Protecting the global poor

From Prospect

Almost all rich countries got wealthy by protecting infant industries and limiting foreign investment. But these countries are now denying poor ones the same chance to grow by forcing free-trade rules on them before they are strong enough.

and the conclusion

Therefore, if they are genuinely to help developing countries develop through trade, wealthy countries need to accept asymmetric protectionism, as they used to between the 1950s and the 1970s. The global economic system should support the efforts of developing countries by allowing them to use more freely the tools of infant industry promotion—such as tariff protection, subsidies, foreign investment regulation and weak IP rights.

There are huge benefits from global integration if it is done in the right way, at the right speed. But if poor countries open up prematurely, the result will be negative. Globalisation is too important to be left to free-trade economists, whose policy advice has so ill served the developing world in the past 25 years.

Global free trade only works if there is a level playing field.

And what about food aid to Africa? It is for the benefit of the USA and other donor countries, not for poor nations. From the Observer last month

It's early May and Malawi seems to be awash with corn. On the roads, trucks heavy with pale yellow maize heads rumble from the fields; in the villages nearly every woman and child is at work stripping the little kernels from their cobs, singing the harvest songs that give a rhythm to their work. Other women are pounding the maize with a giant pestle and mortar into flour to make the national staple dish - nzima - corn mash. (The men mostly seem to be occupied drinking the new season's maize beer.) It has been the best harvest in a dozen years or more. So why - and this is what we've come here to ask - in this time of historic plenty, is the rich world still sending its unwanted food to Malawi?

Makes you wonder doesn't it?

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Today was a busy day. I was up early this morning and went to the farmers' market with Mary. So nice to have fresh sour dough bread, pumpkin bread and crusty Italian bread again.

This afternoon I went into town to watch Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer with Jordan.



Then tonight I went to the Canberra Labor Club to watch the football game between Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide, which my team narrowly lost. Results tomorrow.

a World Heritage house

Big news from UNESCO

The World Heritage Committee inscribed 22 new sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List during its ongoing session in Christchurch. The new inscriptions include 16 cultural properties, five natural and one mixed, cultural and natural.

In a decision unprecedented in the history of UNESCO’s Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the Committee deleted one property, the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary, from the List because of Oman’s failure to preserve the outstanding universal value of the Sanctuary.

After the additions made this year, UNESCO’s World Heritage List numbers 851 properties including 660 cultural, 166 natural and 25 mixed properties.
...

Sydney Opera House (Australia) was listed as a cultural property, a great architectural work that brings together multiple strands of creativity and innovation both in architectural form and structural design.

And

Inaugurated in 1973, the Sydney Opera House, is listed as a great architectural work of the 20th century that brings together multiple strands of creativity and innovation, both in architectural form and structural design. A great urban sculpture set in a remarkable waterscape, at the tip a peninsula projecting into Sydney Harbour, the building has had an enduring influence on architecture. The Opera House comprises three groups of interlocking vaulted ‘shells’ which roof two main performances halls and a restaurant. These shell-structures are set upon a vast platform and are surrounded by terrace areas that function as pedestrian concourses. In 1957, when the project of the Sydney opera was attributed by an international jury to the then almost unknown Danish architect Jørn Utzon, it marked a radically new and collaborative approach to construction. In listing the building, the Sydney Opera House is recognized as a great artistic monument accessible to society at large.

World class listing ... for the Opera House.
Photo: Bob Pearce

Aaahhhh... one of my all time favourite buildings. If I wasn't going to so many football games, I'd go to another opera there.

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Thank goodness for the weekend.

a newsreader making news about what isn't news...

From Sydney Morning Herald (strangely, not really reported by the US media)

An American newsreader has refused to talk about Paris Hilton's release from jail - instead shredding, ripping up and attempting to set on fire copies of the story.

On MSNBC's Morning Joe program, anchor Mika Brzezinski lashed out at producers for continually choosing the Paris Hilton release story as the news bulletin's lead.

"No, I hate this story and I don't think it should be our lead ... My producer Andy Jones is not listening to me. He's put it as the lead," she said as she took a fellow anchor's cigarette lighter and tried to burn the script.

Blogs have simultaneously applauded and derided Brzezinski's on-air spat.

"I'm Argentinian, I live there and from here is very pathetic to see the coverage that Paris Hilton gets from the media. It's really embarrassing for all the Americans that you're more worried for Paris and not for the war in Iraq. It's a shame. That's why I agree with the journalist Mika Brzezinski," blogger Claudio said on eonline.

However, fellow blogger Candy said it wasn't Hilton's fault that she was receiving so much attention.

"Paris isn't putting all these pictures and comments about herself in magazines. It really isn't her fault so many sad journalists do not shut up about her! Give the girl a break and moan to the journalist!"

She has a point. The news should be newsworthy.

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One more work day before the weekend. Rob came around for dinner tonight of rare thick sirloin steak with mash potatoes and blanched broccolini.

judge is pantsed!

Two weeks ago I wrote about Roy Pearson's frivolous lawsuit over a pair of pants.

The presiding judge has now ruled. Reported in Washington Post

the judge found that there is "nothing in the law" to support the foundation of Pearson's case, the notion that a sign saying "Satisfaction Guaranteed" is an absolute, unconditional guarantee that the merchant will do anything and everything a customer demands to create satisfaction. To the contrary, Bartnoff said, the law is clear that any claim of an unfair trade practice is limited to what a reasonable person would expect.
...

Bartnoff clearly had little patience for Pearson's theory of the case.

"No one other than Mr. Pearson ever has complained about the 'Satisfaction Guaranteed' sign or suggested that it is misleading in any way," Bartnoff wrote of Soo Chung's testimony.

The judge dismissed the bulk of Pearson's case in a single sentence, noting that all of the witnesses he brought to the two-day trial who claimed they had had problems with Custom Cleaners amounted to squat: "It may be that those situations could have been handled better by the defendants, but the Court does not find that they in any way establish that the defendants had no intention of attempting to satisfy their customers."

Dry cleaner Jin Chung with the trousers at the centre of the $US54 million lawsuit.
Photo: Reuters

Did I write 'judge is pantsed'? I meant 'pwned'!

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I'm catching up on episodes of Heroes tonight that I've missed.

food fads...

From Sydney Morning Herald's Good Living supplement (about food, every Tuesday)

It's a fad, fad world

Sydney is nothing if not faddy. David Dale charts the foodstuffs and techniques that have dominated the city's dining scene over the years.

1982 Raspberry vinegar

1983 Fruit as garnish on main courses, especially tamarillo and kiwifruit

1984 Sticky date pudding

1985 King Island double cream, then King Island everything

1986 Sundried tomatoes

1987 Tiramisu

1988 Pesto

1989 Goat cheese

1990 Caesar salad

1991 Tall food - ingredients stacked and layered on the plate

1992 Cajun-blackened everything

1993 Pizza with barbecued lamb and rocket

1994 Coffin Bay scallops

1995 Char-grilled octopus

1996 Aioli, with everything

1997 Bruschetta (pronounced broo-shetta)

1998 Harissa, chermoula, Middle Eastern everything

1999 Mushroom risotto

2000 Caramelised everything

2001 Truffled olive oil (artificially flavoured)

2002 Seafood carpaccio

2003 Confit duck, then confit everything

2004 Affogato

2005 Pork belly and scallops

2006 Foam everything

2007 Organic everything

I must have missed some of the fads. I still make confit duck, pork belly, mushroom risotto etc. But I am so over sun dried tomatoes...

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It was so cold today (maximum was 4 degrees Celsius) and it rained this morning as I walked to work.

tea not for drinking

From the UK Sunday Telegraph

Tea in China costs six times as much as gold

By David Eimer in Beijing, Sunday Telegraph

Last Updated: 12:34am BST 24/06/2007

China's stock market may be booming and its house prices soaring, but the hottest investment in the country today comes in the shape of a small, compressed cake that smells vaguely earthy and is wrapped in paper.

Pu'er tea, a strong, aromatic brew from the remote south-western province of Yunnan, has long been prized in China for its medicinal qualities. Now, instead of drinking it, millions of Chinese are hoarding it after the price jumped 50 per cent last year.

Like fine wine, Pu'er tea is considered to improve as it ages. In 2005, 500g of 64-year-old Pu'er tea sold at auction for one million yuan (£66,300) - making it six times more expensive than gold.

The price has been rising since 2003, when investors in southern China and Hong Kong realised that, with a limited amount of tea grown each year, they could drive up its price by storing the tea rather than selling it.

Three weeks ago, an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale hit the Pu'er tea-growing region, prompting fears of a shortage and causing a sharp increase in the price of the most recently produced tea - which, because of the lengthy fermentation process, might have been harvested up to two years ago.

At the Maliandao Tea Market in south-west Beijing, Pu'er is sold in 350g cakes which the vendors handle as gingerly as if they were rare antiques.

"The price of new tea has gone up 30 to 50 per cent since the earthquake," said Liu Na of the Che Yun Shan Tea Company.

A cake of two-year-old Ye Sheng Gucha tea costs 260 yuan (about £18), while the 13-year-old tea sells for 1,800 yuan. "It'll double in price in two years," said Mrs Liu.

Such returns are irresistible to a people in the grip of a speculating frenzy. Traditionally, the Chinese are savers, not spenders. But in April and May savings declined for the first time in four years, according to the People's Bank of China, as people sought to cash in on the stock and property markets.

Pu'er tea is seen by some as an even more attractive option.

"You don't have to pay tax when you sell your Pu'er tea," said Mrs Liu.

The red-coloured tea has a distinctive taste, much stronger than green tea. In the Huangshan Feng Tea Shop, the owner, Zhang Sheng Qin, held up a glass and swirled it around. "Good Pu'er tea should be transparent," she said.

"It's good for people who want to lose weight," she added. "Are there a lot of fat people in England? Maybe we can do some business."

But then, earlier reporting from China Daily

Price of Pu'er to 'remain stable'

By Jonathan Yeung (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-06-08 06:46

Pu'er tea is unlikely to see a dramatic price increase as a result of damage to factories by an earthquake in Ning'er, Yunnan Province, according to market watchers.

"It's likely that the sale of Pu'er tea will be affected by the earthquake, which has devastated its largest trading market and a dozen major companies producing and selling tea there," Zou Jiaju, secretary-general of the Yunnan tea association, said.

"But whether the tea price will rise dramatically again is uncertain at the moment given that the overall price of Pu'er tea actually dipped in May.

"We do not expect to see any big jump or fall in the price (of Pu'er) as it will be no good for the tea market," Zou said.

The "antique" tea is known for its unique fragrance, which grows stronger the longer it is preserved. It is also thought to have health benefits.

The price of Pu'er has been rising since 2003, with many buyers collecting the tea instead of drinking it. A block of ordinary compressed Pu'er tea sold for 6 yuan (77 cents) 10 years ago, but is now worth 100 yuan ($13).

But the price began falling in May after several quality scandals and an excessive amount of tea labeled Pu'er flooded the market. Price fluctuations have caused concern in the industry.

"The price of Pu'er tea has risen too far from its actual value as a result of hype (as to its health benefits) from business and investors," said Yang Sizhong, a professor at Yunnan University. "Despite claims about its health effects, it is still only a soft drink that may lose its taste and effects without proper preservation."

Some companies have sold poor-quality Pu'er or tried to pass off freshly picked tea as aged Pu'er, Zheng Bingji, chairman of the Yunnan Pu'er Tea (group) Ltd, said.

"Such illicit behavior will seriously harm the growth of the Pu'er tea industry," Zheng said.

Luo Shaojun, director of the National Inspection and Examination Center for Teas, said the hype about the tea's health benefits was not necessarily negative, provided it helped stimulate industry development.

"But all market players should strictly abide by market rules and ensure the product's quality and safety meet all of the criteria," Luo said.

Some experts blame the Yunnan provincial government for promoting its tea business without streamlining the market.

While Pu'er tea should only refer to the post-fermented variety, a new standard set by the provincial government in 2006 allows for other teas to sit within the Pu'er category, Zou said.

"This new standard seems to facilitate the industrialization of the tea market, but actually it compromises the overall quality of the tea and will harm its reputation long-term," Zou said.

Improves as it ages? Thank goodness, as I still have pu'er tea bought nine years ago in Shanghai.

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Four days to go before the weekend.

world's ugliest dog

From the Associated Press and syndicated in newspapers worldwide

N.J. Dog Crowned World's Ugliest

PETALUMA, Calif. - Elwood, a 2-year-old Chinese Crested and Chihuahua mix, was crowned the world's ugliest dog Friday, a distinction that delighted the New Jersey mutt's owners.

Elwood, dark colored and hairless , save for a mohawk-like puff of white fur on his head , is often referred to as "Yoda," or "ET," for his resemblance to those famous science fiction characters.

"I think he's the cutest thing that ever lived," said Elwood's owner, Karen Quigley, a resident of Sewell, New Jersey.

Quigley brought Elwood out to compete for the second year at the annual ugly dog contest at the Marin-Sonoma County Fair. Elwood placed second last year.

Most of the competing canines were also Chinese Crested, a breed that features a mohawk, bug eyes and a long, wagging tongue.

Quigley said she rescued Elwood two years ago. "The breeder was going to euthanize him because she thought he was too ugly to sell," said Quigley.

"So ha ha, now Elwood's all over the Internet and people love him and adore him."

Beyond the regal title of ugliest dog, Elwood also earned a $1,000 reward for his owner.

AP Photo/Ben Margot

Yes, another 'world' contest and there were only entrants from one country..

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Another lazy day. I meant to do lots of things. There is always next weekend...

Poland... don't mention the war...

Members of the European Union (EU) have total votes based on their population.

Poland recently joined the EU and are not happy with their quota of votes. As reported in The Times

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the Prime Minister, said that Poland deserved a review of the proposed voting plan for EU states because “if Poland had not had to live through the years of 1939-45, [we] would today be looking at demographics of a country of 66 million” rather than 38 million.

Ouch!

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Today has been a lazy day. I did drop around to visit Klaudia this afternoon, and I saw Anaree at the supermarket.

first borns...

The Washington Post and others have reported on the advantages of being first-born.

First-born children possess IQs that are 2.3 points higher, on average, than their younger siblings, a new study contends.

The article then tries to explain why this might be.

What a load of crock!

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Tonight I went with Margaret and Mary to the Dumpling Inn up the road for dinner. Hadn't seen them for ages.

meh

On 8 April 2007, I wrote about 'whatev-ah'. Actually, 'whatev-ah' was so last year. So 'meh'! Thanks to The Simpsons, everybody uses it now. Even me!

From The Guardian

Meh means rubbish. It means boring. It means not worth the effort, who cares, so-so, whatever. It is the all-purpose dismissive shrug of the blogger and messageboarder. And it is ubiquitous. On the I Love Music messageboard, for example, 4,010 separate discussion threads feature the use of "meh".

From Danny Katz in the Sydney Morning Herald

Meh is just a short guttural utterance, mumbled without energy or conviction, and it can be used in just about any conversational context; I ask my daughter how her day was at school, she says "meh". I ask her how all her friends are going, she says "meh". I ask her if she loves me, she says "meh", though if you look carefully, she slightly twitches her eyebrow as an indication of her eternal devoted adoration - but only one eyebrow, because she doesn't want to exert herself.

And meh is actually a very good word, because it perfectly reflects the current state of human existence: the world is wallowing in a blank-brained, mumbly, murky swamp of meh-ness.

Meh!

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Courtney came over after work for a beer so stayed for dinner. Emily came over late as she was at work late. Then we had bangers and mash for dinner, and broccoli.

Court left, then Emily and I caught up on Prison Break as we usually do once a week.

Le Viaduc de Millau - an engineering feat

One of the most amazing engineering marvels of the twenty-first century is the Viaduc de Millau located in southern France which spans over and across the Tarn Valley.



If it was over a harbour, it would be more famous.

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The sun was out today, but it was still cold.

the world's most hated blogger

I thought it might have been Paris Hilton too, but a blogger needs to be literate.

No, it's actually someone called Casey Serin. I read about him in the Sydney Morning Herald today - he's in Australia at the moment.

The blog - iamfacingforeclosure.com (or IAFF, for short) - started as a cautionary tale to warn other would-be investors of the pitfalls of property speculation. But it unexpectedly turned its author into the punching bag of the World Wide Web.

He has been mocked, pilloried, hounded and harangued in a way that would have driven most others to abandon their blogs, disconnect their computers and head for the hills.

The critics, who call themselves "haterz", have turned their pursuit of the 24-year-old American into a blood sport in which they vie with one another to pour industrial-strength vitriol onto their quarry and derail his efforts to redeem himself.

Currently there are about eight known blogs plus a Wikipedia-like collaborative site called Caseypedia targeting the aspiring entrepreneur.

And each day the haterz pepper his blog posts with snide comments, gratuitous advice and fill his inbox with invective, accusing him of cheating, lying, slacking off and deserting his wife.

Casey Serin in downtown Sydney.
Photo: Stephen Hutcheon

He's also looking for handouts here.

My stay with my current Australian host is coming to an end this week due to some complications. So I figure I take advantage of some recent exposure in Sydney Morning Herald (and Argentina) and ask.

Can somebody offer me a place to stay so I can finish up some stuff here in Australia?

Preferably on the east coast: Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne. But I’ll consider other areas. “Beggars can’t be Choosers” right? Some help with travel expenses would be much appreciated as well.

He's also a handy photographer.

There is definitely is money to be made in being hated.

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Today was cold.

speaking nonsense or gobbledygook

The UK Daily Telegraph ran a competition asking readers to send in prose crammed with nonsense (the prize for the top ten was a copy of She Literally Exploded: The Daily Telegraph Infuriating Phrasebook by Christopher Howse and Richard Preston ,published by Constable at £5.99).

I liked this one by Nick Godfrey

I hear what you're saying but, with all due respect, it's not exactly rocket science. Basically, at the end of the day, the fact of the matter is you have got to be able to tick all the boxes. It's not the end of the world, but, to be perfectly honest with you, when push comes to shove, you don't want to be literally stuck between a rock and a hard place. Going forward we need to be singing from the same songsheet but you can't see the wood from the trees. Naturally hindsight is 20/20 vision and you have to take the rough with the smooth before proceeding onwards and upwards. The bottom line is you wear your heart on your sleeve and, when all is said and done, this is all part and parcel of the ongoing bigger picture. C'est la vie (if you know what I mean).

"Touch base" is a pet hate of mine. If anybody still says it at work to me, I will ask them what "base" they are talking about. If they then explain what they meant, I tend to tell them that they should have said that in the first place.

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Monday. Four more days to go before the weekend.

enough Shrek

No, not the third film in the series. I still haven't seen the first two yet.

It's the Shrek packaging of products in the supermarket - breakfast cereal, snack foods, cheese, milk, etc



A bit over the top.

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Today was a lazy day. I watched the football game on television and it was also live, in the afternoon.

football - round 12

GEELONG 1.4 4.8 6.11 12.13 (85)
BRISBANE LIONS 0.2 0.4 4.5 5.5 (35)

Goals: Geelong: S Johnson 3 J Bartel A Mackie T Varcoe C Mooney N Ablett M Stokes G Ablett P Chapman D Wojcinski. Brisbane: J Brown 2 R Hadley J Patfull J MacDonald.
Best: Geelong: G Ablett J Selwood S Johnson M Egan J Bartel M Scarlett. Brisbane: J Drummond N Lappin J Brennan J Brown M Rischitelli J Adcock.
Injuries: Geelong: K Tenace (ankle). Brisbane: J Charman (head).
Umpires: M Stevic B Allen C Kamolins
Official crowd: 21,212 at Skilled Stadium

It was cold and wet. I nearly travelled to attend this game, but kind of glad I didn't. The result was no surprise - Geelong is the top ranking team at the moment. Our boys put up a good fight.


Rog and Drummo spoiling Nathan Ablett


Blacky takes a dive after Darren Milburn


Woody and Ottens ruck contest


Colm going after Joel Selwood


Browny


JMac


Hads being blocked by Jimmy Bartels

Ash

a simple meeting with a simple monk

Australian Prime Minister John Howard finally met with the Dalai Lama yesterday at his Sydney office despite warnings from the Chinese government.


Briefing: Prime Minister John Howard shares a light moment with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in the Prime Minister's Sydney office yesterday. Picture: James Croucher

From a Chinese Embassy media release

A Chinese spokesman voiced strong dissatisfaction and stern objections to Australia allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Australia and meet with Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

"Turning a deaf ear to China's representations, the Australian side has allowed the Dalai Lama to visit Australia and to meet with Australian political leaders, including the prime minister. We consider this a rude intervention in China's internal affairs", spokesman Qin Gang said in Beijing on June 15.

Qin said that the Dalai Lama was not a simple religious figure but a long-time political exile who has been engaging in secessionist activities and is trying to destroy national unity.

The Chinese government is firmly against any country allowing the Dalai Lama to visit and engage in secessionist activities, he said.

"We hope the Australian side will correct its attitude to the Dalai Lama in the interests of overall bilateral relations", Qin said, urging Australia to take effective measures to eliminate the "negative influence" of Dalai Lama's visit and offer no platform for his "secessionist activities".

Well, that wasn't so bad was it? Stick it to them Johnny. No foreign government should have the audacity to tell you who you can or cannot meet!

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Lazy day today.

Don't stop at saggy pants, we need fashion police

From the Daily Iberian

Sagging bagged by town

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 10:24 AM CDT

By Jeff Moore THE DAILY IBERIAN

The Delcambre Board of Aldermen outlawed indecent exposure in the form of sagging pants Monday, but not before several residents voiced their objections.

The board voted unanimously to make it illegal for anyone to wear clothing that exposes them or reveals their underwear in public.

About a dozen residents spoke out against the ordinance at a public hearing prior to the board’s regular meeting, arguing it was racially motivated and indistinguishable from the state obscenity law. “Indecent exposure is already on the books,” said Delcambre resident Sylvester Harris. “We shouldn’t be here trying to make another law when we got one already.”

Town attorney Ted Ayo said the ordinance expands upon the obscenity law by adding underwear to the list of body parts that cannot be exposed.

“This is a new ordinance that deals specifically with sagging pants,” Ayo said. “It’s about showing off your underwear in public.”

Harris and several others said the ordinance unfairly targets black residents.

“It’s just going to be harassment,” said Delcambre resident Adam George. “People that don’t like me are going to call and complain on me and say I’ve got saggy pants. I’m going to have to pay to bond out, even if I’m right.”

Delcambre Mayor Carol Broussard said the ordinance would apply to all residents, regardless of race.

“I have nothing against the black man,” he said.

The ordinance states, “It shall be unlawful for any person in any public place or in view of the public to be found in a state of nudity, or partial nudity, or in dress not becoming to his or her sex, or in any indecent exposure of his or her person or undergarments, or be guilty of any indecent or lewd behavior.”

It is punishable by up to a $500 fine or up to six months in jail, or both.

Delcambre Police Chief James Broussard said violators can be arrested if officers spot them while on patrol, or if another resident files a complaint.

But he said the resident must be willing to swear they witnessed the offense before charges can be pursued.

“They’re going to have to sign an affidavit,” he said.

Several residents discussed their frustrations with the ordinance with Broussard following the public hearing.

Broussard said he didn’t have a problem with George’s pants, which hung below his waist, but were concealed by a long T-shirt.

“It’s not like I’m showing my privates or anything like that,” George said. “It’s my boxers.”

The ordinance will go into effect once it is published in The Daily Iberian, the official journal of the town, a process that usually takes about 10 days.

scenes like this will soon be outlawed

What these people need is to be arrested by the fashion police. Not only should saggy pants be banned in public, but also the wearing of flip flips (we call them thongs in Australia) and ugg boots.

*Iberia is the 'county' next to Vermillion where Delcambre is located (in the state of Louisiana).

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Kim came over tonight, and then Nell and Declan with their new baby Olivia (two months old). I made Hokkien noodles again for dinner. Nell made a dessert. It was good to see baby Olivia.