Monthly Archives: December 2008

“Iran leader’s Christmas message decries bullies”

Among the U.S. adversaries, or the countries that have been called so during the past eight years, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is among the few leaders that regularly has shown his interest in talking to the United States, albeit in his own style. Given Ahmdinejad’s increasing pressure at home, it might seem as if he is trying to divert attention from Iran’s worsening economy – which is threatening his re-election in June – by raising the possibility of talking to the United States, which could be seen as a very popular move. But in my humble opinion, this is more consistent with his personal desire to be on the front pages. He is a media obsessed. However, regarding the extreme support he enjoys from the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, he might simply doing what is supposed to do in his second term. (Read the story and listen to his Merry Christmas here.)

“Rice says Obama likely to follow Bush on foreign policy”

Obama’s choice toward the major U.S. foreign policy issues from the Middle East to Pakistan’s unstable situation, Russia’s influence in the Central Asia, and even North Korea’s nuclear program does not seem different than the Bush Administration’s path. And it seems to be a fact, and this is what Condi Rice has told FT recently: 

“The reason why there might be some elements of continuity is that what we’ve tried to do is to arrange or organise international groupings that can first manage and then resolve these very difficult problems in a multilateral way.” She was referring not just to the administration’s efforts over Iran but also its approach to North Korea and the Israel-Palestinian issue. (Read the rest of the story here.)

Suzanne Maloney: Both Obama and Clinton want negotiations but not a nuclear Iran

The United States will not initiate dialogue with the Iranian government, given the possible boost for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-elections next June, according to Suzanne Maloney, former State Department policy advisor and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.

During his campaign Barack Obama has insisted on negotiating with Iranian leaders, regardless of its extensive political risk. But considering Iran’s domestic politics, American diplomats prefer to wait and see who will be Iran’s next president.

Many believe that Iran’s worsening economic situation, demonstrated by its high inflation, skyrocketing unemployment and the fall of oil prices, which have prevented Ahmadinejad from fulfilling his promises to the Iranian people, might change the result of the upcoming elections. Continue reading Suzanne Maloney: Both Obama and Clinton want negotiations but not a nuclear Iran

ECONOMY-IRAN: From Bad to Worse?

BERKELEY, California, Dec 19 (IPS) – As the price of crude oil continued its tumble to less than 35 dollars a barrel Friday, Iranian economists are warning that the fourth-largest oil producer in the world will enter an even deeper crisis should the price remain low, with many also blaming the government’s economic policies.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly denied the worsening effects of falling oil prices on Iran’s economy, which is now is facing a 30 percent inflation rate and more than 10 percent unemployment. However, this week he admitted that plummeting oil prices would threaten the country’s fragile economy.

In response to a huge budget deficit next year, Pres. Ahmadinejad plans to cut spending, lift the generous fuel subsidies that have been in place for more than two decades and increase taxes. To keep this year’s budget balanced, Tehran needs to sell oil at 90 dollars a barrel. Continue reading ECONOMY-IRAN: From Bad to Worse?

Why Laura Bush should refuse to speak at CFR on Human Rights?

Laura Bush will address the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on December 10th, the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

At the time, some individuals in the Bush administration might face prosecution for a series of events that resulted in serious human rights violations, including the use of advanced interrogation techniques and destroying the life of hundreds of people in Guantanamo, Abu Ghoreib and other similar prisons, her speech not only reflects her image of “human rights” in the past eight years, but also tell us what she see of human rights in the years to come. Continue reading Why Laura Bush should refuse to speak at CFR on Human Rights?

Selecting Hilary Clinton as Sec. of State and Obama’s Premise of Change

For all the people who have followed the primary presidential elections, and the nasty fight between the two rivals, choosing Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of the State is not only scary, but it also seems to be Obama’s first move to give up the values and ideals he advocated during the campaign. Yet it could also be interpreted as one of the smartest decision that president-elect has made in regards to his cabinet.  How can this be explained?

Continue reading Selecting Hilary Clinton as Sec. of State and Obama’s Premise of Change

No Voice No Vote: Silent Changemakers

picture-4In September 2008, Allison Firestone, Dayna Davis and I, talked to people in Northern California who were politically active in the presidential elections but could not vote. The result is a flash based project which includes three audio slideshows. For me it was quite an experience. As somebody who couldn’t vote in the U.S. presidential elections, I regularly wrote about the process and candidates plans. It was pretty exciting. You can click here to see the project.

Metro Lighting: Go Green!

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Fifteen years ago, Lawrence Grown and his wife Christa, both graduated in Architecture from Southern California University. Rooted in east coast and surrounded by a variety of ideas to devote their life in a green and local business, they found Berkeley perfect a perfect place to reside.

Lawrence’s thesis in college was about “A Sustainable Community.” Their training during and after graduation has been in environmentally-motivated development projects, and their quest for an open community where they can share progressive viewpoints and environmental activities delivered them to the San Francisco Bay Area and Berkeley for the past 15 years.

In their business, Metro Lights, they salvage and build environmentally friendly lamps and lighting fixtures. Using solar cells to produce energy for thousands of lamps, non-toxic colors and materials, local labor, local design for the lamps and employing iron instead of steel, which remains in the nature for hundred of years, is a part of their idea of being environmentally friendly. They provide free local services for the neighbors who want to get rid of their flurcent lamps and recycle for them freely.

In Berkeley, where being green seems a part of culture, organic food are popular, and the bumber of famlilies who do not use paper towel and are reluctant shopping from big corporate retailers like Costco, Wall Greens and or Best Buy and the more and more big businesses are leaving the city, entrepreneurship seems a double sward.