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China's authoritarian capitalism a global trend?
Naomi Klein on China and the Olympics (Part 4 of 4)
"What I see is that China is becoming more like us, the West, in many ways, and we're becoming more like China in many ways. And I wouldn't say that we are the same society yet, but what we see are these sort of steady trends, and a kind of an odd sort of meeting in the middle, where they embrace the side of our society of extreme consumer capitalism, and our leaders start to embrace many of their tools of social control—indefinite detention, loss of civil liberties—that their leaders are embracing."
Part 1 at: http://current.com/items/89185939_naomi_klein_on_china_...
Part 2 at: http://current.com/items/89188034_china_new_disaster_ca...
Part 3 at: http://current.com/items/89190670_china_security_tech_s... Naomi Klein on China and the Olympics (Part 4 of 4) ... more -
China security tech supplied by US companies
Naomi Klein on China and the Olympics (Part 3 of 4)
"If we look at when the government gets involved, it's when there's the threat of a tipping point. It's such a large country, it's such a populous country, that the fear is not a protest or a strike here or there—that can be handled. It is the fear of that tipping point when it turns into a mass movement, because in a country the size of China, when there is a mass movement, it will overwhelm the regime."
Part 1 at http://current.com/items/89185939_naomi_klein_on_china_...
Part 2 at http://current.com/items/89188034_china_new_disaster_ca...
Part 4 at: http://current.com/items/89203000_china_s_authoritarian... Naomi Klein on China and the Olympics (Part 3 of 4) ... more -
Naomi Klein on China and the Olympics
"Security, central planning, surveillance state is an ideal cocoon for global capitalism" Part 1 of 4
Naomi Klein: "I think this is an incredibly efficient, actually, a scarily efficient way of organizing society that's actually being celebrated here, which is a hybrid of some of the worst elements of authoritarian communism—mass surveillance of the population, total lack of civil liberties, lack of a free press, lack of democratic rights, authoritarian central planning, all harnessed not to advance the goals of social justice, even in name, although there may be some lip service still paid to that, but to advance the goals of global capitalism. So it is Stalinism meets global capitalism.... There are 100,000 security officers just on Olympic duty. And to put that into perspective, the stadium itself, the Bird's Nest Stadium holds 90,000. So there's 90,000 spectators and 100,000 secret police keeping control of things in Beijing. So this is an incredible operation. But when you hear people like Lou Dobbs and other commentators talking about the problems in China, it's always red China, communist China, or the Chi-coms. And it's really this blast from the past of—you know, it's almost as if the Cold War never ended."
Naomi Klein is an award-winning journalist, syndicated columnist and author of the international and New York Times bestseller The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. Klein's previous book No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies was also an international bestseller. Klein is a former Miliband Fellow at the London School of Economics and holds an honorary Doctor of Civil Laws from the University of King’s College, Nova Scotia.
Part 2 at: http://current.com/items/89188034_china_new_disaster_ca...
Part 3 at: http://current.com/items/89190670_china_security_tech_s...
Part 4 at: http://current.com/items/89203000_china_s_authoritarian... "Security, central planning, surveillance state is an ideal cocoon for global capitalism" Part 1 of 4 ... more -
US Federal Reserve sees worse economic problems ahead
The Federal Reserve sees worse economic problems ahead, according to new forecasts from the central bank released Wednesday.
But even so, the Fed may be reluctant to cut interest rates any further than it already has.
The Fed lowered its economic growth forecast for the year. At the same time, it raised its projections for inflation and unemployment. The combination of slowing growth and rising prices created a difficult situation that made the Fed's latest decision to cut rates on April 30 a "close call."
Stocks, which were trading a bit lower before the release of the minutes, fell even further after the new forecast was revealed. The Dow finished the day with a more than 220 point loss.
The central bank said it now believes full-year economic growth will be between 0.3% and 1.2% this year, significantly below its previous forecast of 1.3% to 2% growth in January. The Federal Reserve sees worse economic problems ahead, according to new forecasts from the central bank released Wednesday. ... more -
Al Gore meets With Manmohan Singh, discusses climate change
Photo: PTI / Vijay Verma
The former U.S. Vice-President, Al Gore, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Friday. —
NEW DELHI: The former United States Vice-President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore on Friday called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The two leaders are reported to have discussed climate change and sustainable development.
Mr. Gore, a climate change crusader, will announce a major initiative — The Climate Project-India — on Saturday to be implemented in collaboration with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). Also present at the launch will be TERI Director-General R.K. Pachauri.
India will unveil a national plan of action in June to deal with the threat of global warming.
India has, however, made it clear that it will not set any target for emission reduction that could possibly slow down economic growth.
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It is imperative that Mr. Gore and the global community continue to have discussions with India. Their economy is growing and like China, they refuse to commit to emissions targets because they believe they will impede their economic growth. That is why they must have a chance to invest in green technologies that over time will not only show them that they can still achieve economic growth without the environmental devastation that comes with it, but can also address the devastating poverty the majority of their people live in. India also as China has some of the most polluted rivers in the world, namely the Ganges. It is imperative that India not only concentrate on their economic growth, but their moral, spiritual, and historic importance to the world. This is the important work that needs to be done. Photo: PTI / Vijay Verma The former U.S. Vice-President, Al Gore, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Friday. — ... more -
Think BIG
Think BIG showcases Ghanaians with big aspirations and big plans. Flash hotels, fab homes and full-on modernity are where it?s at. The film turns the usual pity fest on its head and showcases Ghanaians who are making it. This short documentary shows that some development is happening - Africa is not one great morass of extreme poverty. Aspirant Ghanaians (not aid workers) are responsible for some good news and bold ideas, and backing their ambitions might do our peers more favours than either the pennies we pop in tins to make us feel better or the survival-only goals prioritised in the West. Tomato farmer Lawrence wants a factory; Kwame Agyapong is building a film school and has visions of tourist vistas on Ghana?s deserted beaches; Patricia Ocloo loves her new sofa and modern bathroom, and resents the idea that being better-off means you don?t care; Emmanuel Chance is expanding a luxury hotel. These people are eloquent, aspirant and ambitious for themselves and their peers. They want full-on modernity. As David Ampofo puts it, in a moving end to the film: "Oh that this country will really become great... we won?t be stuck in so much dependence, it makes me sick." Think BIG showcases Ghanaians with big aspirations and big plans. Flash hotels, fab homes and full-on modernity are where it?s at. The... more
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Economic growth
