2010 April

Email Forgers (ID theft) on the up.

Cuts to Education: budget cuts for all areas of some high schools, cuts fall to all areas: program costs and finances not sufficient. Spokesperson: Gotta find 2.5M $.
Cuts to University as well. Higher tuition to pay for it, schools now allowed to decide own tuition rates (much higher)
(US and Canada)

Europe: Large deficit countries: Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland.
Current: Greece, economic crisis: demoted to junk-bond status.
Germany, strongest economy in EU, looked to for bailout support. "We don't want to become the place people look to for money when they have economic crises, but at the same time, we are all part of the union."
Fear: economic problems spread to Europe. Some: "Greece, step out of Euro. Better for Europe, better for you too, maybe."
Germany: "We'll help with a loan, but you must take further Austerity Measures (spending cuts).
Portugal may be next to need rescue.

Food: BC wines labelled "certified organic" but not. People did not know.

War:
Iraq: secret prisons with torture, no notification of arrest to families, not legally dealt with.
(Bagdad, also recently in India)
Iran: Iranian recon plane made 3 passes over (____ miles away) a US carrier stationed _____.
Iran in negotiations to buy __uranium__ from ______(Africa). Years ago, there was talks of South Africa. China has recently joined talks to sanction Iran's uranium access.
Kyrgistan - crisis- Public trust low - police had shot protesters. Citizen police units formed to be ready in case of outbreak.

Thailand: BKK outskirts: divided and polarized classes: rural poor (red shirts) vs. rich elite - PM in exile for corruption the source of this conflict, some say, some say they want a new society.

US:
Oil spill off Luisiana, first flooding Gulf of Mexico. They were corralling and skimming it, but it had to be burned today (endangering American shores)
First offshore wind-farm (Cape Cod)--opponents include Natives.
Cross in Mojave Desert on remote govt land. Said: "sign of respect for dead, not a religeous..." (part of current sorting out of religeous symbols in public places)
Drivers licences (Arizona) in 12 languages. Candidate "We'll make it 1." Also Ariz. new proposed laws for police rights to search for undocumented people (of color-hispanic from Mexico). Is it racism?
Omar Cotter, who threw grenade, held at Guantanamo Bay (Cuba), day in court.
Some companies plan to stay small (150-200 members): stay small enough to succeed. Dont lose passion of teamwork, flexible.

2nd day interrogating Credit Scandal, grilling CEOs. (Yesterday 11 hours straight). Greed at top levels. People: contempt for wrong done. CEOs (executives) don't find it wrong. CEO:"We are an important financial institution and have let the public down." Prosecuters and CEOs different perspectives. Argue past each other. Congressmen shouting, "You're like Las Vegas." CEOs just doing the job they are expected and positioned to do. Calm faces on that side.
Also Medical Fraud feature: 60B/year stolen by checking boxes.
New laws for high-earing companies set upon. GM (manufacturers) and dentists claim it is not their fault, dont want to be included. Age of Too-Big-To-Fail. Manufacture is about innovation as well as production.

CANADA:
Sex offender moved here from US. News displayed photo, but police cannot release name--protected. "We've been protecting the offender (for ___ years); now asking protect ourselves."
hard for poor mother with children (one in college) to find new apartment in Vancouver. Hard to get apartments there.

Haiti: 100's of Millions, why not spent? (433 M raised, 111 spent so far). "Irresponsible to spend. It is a long-term [5 year] plan, that will need to pay for housing, sewer, economy. Rebuilding lives." Many living on contaminated dirt.
Nigeria: Food crisis (affecting 8M people)
US housing Haitian soccer team.