Senin, 05 Desember 2011
Minggu, 04 Desember 2011
Sabtu, 03 Desember 2011
Nature photo of the Day
A nature photo selected each day from The Nature Conservancy's online Flickr photo community.
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Jumat, 02 Desember 2011
George Clooney Takes Toronto: Is <i>The Descendants</i> the Next Top Oscar Winner?
This dramedy about a man facing a crisis in the modern Eden of Hawaii can't quite match some high expectations
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Killing The Euro
Can the euro be saved? Not long ago we were told that the worst possible outcome was a Greek default. Now a much wider disaster seems all too likely.True, market pressure lifted a bit on Wednesday after central banks made a splashy announcement about expanded credit lines (which will, in fact, make hardly any real difference). But even optimists now see Europe as headed for recession, while pessimists warn that the euro may become the epicenter of another global financial crisis.
How did things go so wrong? The answer you hear all the time is that the euro crisis was caused by fiscal irresponsibility. Turn on your TV and you’re very likely to find some pundit declaring that if America doesn’t slash spending we’ll end up like Greece. Greeeeeece!
But the truth is nearly the opposite. Although Europe’s leaders continue to insist that the problem is too much spending in debtor nations, the real problem is too little spending in Europe as a whole. And their efforts to fix matters by demanding ever harsher austerity have played a major role in making the situation worse.
The story so far: In the years leading up to the 2008 crisis, Europe, like America, had a runaway banking system and a rapid buildup of debt. In Europe’s case, however, much of the lending was across borders, as funds from Germany flowed into southern Europe. This lending was perceived as low risk. Hey, the recipients were all on the euro, so what could go wrong?
For the most part, by the way, this lending went to the private sector, not to governments. Only Greece ran large budget deficits during the good years; Spain actually had a surplus on the eve of the crisis.
Then the bubble burst. Private spending in the debtor nations fell sharply. And the question European leaders should have been asking was how to keep those spending cuts from causing a Europe-wide downturn.
Instead, however, they responded to the inevitable, recession-driven rise in deficits by demanding that all governments — not just those of the debtor nations — slash spending and raise taxes. Warnings that this would deepen the slump were waved away. “The idea that austerity measures could trigger stagnation is incorrect,” declared Jean-Claude Trichet, then the president of the European Central Bank. Why? Because “confidence-inspiring policies will foster and not hamper economic recovery.”
But the confidence fairy was a no-show.
Wait, there’s more. During the years of easy money, wages and prices in southern Europe rose substantially faster than in northern Europe. This divergence now needs to be reversed, either through falling prices in the south or through rising prices in the north. And it matters which: If southern Europe is forced to deflate its way to competitiveness, it will both pay a heavy price in employment and worsen its debt problems. The chances of success would be much greater if the gap were closed via rising prices in the north.
But to close the gap through rising prices in the north, policy makers would have to accept temporarily higher inflation for the euro area as a whole. And they’ve made it clear that they won’t. Last April, in fact, the European Central Bank began raising interest rates, even though it was obvious to most observers that underlying inflation was, if anything, too low.
And it’s probably no coincidence that April was also when the euro crisis entered its new, dire phase. Never mind Greece, whose economy is to Europe roughly as greater Miami is to the United States. At this point, markets have lost faith in the euro as a whole, driving up interest rates even for countries like Austria and Finland, hardly known for profligacy. And it’s not hard to see why. The combination of austerity-for-all and a central bank morbidly obsessed with inflation makes it essentially impossible for indebted countries to escape from their debt trap and is, therefore, a recipe for widespread debt defaults, bank runs and general financial collapse.
I hope, for our sake as well as theirs, that the Europeans will change course before it’s too late. But, to be honest, I don’t believe they will. In fact, what’s much more likely is that we will follow them down the path to ruin.
For in America, as in Europe, the economy is being dragged down by troubled debtors — in our case, mainly homeowners. And here, too, we desperately need expansionary fiscal and monetary policies to support the economy as these debtors struggle back to financial health. Yet, as in Europe, public discourse is dominated by deficit scolds and inflation obsessives.
So the next time you hear someone claiming that if we don’t slash spending we’ll turn into Greece, your answer should be that if we do slash spending while the economy is still in a depression, we’ll turn into Europe. In fact, we’re well on our way.
Queen left 'in tears' over Duke of Edinburgh's 'brutal' demand she take his name
The Duke of Edinburgh made the Queen cry with his ‘almost brutal’ attitude when she refused to take his surname of Mountbatten, a biography claims.
It says the Queen ‘failed to see that her actions would have a profound effect on Philip, leading to strains in their marriage’.
And it even suggests that the ten-year delay between the births of the Princess Royal and the Duke of York may have been the result of ‘Philip’s anger over the Queen’s rejection of his family name’.
The irritation he felt over his wife’s decision to accept the advice of then Prime Minister Winston Churchill and keep the family name Windsor is detailed in Sally Bedell Smith’s book, Elizabeth the Queen.
The Duke wanted the Royal Family to be known as the House of Mountbatten when the Queen came to the throne in 1952. He is famously said to have told friends: ‘I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children. I’m nothing but a bloody amoeba.’
In an article in the current issue of Vanity Fair magazine, Miss Bedell Smith has written of how in 1960 the Queen, heavily pregnant with the Duke of York, told Harold Macmillan she needed to ‘revisit the issue of her family name, which had been irritating her husband since she decided in 1952 to use Windsor rather than Mountbatten’.
Marital debate: The book says that the Queen was left 'in tears' over the issue
The then Prime Minister wrote in his diary: ‘The Queen only wishes (properly enough) to do something to please her husband – with whom she is desperately in love.
‘What upsets me… is the Prince’s almost brutal attitude to the Queen over all this.’
Deputy Prime Minister Rab Butler and the Lord Chancellor, Lord Kilmuir, were assigned the task of resolving the Queen’s ‘tricky’ family problem.
In a telegram, Butler told Macmillan the Queen had ‘absolutely set her heart’ on making a change for Philip’s sake.
Miss Bedell Smith, whose book is to be published in February, said: ‘By one account, Butler confided to a friend that Elizabeth had been “in tears”.’
Following discussions, it was agreed that the Royal Family would continue to be called ‘the House and Family of Windsor’.
But the Queen’s ‘de-royalised’ descendants, starting with any grandchildren who lacked the designation of ‘royal highness’, would adopt the surname ‘Mountbatten- Windsor’.
In a statement on February 8, 1960, the Queen said she ‘has had this in mind for a long time and it is close to her heart’.
‘It seemed clear cut’, Miss Bedell Smith said.
But, 13 years later, ‘Princess Anne....would contravene the policy on her wedding day by signing the marriage register as “Mountbatten-Windsor”’.
The biography also gives an insight into the lighter side of royal life. It tells of the joy at the news that the Queen’s first child, Prince Charles, was a boy.
Sir John Weir, an official physician to the Royal Family, confided that he had ‘never been so pleased’ to see a boy born, Miss Bedell Smith writes.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2069278/Queen-left-tears-Duke-Edinburghs-brutal-demand-name.html#ixzz1fQkgftnX
Women elbow out the men in BBC Olympic coverage
Sports presenting on TV was once the sole preserve of men, often wearing comfortable V-neck sweaters. Think David Coleman or Frank Bough. But the BBC has revealed that women have now well and truly caught up – and have even pushed into a lead. The broadcaster says the majority of the main presenters for its coverage of next year’s London Olympics will be female.
In the line-up of studio hosts for BBC1 and BBC2 there will be five men and six women, led by Sue Barker, Clare Balding, Hazel Irvine and Gabby Logan.
There is also a two-and-a-half hour morning slot during the Games for BBC News rising star Mishal Husain, while Sian Williams will be presenting during an early-morning slot alongside Miss Irvine.
The male presenters will come from a team comprising Bill Turnbull, Chris Hollins, Matt Baker, Jake Humphrey and Gary Lineker.
Miss Barker will be on air in a three-hour slot from 4pm to 7pm and Miss Logan will be presenting from 10.35pm onwards.
The prime-time slot, however, will still go to a man, with Match of the Day presenter Mr Lineker in charge from 7pm to 10.35pm – a time when many of the major medals will be won.
Hazel Irvine will present an early-morning Olympics slot
As well as studio presenting, Miss Balding will also be on site for swimming, diving and equestrian events.
Other ‘on-site’ presenters will be John Inverdale and former triple jumper Jonathan Edwards. Royal wedding host Huw Edwards – dubbed by insiders as ‘the voice of the Olympics’ – will lead coverage of the opening and closing ceremonies.
On BBC3, which will become an Olympics channel during the Games, the main presenters will be Manish Bhasin, Rishi Persad and Sonali Shah. Mr Humphrey will also feature.
The Olympics team was unveiled just days after a sexism row broke out over the all-male BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist.
Miss Logan and Miss Balding were among the female broadcasters who condemned the decision. Sportswomen had branded the decision ‘disgraceful’ and ‘annoying’, claiming female sporting achievements were not being given the same prominence as those of men.
Sue Barker will be on air from 4pm-7pm every day during the London Olympics
Miss Logan said on Twitter: ‘I can’t think of anything to say about there being NO women on SPOTY top ten list that is positive so I won’t say anything.’
Miss Balding tweeted: ‘If you want more coverage of female sport, SAY SO. That way, those who care can turn a rather desperate situation into something better in the long term.’
Yesterday, however, the pair took to Twitter again to reveal their happiness at being chosen for the 2012 Games.
Miss Balding said she was ‘so excited’ while Miss Logan said: ‘So thrilled that I am part of BBC Olympics coverage. We are going to have so much fun.’
Miss Husain said: ‘Really looking forward to being involved in Olympics coverage and showcasing the Games coming to our home turf.’
The BBC said the line-up had been decided before the row over the Sports Personality of the Year, which had not been a factor.
The full line-up, including radio presenters and television reporters, commentators and pundits, will be released at a later date.
The BBC said last night: ‘The 2012 talent group have been meeting for about a year and the broad sweep of the presenter line-up has been signed off in principle for a number of weeks.’
NBA Owners, Players Reach Tentative Deal
NBA owners and players reached a tentative agreement early Saturday to end the 149-day lockout
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Bailouts and Austerity Measures Aren't Working: Is This the Euro's Last Stand?
Bailouts and austerity measures aren't working. But Europe's leaders — and its people — may reject the hard work that "more Europe" requires
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The Case for Teaching The Bible
Should the Holy Book be taught in public schools? Yes. It's the bedrock of Western culture. And when taught right, it's even constitutional
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Kamis, 01 Desember 2011
After the Ohio Tragedy: How to Buy a Tiger
A tragedy in the U.S. focuses attention on the weird world of exotic-pet ownership
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Oil Passes $97 a Barrel; Gas Prices Drop
Holiday shoppers driving from store to store in search of discounted toys and televisions and are getting a break at the gas pump
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Permanent Birth Control
Skip the scalpel. Two minutes, two inserts--and your childbearing years are over
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The Two Faces of Anxiety
It can paralyze you — or help you move faster. New science is revealing more about the upside of angst
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South Korea: Kids, Stop Studying So Hard!
South Korean kids study day and night, which helps explain their world-beating test scores. Now the government wants them to go to bed early
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