOVE
Your love life gets intense, this year. The unsolved questions of last year take width, thus an increased importance. Whatever your current location, you will have to face fundamental awakenings for the twelve months to come. The lightness of last year will have enabled you to take forces to face basic problems now. You will feel a strong need to be constant, liked, and that it is expressed, especially! Your emotional needs go back largely to surface and make to you more emotive than ordinary.

What can give place to moments particularly stirring up. Frustrations of the past arrive in force, and that will wake up your impatience to fill these desires. All will depend on the good management of your moods and your capacities of cold blood! If you are in couple currently, your relation will be the ideal place to affirm your desires. You will have facilities to show to your partner what must change to improve your relation. Wait until the reciprocal one is true…

The impulses of Mars predispose you with the polemic, this year; it will be essential to avoid the conflict situations. The dialogue in calm even if it is more difficult to install, will be more favorable to you than arguments! If you are single in this moment, you will make more meetings than last year.

MONEY
You will begin the year with a conscience increased from the least pleasant aspects of money of this world. A certain pessimism encourages you to make proof d' a certain cynicism, scorn of the material. This is black or white, you scorn money or you will adore for the pleasures it can bring!

The external circumstances on the other hand will be more positive than you think it, you will find occasions to consolidate the cords of your purse. Even if that will not go without minimum efforts… But this is on this point which you should act to avoid these pessimistic tendencies: You would be well inspired to lean you on the major reasons which push you with this scorn, and to admit that money belonging to the life, you must balance your budget by putting more reason in your accounts.

RELATIONSHIP
The major aspects of your sky of this year push you, in a general way, with a certain detachment of the material aspects of existence, with the profit of a more abstract interior development. Concretely, that implies that you will be more inattentive than ordinary, much more inclined with the basic reflexion.

You arrive at the end of an uranian cycle which this year, leads you to explore you even more you, and even in your tendencies less reluisantes. Of this fact it is not impossible that you arrive at you under estimating and has to make you feel guilty facts of the past, without that being useful. Quite to the contrary: this is by making errors that one progresses, learns the lessons and carries on your road without you to let paralyse not negative feelings. You need to advance, there is your priority !

VITALITY
The turning of your life this year comes to support a certain deceleration of your general metabolism. Indeed, the planetary influences of Mars and Mercury, your planet main in aspect with your sign will make evolve your psychism to great questions…

That asks for a considerable basic energy, mine of nothing to you, to think of all the aspects of your life take to you much. A risk of mental fatigue can appear, if you made not in kind preserve moments of relaxation which finally, will not be a luxury!

The artistic entertainments will be advantageous for you, do not hesitate to grant you some exits to decompress… Even if finally your physical-activity and muscular is not important.

Horoscope 2011 Gemini

May 22 - June 21

Horoscope : GENERAL
The astral configurations this year 2011 will enable you to crown your launched efforts last year, in the relational field. What will have effects in many circumstances. Indeed, the impulses of Uranus in aspect with your sector, escorted Mars and Sun will notably facilitate your exchanges and their clearness. New choices become possible and those are turned spontaneously towards evolutions which bring you closer to your objectives. And in spite of the agitation which at certain times will be intense, your personal road is seen facilitated by your entourage and its influence. You will have more space to live with a capital L !

WORK
Your professional life is under the influence of Venus and Saturne, this year. This will create circumstances favourable to the expansion of your professional ambitions. You will test a need increased for social recognition, while becoming aware of the road which you must traverse to arrive there. Your contacts are more harmonious, the exchanges are more fluid. On the other hand, it is with the authority that you are likely to have evil to agree to make a pact, you estimate (wrongly?) that one misses diplomacy with you. To find the good distance will be the solution, and at the same time a challenge. Your relational opening is carrying chance, it is the moment to give blows of collars especially if you have a profession in connection with customers.

LOVE
Passion and glamour enter your life by the large door, this year. You will start a new departure, or will prepare it. The planetary impulses which reign in your sky will wake up in you an intensive need of love, which you will be able to reconcile with balance, at the same time. If you were in a complex situation in this field, you will spontaneously seek to simplify the data of them while going to essence.

To drive out illusions becomes easier, you will trust more at points of good sense, logic, truth especially. This is without you to lie that you will be able to take stock of your situation and to draw some the right conclusions for everyone. Your partner entrusts you more easily than last year, which will allow you to learn longer on why and how there are reactions that sometimes you really do not understand. You are tired of entering complications in love which ultimately, make you waste your time and do not return to you happier. The Venus impulses confer great facilities of seduction to you, especially during between April and August 2011. If you are currently in a relation of couple, you will lean naturally towards more exchanges, of dialogues, in the calm one of your home. To flee, too relational agitation, which could create interferences in your relation, be especially selective.

MONEY
Your accounts, businesses in progress and all that is attached to the financial considerations sees facilitated during the first six-month period 2011. Your vision of your own situation clears up, you reason with logic compared to what you must do or not to make in your accounts. You will meet circumstances which will allow you to increase your re-entries of money, especially from your work and your results. It will be the moment to require an increase! You will have to redouble vigilance as from October in the handling of your papers, your administrative approaches, of cash also. Your distraction could make some to you lose, be vigilant.

RELATIONSHIP
Jupiter and Uranus in aspect covering with your sector come to soften the angles of your life and to reduce you sometimes in a strange way, certain burdens, which you have carried for four years, particularly. New needs for freedom are felt, but this is especially the moment to advance your projects and to benefit from the relational facilities which is announced in this direction. Because of another share, you will be tempted to let run time in the unconcern without providing of particular strains. What certainly, would bring very good moments to you, but would make you lose important chances, in particular at the professional level. Do not let slow down the flow of your chance by numbness… which you can extremely well live thoroughly during your moments of intimacy.

VITALITY
The Uranus effects combined with those of Mercury will intensify your life, this year. In fact the small annoyances take you much energy. Indeed, the question of your responsibility arises more than ever, and you will have tendency to do too much for your entourage and thus tiring you more than it would not be needed. Your immune system is seen reinforced, your general vitality is in rise despite everything, until June 2011. This is then that you will have to make efforts with regard to your food, in particular to prevent absolutely from spiced dishes. Your digestive system will need cares at the end of the year.

Horoscope 2011 Aquarius

Horoscope 2011 Aquarius
January 21 - February 19

Horoscope : GENERAL
Astrological climate of this year 2011 is announced in a general way, serene. Indeed, Saturn, Mars and Uranus in dynamic aspects with your sign will soften your bonds with a bigger comprehension, which will be facilitated in a reciprocal way. You collect the fruits of your efforts of last year, you will not have much opportunity to insulate you, but you will be able to transform your chances of new meetings thanks to your sociability, on fertile occasions for the future, in all the fields. The life reduces of weights resulting from the past, and in spite of the fact that you will have for that to confront you with it, you can precisely exceed that to evolve peacefully to the future. This fight is healthy, keep on it.

WORK
This year will be stirring up on the relational level. You will meet circumstances which will support the widening of your knowledge, and will transform certain bonds. You here at the end of a cycle, it is the moment to put an end to unstable situations to analyze them. From May 2011, you will have the chance with you for all that refers to the expansion of your activity, its development, or to start a new project. The contacts with your collaborators will be more serene, you will see them more reconciling with you… You will have more talents of diplomacy than usually, it is for you the moment to show your determination, your good will. Team work is necessary in autumn; if you only work, you will be likely best to lead to the longer-term recognition.

LOVE
The stability of your emotional ties will be the one of your absolute priorities, this year. Indeed, the conjunction of Neptune softens and wakes up in you fears which will cause defence reactions in a constructive direction in your attitude with your partner. The Venus effects in aspect to your Sun will support your efforts in the direction d' a denser expression in love. Moreover, the changes which you set up will start to bear their fruits.

The general climate is tender at the beginning of year. Your loves tint increased tenderness, you will have more resources to reinforce your agreement, the harmony settles, without you losing the intensity in love which holds you with heart. Will be able to reason your requirements if you are alone, the meetings during this time claim efforts in this direction, it is necessary to round the angles, not to appear harder than you are it actually, in spring.

Your spontaneous reactions will be dense in emotions. But for your partner, you do not astonish if he considers them too whole and if you are taxed with susceptibility! If you are single, you will meet events very records, there are projecting meetings in prospect. The love at first sight is not a myth… You will not play shy person well a long time! These new departures made possible in autumn will force you to leave your reserve, but especially to look at your fears opposite: You attract with you the people who without difficulties discover you the most hidden weaknesses.

MONEY
You will seek to put more order in your administrative business and your accounts, to cleanse certain things, in particular invoices still on standby… the influences of Neptune still very close to your sector encourage you to imagine facility where it does not have unfortunately… But that is counterbalanced by Saturn which allows you to rectify the things where it is needed. Your realism is your best asset. Your reason is a shield against the future possible insecurity. Prepare the ground for future, you will be right to put coast the finally futile expenditure to go to essence !

RELATIONSHIP
You know well that tormenting too much you does not make advance your business and withdraws you means of action that however in normal weather, you control… All this concern that you made puts sticks in the wheels to you. Admit that you enlarge the events as by reflex. Saturn indicates that you are exposed to this tendency, this year, which also attenuates your happiest and pleasant moments! Neptune in your sign comes to encourage you with more escape from the material considerations, which overlaps with moments of concern on this same field. Find a point of balance which allows you to act without tensions and all while preserving you of the moments out of time.

VITALITY
The Jupiter effects of last year blur in a progressive way, this year. Little by little, you will see recording your energy level, in particular in contact with the others, and of new knowledge which will be a considerable support with your energy. The impulses of the Sun and Venus irresistibly attract you to insert more relational satisfactions and pleasures in your existence; that positively stimulates you on the mental level but tends to make you go too far in exploration of these pleasures and fact. This is in June that you will be completely capable food fully and without weaknesses the changes which you intend to implement.

Chinese Sign: Pig

Strong, rough, cheerful Pig is the twelfth, and last sign of the Chinese Zodiac. Pig's straightforward, honest and brave nature offers much to be admired. Pigs will not hold hard feelings and try to keep on good terms with all.

They are very patient and good teachers.Sensual Pigs appreciate good food and drink. This is a person who likes to have a good time.

The Pig is very passionate and will remain vigorous into old age. Generous to a fault, they are the one to call if you need help or support.Pig natives are trusting. They often believe everything they hear.

This can make them subject to fast-talking opportunists. It also means much money and resources are spent in the pursuit of pleasure.Despite their enjoyment of life, Pigs are hard workers, terrific friends, and natural community organizers.

They can become the martyr doing everything possible for others.Pigs can succeed in any area they choose, but often they are not willing to deceive or play political games behind the scenes. What you see is what you get with a Pig.

Their deep generosity of nature seems to give them good fortune no matter what they do.
Positives:
Patient, loyal, sincere, gregarious, diligent, generous, obliging, unpretentious.

Negatives:
Fatalistic, naive, materialistic, superficial, self-indulgent, gullible.

2011 Horoscope Overview

Have you been down on your luck in the past few years? You can finally breathe a sigh of relief! 2011 opens with a bang. On New Year's Day, Jupiter, planet of good fortune, conjoins Uranus, planet of luck, in Pisces - and both of them connect delightfully with the Moon and Venus.

This indicates relief from worries concerning creativity, friendships, and romance. But it won't stop there. The Sun conjoins Saturn and Mars in Capricorn, combining with the Moon and Venus - so career and money problems should begin to ease up, too. Your circumstances won't be perfect - but they should be better.


Are you an Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius? These are the Fire Signs. With Mercury in Sagittarius at the start of 2011, your mind will be sharper than usual, so your curiosity will increase. You might decide to learn a new skill or pursue a subject that has always fascinated you.

The presence of Neptune in Aquarius could imply a stronger interest in the spiritual and otherworldly - so you could find yourself digging deep into the unknown. But you won't forget your worldly interests. You want to prosper in this world as well as in the higher realms.

Since the world economy is apt to be recovering, natives of Earth Signs - Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn - are concentrating on getting their finances in order, and creating a higher level of security for themselves. If your Sun is in one of the Earth Signs, you might want to work as much as possible to build your savings and job security.

However, you also need to take care of yourself and let yourself cut loose once and a while. Don't work 24/7. If you do, it might backfire.

For Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius - the Air Signs - you will also want to take advantage of any upturn in the world economy. You might curtail your social life in order to rebuild your bank account, but don't give up the lighter side of life altogether. Learn all about other people - and this doesn't mean only fellow workaholics. Socialize and continue to make new friends. You need it.

The presence of Neptune in Aquarius shows that you'll spend more time pursuing spiritual goals, and you'll meet some interesting people in the process.

Natives of the Water Signs - Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces - may have the best year of all! On January 1, Cancer will be on the cusp of the Midheaven, high in the sky, implying improving circumstances. Scorpio boasts that wonderful Moon-Venus conjunction, which bodes well for romance and friendships.

And finally, the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Pisces brings happiness, luck, and advancement in the arts. The only problem might be that you'll worry that your good fortune is just a dream. Well, my friend, it's all very, very real. So, enjoy it! Natives of all signs should list their goals for 2011 and plan out how they can best make things happen.

The planets are there for you, in better form than ever before. All you have to do is make the most of the opportunities presented. For a more detailed outlook, read your sign's 2011 Horoscope!

Gemini - Love in 2011 - Couples

The heightened psychic bond between you and your beloved increases the understanding between you.

Don't freak out. Learn to use your abilities correctly. You prefer the rational, but intuition is better in romance.

You enjoy the company of attractive friends, but this year, thanks to Saturn in Libra, your love relationship should be rock solid.

You and your partner have so much in common that you can't imagine finding anyone more compatible.

Your summer is going to be blissful, but fall will be a happy time, too. November is the biggest challenge - and come December your relationship should calm back down.

Your job will be a drag, which could put your nerves on edge - and this doesn't bode well for communication.

Before you unnerve your beloved, take a walk and release all your frustrations. You work to live, you don't live to work - and love, not aggravation, is what lasts. And don't forget to communicate.

If you don't talk openly, you're not "in" your relationship fully.

Gemini - Career and Money in 2011:

Stability could finally come your way. The world situation has thrown you into a quandary, but now you're more focused and more likely to succeed at whatever means the most to you. You're working two jobs: one, to keep the wolf from the door, and the other is a project of your own that you're hoping to market.

The first job will bring in money; the second involves a few expenditures - and it also will take more time than you'd thought to bring to fruition.

Hang in there. Aspirations keep us all going. Success will come in time. You're intelligent, funny, and sharp, and most of your colleagues not only like you, but depend on you for new ideas.

The problem is that there may be one or two who envy you, and don't even try to hide it.

This can be confusing, and could make things really uncomfortable for you. Kill them with kindness.

You like to spend more than you like to save - but if you want to build a future, you have to set at least a little more money aside.

Don't grimace; this effort will bear fruit. In 2011, you should get ahead, but don't celebrate by throwing a big bash.

Buy yourself a present - something you really want, but nothing outrageous.

Gemini - Personal and Social Life in 2011:

Busy as usual, Gemini? You'll make many commitments this year - but you might have troubles keeping them all.

It's better to give an honest "no" than to have to break a promise. Remember that throughout the year.

If you're trying to catch up financially, you could bite off more than you can chew. There may be times when it's wiser to turn down extra work.

What good is a growing account balance when you're too tired to enjoy it? Be realistic. Too often you operate on nervous energy, so you should build yourself up. And don't forget to eat foods that nourish your body.

In spite of the extra hours you're putting in, you should see your family and friends more often in 2011.

Your companions could wonder why you don't call as often. If you explain to them that you're working more, they'll understand. Just make sure they know. Otherwise, your relationships could become strained. June and October should be your best months. Make the most of them!

Vegetables reduce risk of cancer

Remember mom's advice to eat your vegetables? That was the best health advice around.

A study shows that one extra serving of fruit or vegetables a day may reduce the risk of head and neck cancer.

Extensive research shows that diet plays an important role in combating cancer.

Two thirds of all cancer patients got the disease from lifestyle factors like smoking, diet and lack of exercise. In one study, scientists studied the diets of a group of men and women over 50 and followed each participant for 5 years to record the diagnosis of head and neck cancer.

Tobacco and alcohol also increase the risk of head and neck cancers, which affect the mouth, nose, sinuses and throat. Another study found that six servings of fruit and vegetables per day, which is about 1,000 calories, cut the risk of head and neck cancer by 29 percent compared to eating one and a half servings.

Foods rich in flavonols might also help reduce pancreatic cancer, especially in smokers. Flavonols are in plant-based foods found in the highest concentrations in onions, apples, berries, kale and broccoli.

People who consume the largest amount of flavonols have a 23 percent reduced risk of developing cancer compared to those who eat the least amount.

Omega-3 lowers blood pressure

A new study has suggested that a regular diet rich in Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids helps lower blood pressure.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in certain fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils and are known to promote health.

It is especially beneficial for the heart, reported the online edition of health Magazine WebMD. Earlier research had also found that it plays a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development.

Short-term studies had already indicated that taking dietary supplements of this fatty acid could lower blood pressure in people with hypertension, but its impact in people without hypertension was previously unknown.

The new research by a team of scientists led by Hirotsugu Ueshima at Japan's Shiga University found that consuming the fatty acids as part of a normal diet may prevent blood pressure problems.

The scientists studied 4,680 men and women in Japan, China, Britain and the US. Participants, 40-59 years old, met the researchers four times over three weeks. In each session, they got their blood pressure checked, provided a urine sample, and reported everything they had eaten and drunk in the past 24 hours.

The researchers calculated each person's intake of omega-3 fatty acids and also considered other factors, including participants' age, gender, alcohol consumption, physical activity and dietary restrictions.

According to the study, published in the journal Hypertension, participants with the highest intake of Omega-3 fatty acids had the tendency to have the lowest blood pressure.

The pattern was particularly strong in people who didn't have high blood pressure and who weren't already on restricted diets or medications to control their blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids didn't appear to drastically slash blood pressure.

However, every small reduction in blood pressure counts and including foods rich in Omega-3 such as flaxseeds, walnuts and fatty fish such as salmon may have blood pressure benefits, the researchers noted.

Eating fish slows down Alzheimer's

Researchers have claimed that cognitive tests are performed better in individuals who consume more than 80 grams of fish every day.

Norwegian scientists have reported elderly men and women who ate fish more frequently scored better on memory, visual conception, spatial motor skills, attention, orientation, and verbal fluency tests compared with their peers who did not have fish in their daily diet.

The findings show consuming fatty or lean fish as the main meal is associated with a significantly better performance in five of the six cognitive tests, whereas those who ate processed fish or fish sandwiches performed three of the cognitive tests better.

It was also reported that the seniors who consumed only fish oils performed better on just one of the tests. Scientists are looking forward to determining whether the cognitive benefits from consuming fish and seafood depend on the type of fish or their cooking method.

Another study published in the Archives of Neurology also suggests dietary intake of fish is inversely associated with cognitive decline in the elderly population.

However, there were no consistent associations with omega-3 fatty acids, although the effects were in the direction of slower cognitive decline.

Study confirms fish rumors and dementia

A new study confirms the long-established belief that eating fish on a regular basis would keep the risk of dementia at bay among older adults.

According to the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, elderly living in developing countries such as China and India who are used to eating fish frequently are less prone to dementia.

A diet rich in meat, however, is linked with a higher risk of dementia.

The risk of developing the illness is negatively associated with the fish consumption, indicating that the risk declines as fish consumption rises.

The omega-3 fatty acid -- abundantly found in oily fish like salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna -- is considered as the main compound responsible for protecting nerve cells, limiting the inflammatory processes and subsequently preventing the formation of the amyloid proteins, characteristic for Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Longer life with calorie reduction

A canine study carried out by researchers at Imperial College London suggests a calorie-restricted diet might result in extended longevity.

According to the United Press International (UPI), the new study suggests some beneficial changes might relate to the activities of symbiotic bacteria that live in the intestinal tract.

Those microbes, the scientists said, produce a range of biochemicals that might influence disease processes and alter energy metabolism in host organisms.

Researchers said although their goal was to help develop diets that keep pets alive and healthy for as long as possible, the findings might also be relevant to human dietary changes and obesity. The study is scheduled for the May 4 issue of the Journal of Proteome Research.

Healthy diet prolongs life even in old

The elderly who follow a healthy diet may live longer than those who consume higher amounts of fat, sugar and unhealthy drinks, a new study suggests.

The study on 2,500 Americans aged between 70 and 79 showed that those who consume high amounts of fat are 40% more likely to die over 10 years compared with individuals who prefer healthy foods.

Participants were divided into six different groups including "healthy foods", "high-fat dairy products", "meat, fried foods and alcohol", "breakfast cereal", "refined grains," and "sweets and desserts" according to their regular habit.

The ten-year follow up showed that those in the high-fat dairy product group and the sweets and desserts consumers were 40 percent more likely to die during the study than those in the healthy food group, according to the results which will be published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

No significant differences were reported in the death rate among those adopting a healthy diet and the "breakfast cereal" or "refined grains" consumers.

"Some people have suggested in the past that it doesn't maybe matter too much what people eat at an older age…but our study, and previous studies, support the idea that that older adults can affect their health and longevity by following a dietary pattern that is high in healthy foods," said Amy Anderson from the University of Maryland.

The elderly who follow a diet relatively high in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry and fish are at a lower risk of mortality, she noted.

Lack of vitamin D tied to disability

New studies have revealed that lack of vitamin D may lead to disability in the elderly, causing a lack of movement in their muscle function.

According to the study, about 25 percent of people over the age of 60 have low levels of vitamin D since they tend to get less exposure of sunlight and their skin is less efficient in producing vitamin D from sun exposure.

Researchers studied 976 Italians aged 65 and older and found that those with low levels of vitamin D scored five percent to 10 percent lower in tests of physical performance and grip strength, HealthDay News reported.

While it is currently recommended that elderly people should take 400 international units of vitamin D per day, researchers suggest that this may not be enough.

Vitamin D is needed for the preservation of muscle strength and physical function as well as cancer prevention. The main sources of vitamin D are sun exposure, cod liver oil, salmon, tuna fish, milk, eggs, liver and margarine.

Exercise, vitamin D reduce falling risk

Regular exercising and consuming sufficient vitamin D supplements may prevent the number of falls in men and women aged 65 or more, a new study says.

Exercising or physical therapy can reduce the risk of falling in the elderly by 13%; as for the individuals who take Vitamin D supplements on daily bases, the risk is reduced by 17%, a new review of 54 studies by the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) revealed.

“Falls were the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among persons 65 and older,” according to the report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

About one in every three institutionalized people in this age group will fall in a given year, a condition which could lead to medical costs of as high as $43.8 billion by 2020 at the current rate of spending, the study said.

No significant risk reduction was observed with other interventions, such as vision correction, medication assessment, education and behavioral counseling, and making the home less hazardous, the researchers noted.

"Our evidence review shows that exercise and Vitamin D supplementation are the most effective primary care interventions to prevent falls.

This is important news because falls are extremely common in this population and they are the leading cause of death and injury for the elderly," said senior researcher Yvonne Michael.

Urging physicians to add exercising and vitamin D consumption to their regular treatment plan, she added," We can't point to just one thing that is the cause of a fall in an older adult.

A number of factors can come together to lead to a fall." “We need to help primary care clinicians find better ways to prevent falls, and this review will help to do that," Michael concluded.

National Assembly�s 10th ordinary session closed

(KPL) The 10th ordinary session of the National Assembly (sixth legislature) opening on 14 December came to a close on 23 December under the chairmanship of Mme. Pany Yathortou, new President of the National Assembly.

During the 10-day deliberations, the session approved three amended laws - the Law on National Assembly, Law on Election of NA Members, and the Law on the Resolution of Economic Disputes. The session also passed a new law on metrology.

Some of these laws are in preparation for next year�s general elections.
The Assembly also approved the appointment of Mr Thongsing Thammavong as the new Prime Minister of Laos. He replaces Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh who announced his resignation as prime minister on 23 December.

The NA approved the appointment of Mme. Pany Yathortou as new NA President.

The 10th session also heard a political draft report prepared for the Ninth Party Congress due early next year as well as the draft plan for five-year socio-economic development, 2011-2015. Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad reported on the plan to build a high-speed rail link between Laos and China. The construction is set to start next year and is slated for completion within four years.

The State Auditing Authority also reported on the outcome of its work, revealing that several government sectors spent money without approval from the NA.

As the new President of the National Assembly, Mme. Pany urged the government, NA members and other sectors to disseminate the outcomes of the 10th session and put them into practice ahead of the Ninth Party Congress and general election scheduled for next year.
She urged Lao people of all ethnicities and overseas Laotians to strengthen their spirit of patriotism and support for the new people�s democratic regime as well as boosting their unity to develop the nation and bring prosperity to Lao people.

The deputies also heard a report on the activities of the Sixth National Assembly over the past five years. Despite challenges, the NA has achieved many important goals assigned by the nation, which has enhanced the NA�s role as the legislative body overseeing the performance of the administrative body, judicial organs and office of the prosecutor.

During the session, the NA opened a telephone hotline for the general public to voice their concerns on issues relating to national defence and development, reflecting their democratic rights.

The hotline aims to encourage greater public participation in debates as well as facilitate responses from the government and judicial organisations on the raised issues.

Over the past five years, the sixth assembly has approved 50 laws, 29 of which are new laws. The rest are amendments to laws, made in response to the political and developmental needs of the country, bringing Laos a step closer to being a state of the rule of law. Laos now has more than 90 laws.

This is the last session of the Sixth Legislature, with the preliminary session held in June 2006.
President of Laos Choummaly Sayasone, cabinet members, members of the Diplomatic Corps, international organisations and other invited guests from various sectors attended yesterday�s closing ceremony.

Assembly approves new PM

The National Assembly (NA) yesterday approved the appointment of Mr Thongsing Thammavong as the new Prime Minister of Laos, replacing Mr Bouasone Bouphavanh who resigned from his post due to family issues.

New NA President Ms Pany Yathortou congratulates Mr Thongsing Thammavong on his appointment as Prime Minister, while President Choummaly Sayasone ( centre ) looks on. –Photo Khamphan

Mr Bouasone was appointed Prime Minister of Laos at the Preliminary Session of the NA Sixth Legislature in June 2006. During his term the Lao economy grew steadily despite a number of challenges including natural disasters and the global economic crisis.

The country was able to maintain political stability and security. The socio-cultural sector developed to a higher level and the livelihoods of local people also improved. Foreign policy led to many achievements that contributed to enhancing the role and reputation of Laos in the international arena.

Mr Thongsing served as NA President before he was nominated as the sixth Prime Minister of Laos since national liberation in 1975 by the President of the Lao PDR Mr Choummaly Sayasone.
NA Vice President Ms Pany Yathortou was appointed as the new NA President to replace Mr Thongsing and is the first woman appointed to the position since 1975.

Mr Thongsing was Minister of Culture from 1983 to 1988 and Vientiane Mayor from 2002 to 2006. He pledged to ensure firm political stability and security in society and actively implement the renovation policy of the Party to explore the potential of all business units and encourage everyone to participate in socio-economic development and budget plans for 2010-11.

“I will improve the way the government works to ensure state activities are timely, transparent, united and harmonious and create favourable conditions for the business sector and for the Lao people to earn a living based on the law,” he said.

The NA also approved the appointment of Prof. Dr Bounyong Boupha as Vice Chair of the NA Foreign Relations Committee.

NA members debated the new appointments, with most in favour of the outcome, recognising their importance for political purposes and national development.

Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong: biography

Mr Thongsing Thammavong was appointed Prime Minister of Laos at the 10th Ordinary Session of the Sixth Legislature of the National Assembly on Thursday.
The sixth prime minister of the Lao PDR was born on April 12, 1944, in Xoneneua village, Viengthong district, Huaphan province.

He now lives in Sisangvone village, Xaysettha district, Vientiane. Lao Loum in ethnicity, he was educated to secondary school level and holds a diploma in political ideology.
Mr Thongsing joined the revolutionary movement on August 18, 1959, before becoming a member of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party on July 12, 1967.

From 1952 to 1958 he was a student in Xamneua district, Huaphan province. He then became a military medical student and served on the battlefield in the Laos-Vietnam border area from 1959 to 1960.

He attended cultural training from 1960 to 1963 before becoming Deputy Director of Xamneua Secondary School. He was Director of the lower secondary school and director of the Education Department in Xiengkhor district, Huaphan province.

From 1971 to 1976, he was Director of the upper secondary school and teacher training school in Sopbao, Viengxay district.

From 1976 to 1979 he held several positions. He was initially Deputy Director of the Personnel and Organisation Department of the Ministry of Education, then became Deputy Director of the Vocational Education Department and Acting Director of the Personnel and Organisation Department.

Mr Thongsing studied politics and administration from 1980 to 1981 before becoming a standby Party Central Committee member as well as President of the Newspaper and Radio Committee and Deputy Head of the Party Propaganda and Training Board from 1982 to 1983.

From 1983 and 1988, he served as Minister of Culture. From 1989 to 1991, he was Party Secretary and Vice President of the People's Supreme Assembly and was promoted to Acting President of the Assembly from 1991 to 1992.

At the Fifth Party Congress in 1991, he was elected Party Politburo Member and Head of the Party Central Committee Office.

At the Sixth Party Congress, he was elected Party Politburo Member, Head of the Party Central Committee Office and Standing Party Politburo Member.

In 2002, Mr Thongsing was elected as a Party Politburo Member and the Mayor of Vientiane, and in 2006 he was elected President of the National Assembly.

WikiLeaks reveals NATO attack plan against Russia

One of the telegrams are signed by the head of the State Department, Hillary Clinton. "The plan is secret," emphasized Clinton, to the astute U.S. diplomats at NATO.Luis Britto GarciaCaracasThe British newspaper The Guardian printed a telegram reproduced by the WikiLeaks site, this time a NATO plan for a massive attack on Russia. The plan for large-scale war against the Russians predicts the displacement of nine military divisions from the U.S., Britain, Germany and Poland.

According to the Guardian, the attack is predicted to include the ports of Germany and Poland to be used to receive the naval assault from the U.S. and Britain.
Members of the Russian government protested against the plan - as it is the same thing that has been revealed through the publication of telegrams between embassies and the U.S. government by WikiLeaks.

"We have to receive guarantees that such plans are going to be canceled and that NATO does not consider Russia an enemy country," affirmed the Russian envoy to NATO at the last meeting held in Lisbon.

One of the telegrams is signed by the very head of the State Department, Hillary Clinton, dated January 26, to the American diplomats at NATO. She emphasizes that the plan has to be kept in strict secrecy. "The United States believes strongly that this plan should not be discussed in public. They are classified as "the top secret level of NATO," the telegram says.

"Public discussion of contingency plans would undermine their military value," she adds, "allowing them to expose NATO's plans. This weakens all of our allies."She also directs American diplomats to lie to the press, in case of leaks. She suggested evasive answers such as: "NATO does not discuss specific plans." Agents are instructed to say that "the plans of NATO, are not directed at any country."The Russian representative, Dmitry Rogozin, specifically questioned this last passage of Hillary's telegram. "Who else would this military plan be directed toward? Against Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, against polar bears or against the Russian bear?" He was ironic. A member of the Foreign Ministry, who requested anonymity from the Guardian, was more direct saying, "this and other documents stunned and provoked many other questions."

Furthermore, the Guardian highlights his amazement that the Yankee diplomats' telegrams treat the subject with total levity because "there is not one mention or concern about the potentially catastrophic implications of such an armed clash between the two largest nuclear powers in the world."The pretext for the attack plan is to defend the new Baltic members of NATO, which happen to surround Russia, namely Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The telegrams suggest "to expand the plan that already exists for the defense of Poland." It just so happens that the Russians did not develop any consolidation of specifically targeted missiles against ground and air from Poland or other countries, but built their own protection, contrary to what the U.S. did with the "missile shield" planned by the Bush administration.

In a telegram dated October 2009, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, Ivo Daalder, says that both Hillary Clinton and President Obama expressed support for the development of the military plan against Russia.Daalder suggests to not to make it clear that Russia is a potential target, by the adoption of a "generic plan" for moving troops to the Baltic countries while not mentioning against whom these troops would be directed - in case of leak - not to cause or provoke constraints with Moscow. Well as felt and suspected by Russian Representative Rogozin: "If we are going to hunt rabbit, why do you have weapons to kill bear?"
 

Children replace their own parents with computers

Educational computer games for children develop important skills - diligence, ingenuity and attention. Yet, psychologists warn: overindulgence can lead to an eventual decline of the ability to fantasize and difficulties with analyzing and synthesizing information.

Children are bored. Parents are too busy. Our life is too complicated and confusing for children, as a result they confide in their "iron friend," the computer. It is almost impossible to eliminate it from the modern life.

And it is not necessary. Yet, if adults make their choice consciously, children have become a "digital generation" beyond our control. Children like playing with the computer because computers never get tired or offended. Therein lies the greatest danger to the psyche: children soon begin to associate the computer with a friend. Here is the expert advice of the Research Institutes of Hygiene and Health of Children and Adolescents NTSZD RAMS:
Psychologists, psychiatrists and sociologists around the world explore the problem of computer addiction particularly closely as the main risk group is teenagers.

It is in the virtual world where teenagers acquire their own space. That virtual world can ignore the real-world problems with learning difficulties, lack of understanding from parents, and poor physical shape. Teens get their own space that no one else can access. There are no responsibilities, but the anonymity allows combining imaginary and real qualities in a virtual image. They can make their own decisions without fearing the consequences, because any mistake is easily corrected.

Under the influence of such "opportunities" the reality is distorted. As a consequence, teenagers develop dangerous qualities: emotional coldness, isolation, psychological infantilism (inability and unwillingness to take responsibility and control their actions).
Obsessive-compulsive dependence
Several main types:

Compulsive Web surfing: an endless trip to the World Wide Web searching for information. Addiction to the virtual communication and virtual dating: large volumes of correspondence, continued participation in chat rooms, web forums, excessive number of friends and acquaintances in the network. Compulsive gambling: an obsessive fascination with computer games on the network. Online gaming, unnecessary purchases from online stores, and constant participation in online auctions.

How to recognize when your child has become an Internet addict
American scientists 14 years ago released a list of signs that make it possible to distinguish a "user" from an "addict:"

Frequent insuperable need to go online.
Unsuccessful attempts to control duration, limit or stop online sessions.
Constant need to increase sessions' time.
Hiding Internet habits from others

Nervousness, anxiety and depression occurring in the absence of Internet access.
Decreased performance, withdrawal from obligations.
Risk of losing valuable personal relationships (family, friends, work).
Using the Internet to escape from problems and bad mood.

How not to let children become addicted to the Internet
Most importantly - do not blame the child, because it will only exacerbate the conflict. Immediately set a limit to the activities on the computer and try to stick with it. Do not offer your child to "play" on your computer, offer new knowledge and skills (e.g.," let's learn to count). This way your child will treat the computer as a tool for gaining certain knowledge.

The rules should be flexible and there should not be too much of them. Parental requirements must not conflict with the vital needs of the child (motion, knowledge, communicating, and games). The rules should be agreed between all adult family members. The tone of the ban should be explanatory and friendly, and not forced. First of all parents will have to use the computer less themselves and spend more time with their children.

For many parents the need to communicate with their own children has long been a burden. Praise them for any, albeit insignificant "achievements." Help your teenager to gain confidence in the real rather than virtual world.

Life without Islam means road to hell?

German Islamists predicted hellish torment for the German Chancellor if she does not accept Islam. Is Angela Merkel threatened only by Muslim hell or is she a candidate to hell from a Christian perspective as well? And what is hell? Hieromonk Nikanor (Lepeshev), a teacher of the Khabarovsk Theological Seminary, talked about it with Pravda.ru.
If you die without accepting Islam, you will go to hell forever and will be there to suffer torments worse than you can imagine, says a video message of a radical Muslim association, The Invitation to Paradise to Angela Merkel and the heads of security agencies in Germany, quoted by Blagovest-info with a reference to Spiegel magazine.

The members of the Islamist group believe that Islam is not just the only way to ensure that the soul gets a prosperous fate after death, but the only proper form of government. Employees of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (the German intelligence services engaged in surveillance of extremist groups in Germany) consider that the leader of The Invitation to Paradise Pierre Vogel promotes the idea of jihad through his radical sermons. German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere does not rule out that in the future the activities of the association The Invitation to Paradise may be outlawed.

As we know, Angela Merkel is a Lutheran. Her father was a very influential Lutheran theologian who first served as a pastor at the parish church, then led the college for pastors. What kind of afterlife awaits posthumous Angela Merkel and other Lutherans from the standpoint of orthodox theologians?

"True union with Christ is possible only in His true Church, which is the Orthodox Church. It was founded by the Savior through His apostles two thousand years ago. Only in this church we can gain freedom from the sin, Satan and hell. Being outside the Orthodox Church - in other faith, other religion, in a state of religious indifference or atheism - is not salvation, it is destructive for the soul," hieromonk Nikanor (Lepeshev) told Pravda.ru.

At the same time, according to the teacher of the seminary, "God is love, and it is impossible to imagine that He had made a large part of humanity simply as the firewood for the hell fire. This gives us hope that He will find a way to save those who for valid reasons, due to objective circumstances, could not become children of the Orthodox Church, but were searching for God and tried to be faithful."

"This is evidenced, for example, by the words of St. Nectarios of Optina. Remember the incident of the Life of St. Gregory of Rome, who begged the soul of pagan emperor Trajan, the persecutor of Christians, from hell. A very important point: if the salvation of these people happens, it happens through no other means than the Orthodox Church, but solely through its prayers. That is entirely thanks to it, not as something to bypass it. Thus, the words of martyr Cyprian of Carthage "without the Church there is no salvation" fully retain their power." said Father Nikanor.

What is Hell and what are the tortures for unrepentant sinners? According to the hieromonk, "hell is a state of separation of the soul from God. Actually, if we, for whatever reason, are alienated from the Lord, then the hell in our mind begins here and now, on Earth. And after the death its natural continuation follows."

"What does separate us from God? It is sin. And this sin is personal - one or another violation of the evangelical precepts, which are to love God and people. And the original sin is the hereditary spiritual disease, the damage to our common human nature that we all passed down from generation to generation, from Adam and Eve after they moved away from God," stressed Father Nikanor.

According to him, "deliverance from both original and personal sin is found in Christ. By his incarnation, earthly life, atoning death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, the Son of God defeated the sin, Satan, hell and death. He freed us from their power. And we partake in His victory in the sacraments of the Church: in Baptism, Confirmation, Communion, Confession ... But the connection with God and salvation from hell is not automatic, not magical. It demands our personal involvement, our constant effort. That is, a deed of conscious Christian life. The mechanical participation in the sacraments without internal regeneration does not save us from hell."

Does the Orthodox Church teach that sinners in hell are awaited by boiling pots, frying pans and other quite tangible instruments of torture? "According to Ven. Isaac, unrepentant sinners are punished in hell by a "whip of love."That is, the torments of conscience, late remorse that they sinned against God's love, rejected it, closed it for their hearts," said the priest.

"The holy fathers also expressed the idea that the source of hellish sufferings is our sinful passions and lusts. If the human soul during life on earth is not cleared from them, after death they will burn and tear it from the inside. In describing some visions, as well as, for example, the icons of the Last Judgment, we can see glowing images of frying pans, boiling-water pots, tearing of the body with hooks, etc. But these are only the symbols of unbearable anguish of conscience and those lingering sinful passions that will burn and tear the souls of unrepentant sinners," he concluded.

U.S. becoming less "free"

In the U.S., there are several laws that criminalize what they call "espionage" that are committed by what they call "insurgents." However, when U.S. intelligence agencies organize and finance the same in other countries, they are called "dissidents.

" Or is it "freedom fighters?"Within these laws could be cited the Espionage Act, in force since 1917, according to the wishes of President Woodrow Wilson that restricted opportunities guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States that any citizen may speak out against the country's entry in the First World War, a war that the president saw as vital to the interests of the nation.

Today we would say that it was for national security.Many citizens, including union leaders, educators, journalists, artists and academics protested against U.S. entry into that war. All of them were threatened and some were brought before courts for violating the Espionage Act, even though their only crime was exercising their rights from the First Amendment of the Constitution.

Some of those arrested were given penalties of up to ten years in prison, where they were subjected to inhumane conditions and frequent beatings by other inmates and sometimes by their jailers.

All this was done together with the necessary publicity for others to feel the terror and decide that they do not need not to be involved in these situations.During the era of George W. Bush, with the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and certain functions assigned to it, they tried to revive the Espionage Act, but had limited success in these aims.

Now under the Obama administration, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, again attempts are being made to rely on the outdated and unconstitutional legislation to try to apply to
function the case of Julian Assange (WikiLeaks) and also to terrorize those who in future may seek to imitate him.

In this case, the Obama administration is trying to ignore that the United States Constitution provides for freedom of the press, that very same freedom they have accused other countries of violating.


To make this dark maneuver, the State Department has proclaimed that they do not recognize Julian Assange as a journalist, but as a "political actor." (Which is dangerous for their own employees who act as "bloggers" or are themselves "independent journalists," they also could be considered "political actors").


Calling Assange a "political actor" was the bright idea of the Assistant Secretary of State, P.J. Crowley, by stating that the person had a "political purpose" behind his activities, which the U.S. government was considering incompatible with the activity of a journalist. (An interesting definition that leaves entirely without argument the bloggers and "independent journalists" that have been created by the U.S. and regularly receive instructions and the necessary funding to conduct their work for "political" purposes, not journalism).


The U.S. Constitution sets no term limit neither to "press freedom," or conditions to exercise the same in the capacity of journalist, and it has also not established who could qualify as such. The term "political actor" is a fabrication of the Obama administration to try to limit the rights of its citizens to exercise the established provisions in the amendments to the Constitution.
To the extent that the existing police state advances in the United States, freedoms will disappear.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

WikiLeaks or WikiLies?

Online whistle blower WikiLeaks unveiled a new batch of compromising materials. This time correspondence of American diplomats was leaked, which clearly shows that the U.S. did not stop its subversive activities against other countries. The published papers can also adversely affect the relationship between certain countries. The main question is who benefits from it.

On November 28 online whistle blower WikiLeaks unveiled another portion of compromising materials. While earlier the website published documents about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, this time they made public secret correspondence of American diplomats. Most materials relate to the period of 2004 - 2010.

Most of them are recordings of conversations of American diplomats with foreign politicians, officials and individuals in different countries, as well as reports about the events in different countries and analysis of the situation. According to Der Spiegel, these documents are interesting precisely because diplomats and politicians did not expect them to be published and openly expressed their opinions. The psychological characteristics of foreign leaders devised by American diplomats are particularly of interest.

Russia Today: WikiLeaks expose the trust deficciency of US diplomacy
For example, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is compared to Hitler in U.S. diplomatic files, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel is called "risk averse and rarely creative." French President Nicolas Sarkozy was nicknamed "the emperor with no clothes."

Diplomats talked of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as "physically and politically weak" and "feckless." He is particularly disliked by the American diplomats for his friendship with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

In turn, the latter is called by American diplomats the "alpha male," "Batman" and "brutal politician." Dmitry Medvedev, in contrast, is called "pale and hesitant'' ''who plays Robin to his strongman Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's ''Batman.''

However, the greatest harm to the United States could be caused by making public methods of work of the American diplomats. Judging by the documents available in open access on WikiLeaks, Washington spied on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, as well as the representatives of this international organization in Russia, China and other countries. Allegedly, the secretary of state Hillary Clinton gave an executive order to do so in July 2009.

The degree of the U.S. influence on the foreign policies of other countries is obvious because before the controversial speech by Iranian President Ahmadinejad at the UN General Assembly, the State Department sent a directive to the members of the European countries to leave the hall, which was done nearly by everyone.

A great part of the compromising materials refers to the U.S. actions in the former Soviet Union. For example, following the instructions from Washington, Tajik President Rakhmonov dismissed the head of narcotics control Mirzoyev, who allegedly posed a threat to the President.

American diplomats in Ukraine do not look well either. According to the available documents, they were poking their noses into all internal affairs of this country. This emphasizes the fact that Americans do not intend to abandon attempts to influence certain countries around the world.

Take, for example, the U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft, who, speaking of the beginning of the August war confuses Ossetian villages subjected to shelling with the Georgian ones. On the other hand, based on the analysis of other documents, it becomes clear that the "confusion" was deliberate.

For example, back on August 7, he reported to Washington that the Georgian troops moved to the borders of South Ossetia, and after the failure of the Georgian adventure, he wrote to the State Department about the need to insist on "absolute innocence of Georgia." In fact, the same information is contained in the reports of the U.S. ambassadors in other countries.

The qualifications of a number of American diplomats raise serious questions. For example, the U.S. ambassador to Russia puts too much trust into one group of sources and is not inclined to analyze the information in conjunction with other documents. In particular, we are talking about the reasoning of the deputies from the Communist Party about the future of the "ruling tandem."Some of the documents look more like jokes. Among the published materials WikiLeaks has a message from a "source" according to which the head of Russia presidential administration Vladislav Surkov is a fan of rap music who is asking someone to bring him rap albums from New York.

Yet, there are documents that deserve serious attention. For example, the reports from U.S. embassies on their participation in promotions of the Russian opposition and gathering information about the stability of the ruling regime.

Judging by the reaction of Washington, this leak is extremely unpleasant. Indeed, thanks to the scandalous publications the entire world had the opportunity to assess the methods of the American diplomacy and the extent of its influence on the planet.

The official White House described the actions of the portal as "irresponsible and dangerous" because they damage the national interests of America. "These revelations could harm the United States and our interests," said State Department spokesman F. J. Crowley. "They will create friction between our diplomats and our friends around the world."

According to a White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, the leak threatens the activities of the American diplomats and cooperating foreign counterparts. This way, they virtually recognized the genuineness of the documents.

They were echoed by Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, who believes that this event is the "September 11 for the world of diplomacy." According to him, after such publication the trust between Washington and Rome "will be undermined." However, everyone who is one way or another affected by these publications have to swallow it all. After all, the U.S. is obviously not the country to be fighting with.

There is nothing disturbing for the American-Italian relations in the fact that Berlusconi was called the names he deserves to be called.
The question arises as to how these documents fell into the hands of journalists. It is believed that the source of current leakage is a fellow of the American U.S. military intelligence Bradley Manning. The question is how such a volume of documents was left unprotected, and why no heads are rolling in the States.

One of the reasons is that essentially there is nothing new in these documents. Nobody has illusions as to how the U.S. acts and what methods it uses. We all know what role, for example, American diplomats have played in nearly every revolution in Latin America. We know how the money and weapons got into the hands of the groups they support. We know that Americans carefully pushed the French out from their colonies and how they continue to destroy the remnants of the French influence in Africa and Oceania.

However, the helplessness of the most powerful nation in the world to the threat posed by a website is still surprising. Before publishing another portion of compromising material, Assange said that now hidden diplomacy will become impossible. Criminal plans and conspiracies will be leaked. He added that the world has entered a new phase - a strip of honesty and openness.
It is worth mentioning that back in the summer of this year unprecedented pressure was put on the founder of the whistle blower site Julian Assange.

It involved initiating criminal proceedings against him on charges of harassment. However, despite this, the leak continues. According to the Wikileaks, another 250 thousand documents will be soon available in the open access.

The content of some materials already made public makes one carefully consider the true purpose of the publication. Take, for example, reports of American diplomats regarding the statements of the Azerbaijani leadership about Russia. According to these "documents," the Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev is afraid of the imperial ambitions of the latter and is critical of the Russian system of government. In particular, the U.S. report has mentioned that the President of Azerbaijan allegedly said that "you cannot cook two heads in one pot," alluding to the ruling "tandem."

In addition, some "documents" cannot withstand criticism. For example, the statements of US diplomats that during the negotiations Sarkozy-Medvedev in August of 2008, the French president allegedly grabbed the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and called him a liar are no more than a tale. The grounds for such conclusions were allegedly the statements of the French negotiators.

Note, however, that at a difficult time for Russia, Nicolas Sarkozy, in contrast to the American political elite, has shown himself at his best, playing a significant role in minimizing the consequences of the August war.

Therefore we cannot rule out the fact that this is a deliberate leak made by the United States, whose goal is to cause fights among different countries, including Russia.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

'Noisy workplaces bad for heart'

Workplaces subject to constant noise increase risk of serious heart problems, making people susceptible to gaining weight and smoking more, a new research shows.

The study published in the British Medical Journal reports that people working in consistently noisy settings are at a double risk of serious heart problems. For people under 50 years old, the risk increases to four times and it is particularly evident with young male smokers. The study used more than 6,000 subjects over a five-year period.

It divided the employees into those who suffered from persistent loud noise at work for three months or more and those who did not.

Those suffering from a noisy environment tended to smoke and weigh more than those who worked in quiet environments, The Times of India reported. This link was even more evident with workers under 50 as they were between three and four times more vulnerable to having a heart attack, coronary artery disease or angina.

"Loud noise day after day may be as strong an external stressor as sudden strong emotion or physical exertion, the effect of which is to prompt various chemical messengers to constrict blood flow through the coronary arteries…

This study suggests that excess noise exposure in the workplace is an important occupational health issue," researchers told The Daily Mail. June Davison of the British Heart Foundation said, "Some people find sustained noise very taxing and stressful and that could explain this link between noisy workplaces and an increased risk of heart disease."

"For people who already have heart disease, occasionally stress can trigger chest pains or even a heart attack," she added.

3 cups of tea cuts heart attack risk

Apart from various benefits noted for tea, a new review suggests that drinking three cups of the beverage per day can keep heart attacks and stroke at bay.

According to the review article published in Molecular Aspects of Medicine, drinking three cups of tea per day can protect the individual against cardiovascular events including heart attacks and stroke, reducing the risk of the condition by 11 percent.

The high content of flavonoids in tea is believed to prevent the formation of fatty plaques in the arteries, particularly carotid artery, and subsequently counteracting cardiovascular disease, the study found.

"There is now consistent data indicating that tea and tea flavonoids can enhance nitric oxide status and improve endothelial function, which may be at least partly responsible for benefits on cardiovascular health,” said Jonathan Hodgson, co-author of the review.

Each two cups of tea is reported to have an antioxidants content equivalent to five portions of vegetables or two apples. Despite the general belief, the current study also revealed that the flavonoid content of black tea is equal to that of green tea.

“Adding milk to tea doesn't affect the absorption of flavonoids from tea, according to several human research trials. In addition, the antioxidant effects seen in our blood following tea consumption are similar whether or not milk is added,” said Catherine Hood from the industry-backed Tea Advisory Panel.

Walking helpful for memory: Study

Regular walking may help prevent shrinkage of the brain and assist in keeping memory in later life, a new study reveals.

The study published in online issue of Neurology reports walking some 9.66 Kilometers every week has many advantages, such as benefiting the heart and a positive contribution to the brain.

The new research indicates that walking prevents brain shrinkage and possibly helps the brain to fight dementia down the road.

Study researcher Kirk I. Erickson, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh, said, “Brain size shrinks in late adulthood, which can cause memory problems.” The research team analyzed data on 299 dementia-free elderly with a mean age of 78.

The subjects recorded the number of blocks they walked every week. After nine years, the team took brain scans of the participants and measured the subject's brain size. And again four years later, the subjects were tested to see if they had developed any cognitive impairment or dementia.

Those who walked at least 72 blocks per week -- 9.66 to 14.48 kilometers -- had more gray matter in their brains nine years after.

Looking into the data the study reached the conclusion that those who walked the most reduced their risk of developing dementia by 50 percent, WebMD website reported.

“Based on our results, we can conclude that there is a relation between the amount of walking earlier in life and brain volume in later adulthood and that greater volume of tissue related to walking is associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment,” the study reports.

Watermelon helps lower blood pressure

Eating six grams of watermelon per day for six weeks can lower blood pressure values in middle-aged individuals, a small pilot study reveals.

According to the study published in the American Journal of Hypertension, watermelon can prevent pre-hypertension from advancing to full hypertension, a condition which contributes to stroke and heart attack.

Watermelon extract is the richest edible natural source of L-citrulline, an amino acid closely related to L-arginine which is responsible for regulating blood pressure values. While watermelon is well tolerated, the use of L-arginine as a dietary supplement can cause gastrointestinal tract discomfort, diarrhea and nausea, scientists noted.

Apart from the above mentioned vascular benefits, watermelon offers abundant amounts of vitamin C, B6, A, fiber and potassium along with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Functional foods such as watermelon are also believed to be capable of lowering blood glucose levels, the study found.

"Given the encouraging evidence generated by this preliminary study, we hope to continue the research and include a much larger group of participants in the next round," said lead researcher Arturo Figueroa.

"Individuals with increased blood pressure and arterial stiffness -- especially those who are older and those with chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes -- would benefit from L-citrulline in either the synthetic or natural [watermelon] form…

The optimal dose appears to be four to six grams a day," said Figueroa.

The Nobel Peace Prize, and an Instrument of Western Power

By Peter Baofu, Ph.D.

Contrary to the China-bashing coverage by mainstream Western media (which also controls much of global media), the award of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo, an imprisoned Chinese (convicted of violating state laws), does not promote world peace and prosperity in the long run, for seven major reasons as explained below.

(1) The first reason is that, contrary to the China-bashing tendency of mainstream Western media, the Chinese government has done much to promote freedom at home in the last few decades.
Anne-Marie Brady, a Chinese politics expert at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, made an insightful observation in reaction to the decision by the Norway-based committee to award the prize to Liu, when she said in an interview (as reported by Charles Hutzler on October 09, 2010) that, in China nowadays, "the average person has so much more freedom than they ever had in the post-'49 period. There's a strong feeling of 'don't rock the boat too far, don't prod into sensitive areas.'"
Not surprisingly, there is a resentment in China that this is under-appreciated by the West.

(2) The second reason is that, contrary to the China-bashing tendency of mainstream Western media, the Chinese government has also done much to contribute to world peace and prosperity in the last few decades.

For instance, under the economic reform in the past few decades, China has succeeded to do what no other country could in the history of man, that is, to lift hundreds of million people out of poverty. More specifically, Albert Park and Sangui Wangb in "China's Poverty Statistics" showed that the poverty rate in China has declined from 64% in the late 1970's to 16% in 2004. This is a tremendous achievement for human rights.

Besides, the dynamic economic growth of China has also become a major engine of the world's economic growth, precisely because its massive exports are heavily dependent on massive imports from other economies for raw materials and other products. While it has a trade surplus with some countries, for instance, it has a trade deficit with others.

In addition, unlike the earlier modern times when Western powers (like England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, the U.S., and others) conquered, enslaved, and colonized the rest of the world in their process of industrialization -- China nowadays has instead invested billions of dollars in the rest of the world and helped building roads, railways, sports complexes, hospitals, bridges, schools, and others (even when it remains a very poor country on a per-capita basis).

Furthermore, the rest of the world has also much benefited from all the Chinese products and services with lower prices in the last few decades to enhance world consumption.

Consequently, there is a resentment in China that all these are under-appreciated by the West.
(3) The third reason is that, contrary to the China-bashing tendency of mainstream Western media, Liu Xiaobo is not an innocent defender of peace and freedom in China as popularly depicted.

For instance, in a 1988 interview with Hong Kong's Open Magazine, Liu thus responded, when asked what it would take for China to change itself more in line with the modern West: "(It would take) 300 years of colonialism. In 100 years of colonialism, Hong Kong has changed to what we see today. With China being so big, of course it would take 300 years of colonialism for it to be able to transform into how Hong Kong is today. I have my doubts as to whether 300 years would be enough."

It is no wonder that Liu had offended and angered a lot of Chinese nationalists because of the hidden "treason" in his remark. Although Liu later tried to calm down the public uproar against him in 2006 by saying that his remark was not intentional, he refused to retract it.
(4) The fourth reason is that, contrary to the China-bashing tendency of mainstream Western media, the West has tried hard to subvert China by nurturing opposition inside the country for a more pro-Western government.

For instance, when the Nobel Peace Prize Committee cited Liu's participation in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, what was not cited is the Western effort to nurture opposition everywhere to subvert all those regimes which are different from the West, in the hope to create a pro-Western government which can serve Western interests.

A good lesson to learn is what happened in the neighborly country, Kyrgyzstan, earlier this year (in 2010), when, as Konstantin Sivkov aptly observed, "the events in Kyrgyzstan were engineered by U.S. secret services. When Kurmanbek Bakiyev was president, depots with weapons designed for the opposition against him were found. Therefore, we should clearly realize that U.S. secret services are actively trying to strengthen their position in the post-Soviet space, not shying away from any methods." Later, when the opposition succeeded in overthrowing the government by force, they quickly rewarded the U.S. (for its support of the coup d'etat) with an automatic renewal of the lease agreement for a U.S. military base in the country (which President Bakiyev did not quite like when in power).

(5) The fifth reason is that, contrary to the China-bashing tendency of mainstream Western media, there isno one-style-fits-all solution in political development, such that there is no political system which is universally good for all the peoples and all the cultures on Earth.


For instance, the Nobel Peace Prize Committee also cited Liu's wish for a fundamental political change of China, like his signature on "Charter 08" in 2008, which is a manifesto for fundamental political transformation in China comparable to the Western liberal style of democracy -- especially after the two years (in 1988 and 1989) of being exposed to Western ideas and values, when he was a visiting scholar at Columbia University, the University of Oslo and the University of Hawaii. But it is much debatable whether or not, or to what extent, the Western liberal style of democracy as so often expressed in Charter 08 and the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests are really conducive to the development of more freedom and peace in China.

Anyone who has studied Chinese history will notice that the establishment of peace and order has long been one of the most difficult tasks for all rulers in the last few thousand years of Chinese history. And whenever the effort failed, the immense country collapsed into disorder and became the target of foreign aggression and domination.

It is thus no wonder that even Jackie Chan, the famous Chinese action-movie actor in Hong Kong, confessed in 2009, when he said: "I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not. If you're too free, you're like the way Hong Kong is now. It's very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic. I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want."

This remark by Chan is not as controversial as the China-bashing mainstream Western media would like us to believe, precisely because, even in the Western intellectual history of political philosophy, there has been the endless debate about the benefits and costs of freedom vs. order in both society and culture. A good example concerns the philosophical disagreement between Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, just for illustration.

(6) The sixth reason is that, contrary to the China-bashing tendency of mainstream Western media, the modern West has no genuine interest in promoting the human rights of the Chinese people. On the contrary, it has done much to colonize, exploit, and humiliate them, and this has continued until our days.

The Chinese may still be very poor on a per-capita basis, but they remember "the 100 years of humiliation" when Western powers divided and conquered China (especially in the coastal areas). The atrocities and brutality committed by Western troops in the Far East during the colonial period and by American soldiers in the Philippines and South Vietnam in the modern era, for instance, are notorious, when the term "fucking gooks" originated.

Even nowadays, Chinese individuals suffer from widespread racist discrimination in Western societies. In America, Asians (including the Chinese) are humiliated by being called "f***** gooks" on a routine basis; and in Western Europe, they are openly looked down upon as "sick." Many Westerners do not care much about the human rights of the Chinese, because they themselves treat the Chinese with racist discrimination in their own (Western) societies. Rather, they use the discourse of human rights as an ideological abstraction (and a political pretext) to serve Western interests (by subverting other countries through the promotion of pro-Western opposition) for the continuation of Western global dominance.

The West has no respect towards the ideas and values of the Non-West and has time and again indulged, since the modern era, in lecturing and dictating to other peoples in the Non-West how and what to behave, both by peaceful means if possible (e.g., nurturing opposition for the subversion of power) and by violent means whenever necessary (e.g., bombing, invading, and occupying weaker countries in the Non-West).

It is in this global context that the West does not welcome the rise of China (and for that matter, India) and in fact is afraid of it, because it directly challenges this Western global dominance since the modern era.

Western powers have tried hard to subvert and contain them, especially against China first and foremost, because of the rapid rise of the latter as the next superpower. But they also understand that the chance for them to succeed in stopping China from rising is almost zero. At least, they try to subvert it, hoping that when the East rises and reaches its peak, it would serve Western interests when the last days of the West to remain dominant in the world are imminently over.

(7) Finally, the seventh reason is that, contrary to the China-bashing tendency of mainstream Western media, the decision to award Liu Xiaobo the Nobel Peace Prize will perpetuate the vicious cycle of mistrust between China and the rest of the world (especially the West).
Charles Hutzier in a recent article on the Nobel Peace Prize put it well when he wrote that the decision "also aggravates the government's view that China is misunderstood in the world and under-appreciated for all the progress it has made...a sentiment shared by many Chinese...reinforcing Chinese feelings of being misperceived." This only fuels the rising tide of Chinese nationalism, with the subsequent reinforcement of the growing sentiment among many ordinary folks inside China that the West does not give the degree of respect towards the Chinese which they rightly deserve for what they have done for the world.


The ideas and ideals of Liu (under Western influence) do not represent those of the one-billion-plus Chinese population -- but only a few like him, whose ideas and ideals are exaggerated, nurtured, and glorified by the West for Western interests.

In light of this long history of modern Western colonial (and now neo-colonial) history in East Asia, the world would benefit much from a more stable relationship of cooperation between China and the rest of the world instead. But this award of the Nobel Peace Prize to someone whom China regards as a "criminal" (and a "traitor") only helps perpetuating the on-again-off-again cycle of broken relationship, which destroys the necessary rhythm to sustain a well developed history of trust and cooperation between China and the West for long-term world peace and prosperity. Even the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was concerned with the decision of the Norway-based committee, in that "China's anger at the Nobel might impede rights work elsewhere," as reported by Charles Hutzier on October 09, 2010.

In the end, the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo underscores a different message against world peace and prosperity, in a way that mainstream Western media does not want us to know.
The important point to remember here is not that China is perfect. No, not at all, China is not perfect, neither is the West. China, like any other people and country on Earth, has both successes and shortcomings. But to blame China for its shortcomings by the Norway-based committee (from its own perspective of Western interests) reveals a heavily biased agenda not much spoken of in mainstream Western media.


Liu Xiaobo, whether he personally likes it or not, will be increasingly used as an agent for Western interests, now that he is a recipient of the prize. The Nobel Peace Prize has become an instrument of Western power, so as to perpetuate the existing world order for Western dominance -- for the seven reasons as discussed above.

This hidden politics of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee is not news, as it has a long history of doing the same (as revealed in its decision to award Barack Obama last year the Nobel Peace Prize, while, under his administration, countless innocent civilians are killed on a daily basis by the U.S. military strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and other places, besides the widespread destruction of the infrastructures, environments, and properties in Afghanistan and Iraq, for instance, due to the continued occupation and military strikes by the U.S. and its Western allies over the years).

But the West has turned a blind eye to all these continued Western killings day after day, as Westerners have treated non-Westerners with racist condescension and inhumanity for so long, even today, without any serious concern of the lives of the natives, which are regarded as cheap and not worthy as much when compared with those of Westerners. By contrast, when an European or an American gets arrested, injured, or killed in the Non-West, there is an instant international outrage in global media controlled by mainstream Western media. But the West has turned a blind eye to its own killings of others (many times over) in the Non-West for so long, with impunity.

But do not expect the Nobel Peace Prize Committee to change its hidden politics, as the world will time and again witness more awards in the future at the service of Western interests and power -- until one day, when its global dominance is over.
After all, this phenomenon of the Western quest for continued global dominance is something that I already went to great lengths to explain, among many other issues, in my 2-volume work titled THE FUTURE OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION (2000), especially in the context of what I originally called "hegemonic modernity" in the "trinity of modernity." I then showed that the Western liberal style of democracy has become more authoritarian as it is more advanced in another book of mine titled THE RISE OF AUTHORITARIAN LIBERAL DEMOCRACY (2007) -- and why Western global dominance is in its last days in still another book of mine titled BEYOND THE WORLD OF TITANS, AND THE REMAKING OF WORLD ORDER (2007), in the context of what I originally called the coming age of "the post-post-Cold War era."
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About the author: Dr. Peter Baofu is the author of 36 books, in which he proposed 45 new theories in different fields, ranging from the social sciences through the formal sciences and the natural sciences to the humanities, with the final convergence into a unified theory of everything. Some of his latest books on world affairs include "The Future of Post-Human War and Peace" (2010), "The Future of Post-Human Law" (2010), "The Future of Post-Human Mass Media" (2009), "Beyond the World of Titans, and the Remaking of World Order" (2007), "The Rise of Authoritarian Liberal Democracy" (2007), "Beyond Nature and Nurture" (2006), "Beyond Civilization to Post-Civilization" (2006), "Beyond Capitalism to Post-Capitalism" (2005), the 2 volumes of "Beyond Democracy to Post-Democracy" (2004), "The Future of Capitalism and Democracy" (2002), and the 2 volumes of "The Future of Human Civilization" (2000). The rest of his 36 books touch on numerous other fields in the natural sciences, the formal sciences, the humanities, and the social sciences -- ultimately for a unified theory of everything.