Good morning.

I thought I was done with my stint on sustainability…but when you think about it, our goal towards sustainability should always be in the forefront of our minds….world wide.

Here’s one for you, Anna & Peter and the rest of you Chamorros. This article starts us in Guam, meanders our way through the sexy streets and profitable plantations of Taiwan, leading us to the end result: Ecological disaster, and death among the people.

Nation’s Biggest Cash Crop May Get Taxed For Disaster-Prone Planting Methods

By Jeff Marchesseault – Guam News

GUAM – Chewing a certain mildly narcotic palm nut is an time-honored pastime in Guam and a way of life for many islands across the Pacific. And it has become such a lucrative cultural phenomenon in Taiwan, at least two feature films have been made on the subject over the last ten years.

But, all pop artistry, lore and tradition aside, the never-ending party may soon face the sobering dictums of social accountability in the Republic of China. Taiwan’s hot, sexy betel nut industry is now under scrutiny for causing environmental degradation. And reformers want to exact their toll.

Unlike betel nut sales on Guam — where the population is smaller, chewers are fewer, and competition is less intense — in Taiwan the betel nut trade is big business. So big that the $620 million industry flourishes under a government that allows illegal growing on public lands. It also apparently does little to regulate a traditional marketing gimmick in which attractive, scantily clad young female clerks package the product behind neon-lit glass kiosks along city streets while hawking the little green nuts to motorists and wearing nothing more than see-through lingerie.

But if Taiwan’s progressives have anything to say about it, the bountiful harvest could soon get a big bite in the booty. According to an article appearing in The China Post recently, Minister of Agriculture Chen Wu-hsiung says that if a proposed health tax on betel nuts is levied, part of the revenue “should be put toward a sustainable land development fund.”

The Post story points out that such a policy initiative would support draft legislation aimed at land conservation and ecological protection. Outspoken critic and ruling Kuomintang Legislator Ting Shou-chung charges that land leased by the Council of Agriculture (COA) for forestation has long been used to cultivate betel nuts and that the COA should contribute part of any betel nut tax revenue to the sustainable land development fund, as a means of ‘righting that wrong’.

Ting says that betel nut groves engulf more than 50,000 hectares of land throughout Taiwan, making it the nation’s biggest cash crop. He also says that while the plantations may be profitable for a chosen few, their black market agribusiness makes the properties mudslide-prone because betel nut palms have a very shallow root system.

This accusation is made all the more poignant as a result of recent flooding, mudslides, death and disaster in the nation.

Finally, the lawmaker asserts that it’s high time for growers to start paying their fair share of the government’s revenue-draining health care bill. Five thousand new oral cancers and 2,300 oral cancer deaths are reported in Taiwan every year. And The China Post reports the considerable losses come “primarily as a result of betel nut chewing.”

Read The China Post story, “Betel nut revenue should contribute to land fund: COA”, October 12, 2009.

Do I have any readers from Taiwan? I would love to hear your opinion of the above article.

***********

Belinda: How awesome – thanks for spreading the word! I love it when this works. I don’t know if you are familiar with the Trader Joe stores, but I noticed an ad on my blog informing us of the red-listed fish that they sell.  Bummer. I love Trader Joes but I was so disappointed that they sold red-listed fish. I did my part and sent them a singing fish voicemail telling them I support sustainability. I hope you and your family and friends do the same. Thank you!

SB, Ak, Doug: Some interesting conversations getting started about Afghanistan. I did some net perusing this morning around the subject myself. It has been an area that I haven’t given much time to lately. I hope that the topic continues.

Peacin’ out once again…..

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the ‘Donate’ button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my ‘Donate’ page)

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Good Morning – This article was brought to my attention and I am grateful that it was. I have quite a few friends who own a Toyota Prius, amongst other hybrids, so I hope that you are reading my blog today. That goes to all of my readers too.  This little didley of knowledge could save your life.  Please pass it on.

DETROIT — Toyota said on Tuesday that it would recall 3.8 million vehicles because a floor mat could cause the accelerator pedal to become stuck. But for now, the automaker and federal officials are urging owners to simply remove their driver’s side mat while Toyota works out a solution.

The recall is the largest ever for Toyota, which is struggling for the first time with heavy financial losses and surplus production capacity amid a miserable car market in the United States. The recall includes many of the most popular Lexus and Toyota vehicles, including Camry sedans in the 2007 to 2010 model years, and Prius hybrid cars from 2004 to 2009.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued an alert on Tuesday about the Toyota floor mats based on reports that stuck accelerator pedals could lead to high speeds and deadly crashes.

“This is an urgent matter,” Ray LaHood, the transportation secretary, said in a statement. “For everyone’s sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.”

Until a solution is announced, owners of the vehicles should remove their driver’s side mat but do not need to visit a dealership, the company said.

This month, Toyota ordered dealers to inspect the floor mats in all Toyota and Lexus vehicles after a crash on Aug. 28 near San Diego killed four people; the police said the accident might have been caused by an improperly installed mat. The car was a 2009 Lexus ES 350 on loan from a dealership to the driver, an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer.

Toyota, whose largest recall previously involved about 900,000 vehicles, is still studying the matter before officially beginning the recall, but said it planned a broad safety campaign as soon as next week. Two years ago, the company recalled all-weather floor mats sold for some Lexus ES 350 and Camry sedans. The government said on Tuesday that it received “continued reports of vehicles accelerating rapidly after release of the accelerator pedal” even after that recall.

“The incidents appear to be related to factors including the use of a variety of unsecured mats, the particular configuration of the accelerator pedals in these vehicles, and the unique steps needed to shut off the engines in some of these vehicles with keyless ignition,” the traffic safety agency said.

The recall will include the following models: 2007 to 2010 Camry; 2005 to 2010 Avalon; 2004 to 2009 Prius; 2005 to 2010 Tacoma; 2007 to 2010 Tundra; 2007 to 2010 ES 350; and 2006 to 2010 IS 250 and 2006 to 2010 IS 350.

NY Times, September 29, 2009

************

Hey ZL:  I will catch up on my eM’s this weekend and check in with you. I may be out of touch on Sunday but if I can call I will, otherwise I’ll check in through eM.

Oh…wanted to comment about the DPL light therapy. We have a client who bought something like this but he paid a fortune, and his skin is amazing. I wonder how well this works. I watched the video from the website, and I so wish that the people who are raving about this product had before and after vids so we could see the changes. I don’t trust still photos – too easy to touch up. Yes…Sharpei’s look great with wrinkles. I personally like laugh lines. I know some beautiful women who to me look way better than they did in high school or college. Anyway, enjoy your Saturday and hopefully we can find some time tomorrow!

Anna & Peter: This is quite a storm. It looks like Typhoon Melor has unfortunately made it’s way to Guam.  I hope that everyone on the island is staying dry and protected. Looking forward to hearing from you again. Be safe.

Herald: Your comment so resonated with how I feel too. Everything you said in my opinion was spot on. You made me smile when you said, “I need a drink”. I am not very much a drinker but sometimes, I wish I did drink more. Love the relaxing carefree way it makes me feel but hate the foggy-headedness (I know it’s not a word but it describes exactly how I feel afterwards :) Did you know that when the economy is down, people go out drinking more often? The bars are raging so says a friend of mine who owns a very well know bar here is SF. Where people get the money to go out drinking in SF is something I wonder when they have no job. But I hear people will spend their last 100 bucks leaning over the bar.

Susan and Janet: I know if must be tough living with rabidly racist relatives ( hate the meaning of that, but love the alliteration!),  but this has got to stop. Staying silent no longer serves society. (another alliteration to love :) Seriously, our country is going down. We finally have a president who truly cares, we finally have a president who can do something for the people, we finally have a president who can make great changes for our country, and there are those who want to see him drastically fail on all accounts. We can’t let this happen. Is our country not worth standing up for?

If white women are the dumbest, then stand up and be a smart white woman, stand up and be a voice for the dumb white women, be an example of how smart a white woman can be. Be a smart white woman encouraging the dumb ones to speak up. Together women can make a difference.

Anonymous #7: Thanks for  giving me and my readers the update on Medicare. I am relieved that the Premium Fairness Act passed, and I am all for HR3200. We will continue to push for a better health care system.

Matt: Your comment intrigued me so I googled Stacie Ritter. This is just an excerpt of what I found. For the entire article click:  Huff.

Both of her daughters, now 11, were diagnosed with leukemia when they were four. They both needed stem cell transplants and other cancer treatments. They did survive, but the treatments damaged the glands that control their growth beyond repair. Their doctors indicated that in order for them to continue to grow normally, they needed regular growth-hormone injections.

But there was a problem. Each time Stacie took her daughter to the doctor for shots, it cost her $440. CIGNA refused to pay.

Stacie and her husband were not about to deny their daughters the right to grow up, so they spent every spare dollar on the injections. In the end, those expenses — coupled with other costs they had to pay for the twins’ cancer treatment — forced them to declare bankruptcy.

Their story is not unusual. Sixty-two percent of all bankruptcies are caused by medical bills — and often when an insurance company denies care. People think they are doing the responsible thing for their families. They have health insurance, but then a tragic illness hits and they lose everything anyway.

CIGNA didn’t refuse to pay for the kids’ hormone injections because it hates kids, or wanted the twins to stop growing. It denied the shots because its principal mission has nothing to do with those kids’ health — it is making money.

Ed Hanway, CIGNA’s CEO, can tell you about that. In 2008, Ed made $12.2 million. That’s $5,883 an hour. Ed makes more in one day than the average worker makes all year long. He makes 30 times more than the President of the United States.

Ed makes enough each day to cover 106 of those shots.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the ‘Donate’ button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my ‘Donate’ page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129 Thank you for your loyal support!

For archives dated before January 17, 2008 click on my Blogroll:

or click here: “A Day in the life of…”

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2009

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Good morning….No post today peeps…I just want to say hello and address some of you. Okey Dokey?

RB: I hear ya but I don’t think you’re going to get the answer you’re looking for from JB.

Doug: We are almost always in agreement on many things but I respectfully disagree with you too. Although I think after reading Nick’s post, you get where he and I are coming from, and see the logic in it. Nick took my point and expanded on it. I was hoping that a man would respond that way so that I didn’t have to. Since I am not a man I can not speak from experience, I can not speak from a man’s knowing point of view. I can only speculate.  But what you said Nick, was exactly how I felt and even more so. And I learned a little bit more. Thanks to both you and Doug for giving your opinions so that the conversation could go deeper.

AL: I hear where you are coming from too. A man can get raped by a woman how you described it. And as you said it happens in jail all of the time. However, I don’t think Nick was being foolish. My point about a woman not being able to rape a man was strictly about penis penetration on the man’s part. So was Nick’s, as he so articulately described in his comment. Your comment took the topic to a totally different direction and added some interest. Hope you are well.

Myra: Seeing a comment from an earthling girl was a nice surprise, but the content of your post was not to say the least.  I am so sorry for the loss of Initi. Thank you for informing me. I wish you and the rest safe travels.

Ruth: How are you? Thanks for the post. I take probiotics from Dr. David Williams. He has blogged here a few times. I am very happy with his products and the results.

Helena: Your post was a good one too. I am aware of the problem of older people taking their spouses meds instead of their own which is very dangerous. But the fact that 1 out of 30 prescriptions are written incorrectly is astounding to me. That is just too many errors in such delicate life situations. I agree with the post…too many doctors prescribe too many meds. I do believe in taking some medications, but I always try the natural or alternative ways first.  I hope that you are well.

Peter and Anna: I hope that you and your peeps are weathering the storm. Hafa Adai.

Anonymous: Wow. That was a very interesting and informative post on cholesterol. I hear so many people (including my mother) talk about their levels of cholesterol (LDL and HDL),  and how to lower it….how one day it is good and the next day it isn’t.  It seems to be very confusing and quite the mystery. But this really simplifies and gets to the meat of it. Thank you. This will definitely get filed in my desktop health folders.

Jerry: That was quite the story. Really, that is all of the energy I have right now for you.

Thanks for the Kudos Caroline…I think you’re a lark. :)

Anonymous #19/Drew: To answer your question plain and simple, “Yes.” Thanks for the info on Moveon. I’ll check it out.

Anonymous # 21, 26, Bg, XR, DL, TA: Right on. Thanks for the kind words. Liked all of your commentary too. We can all thank Ruth for bringing up this continued hot topic.

And now I must go. Happy Friday!

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the ‘Donate’ button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my ‘Donate’ page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129 Thank you for your loyal support!

For archives dated before January 17, 2008 click on my Blogroll:

or click here: “A Day in the life of…”

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2009

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Hellooo…

Well, Michael Moore’s movie “Capitalism: A Love Story” is hitting the theaters all across the country tomorrow. But today Michael has a gift for all of you that unfortunately have lost your home or your job. Read his letter below:

Friends,

We’re just one day away from the widest opening I’ve ever had for any of my movies. Tomorrow, Friday, October 2nd, “Capitalism: A Love Story” opens on over a thousand screens across the United States, a record for an independent documentary.

This follows last weekend’s limited opening in New York and L.A. where “Capitalism” set the box office record for the highest per screen average of ANY movie released so far this year. Not just any documentary – any MOVIE! It was, as the studio said, a good indicator of just how well the movie may do when it goes wide this weekend. I sincerely hope they’re right because I believe deeply in this film.

To kick off the national release of “Capitalism: A Love Story,” I’ve asked the studio to offer a number of screenings in the nation’s hardest hit cities — the ones with the highest unemployment rates and highest foreclosure rates — where those who’ve lost their jobs or who are in foreclosure (or have already been evicted) may attend my film free of charge. They’ve agreed, and so tonight (Thursday), the night before our opening day, ten cities will grant you free admission if you have fallen on hard times. The list of theaters and cities is below. You don’t need to bring any “proof” of your situation — just show up — it’s the honor system, no questions asked.

Of course, a free movie ain’t much when what you really need is a job or a place to live. And that’s not going to change until the party that controls both the Congress and the White House wakes up and realizes the American people put them in charge to fix the mess created by the previous administration. For that to happen requires the active involvement of each of us. And, as I show in this movie, it’s going to also require us to challenge some fundamental assumptions about an economic system that currently allows the wealthiest ONE PERCENT in this country to have more financial wealth than the bottom 95% combined. That concentration of money and power in the hands of so few people is, I believe, at the core of so many of our problems.

So, if you’re going through tough times and you live in one of the areas below, please be my guest tonight, on the eve of my new film’s opening. Seating will be on a first come, first served basis.

Also, in another five cities tonight, I have made the film available to local groups to hold benefit screenings to raise money for their local organizations — organizations which are working toward a day when a filmmaker doesn’t have to offer free screenings to people who’ve been put through the wringer. If you live in any of these areas (see below for the list of benefit premieres tonight), please come out and support the good work of these grassroots groups.

So, until tomorrow, thanks for your support, and I’ll see ya at the movies!

Yours,

Michael Moore

Awesome. I can’t wait to see it this weekend.

**************

Ruth: Interesting article. My first thought was, Polanski should be arrested. He left the country after he admitted raping her, to save his ass and escape being prosecuted. At least that is the story that I heard. (Correct me if I’m wrong please.) Just because it is 30 years later doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, even if the woman is over it. Time doesn’t dismiss the dirty deed.

Nor should being gifted dismiss it either. Were it just some Joe the plumber, we most likely wouldn’t be having this discussion. It disgusts me that people revere hollywood and stars as if they were more special than the average Joe. And I’m shocked by the likings of women such as Debra Winger who so easily dismiss his actions because of his genius. It’s women like her that push us back in our struggle to be equal. If women aren’t going to stick up for women, what message does that give to the young girls our there, not to mention the men?

On a side note, I can tell you one thing…..A woman can’t rape a man, let alone, rape a 13-year old boy. It just can’t happen. If a man gets aroused, he wants it…he’s consenting to it whether he’s 13 or 50. You can’t have sex if the dick isn’t hard. So, I’m not saying it’s okay for a woman to have sex with a minor, but you can’t call it rape. A woman on the other hand can be as dry as the desert and that won’t stop a man from raping her. It happens all the time. That’s my opinion. But hey, readers, if you feel differently, I’d love to hear from you.

Anyway, Ruth, I agree with you….it does say a lot about the state of things.

Paul: I’m sorry that happened to you. But I’m glad that you found the ad even it your friend didn’t. The other thing I have no control over is how long the ad stays up. Sometimes if a page is refreshed the ad stays constant and sometimes a new ad is posted.  FYI: The ads are placed relevant to my sites content, and they change with each post depending on the content of each individual post. My suggestion for your friend would be to go to the day (post) where you saw the ad. It might still be there or it might come up.

I know that is not much of a solution but I appreciate you bringing this up as I am learning a few things. One: I know that people are looking at the ads and clicking, because I check the numbers everyday. But that if one wants to find the ad again, it can be difficult. And two: In the future, it would behoove me to acquire paid advertisers so that I can control what ads are placed and how long they will be up and running. Thanks Paul.

Zen Lill:  Sorry that I’ve been behind in my correspondence  to you. Got your phone call the other day but I have been busy with work and my new fashion venture. Maybe we can chat toward the end of the week? Happy to hear things are going good and my women readers are benefiting from your health writes. :)

Al:  Thanks for the interesting article again and for posting the series. They were well worth the reads. I am assuming that this is the last of them since you included the link?  Bummer.

Anna: Your post made me laugh. You have quite the following that depends on you. :) Happy to see you back here.

Alvina:  I was so sorry to hear about Samoa last night and Indonesia. However I am happy to hear that you are safe since you are writing me here. I didn’t know I had a following in Samoa. Nor a male admirer. I do get his horny drift but please do me the honor and smack him for me :) It is my goal to be able to travel again, soon and lots…maybe Samoa will be a destination. How could I resist a parade for moi?! Be well…I am sure some of my readers will be able to help.

Ah…I see a few more comments have come in but I need to run….See ya tomorrow.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor

If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the ‘Donate’ button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my ‘Donate’ page)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129 Thank you for your loyal support!

For archives dated before January 17, 2008 click on my Blogroll:

or click here: “A Day in the life of…”

All content on this site are property of Michelle Moquin © copyright 2009

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

I’ve been getting a lot of e-mail news sent to me in regards to Darfur lately. And now that the G20 summit has happened, the big question is, ‘What will the world’s richest countries do?’

At the summit, the experts discussed the important role of the world’s largest economies and the potential they have to support peace and political reform in Sudan. Much of the focus in the summit was what the U.S. and other G-20 nations can do to ensure proper measures are met before Khartoum’s debt can be relieved. Sudan is in a great deal of debt. (hmm…join the party, what country isn’t these days?)

Here’s a little background on Sudan’s debt:

Despite the boom period of the last decade in Sudan’s capitol Khartoum, the country’s external debt has risen from $15 billion to $34 billion – owed mostly to multi-lateral, Western, Chinese, Arab and Indian creditors.  Sudan’s external public debt – the second most in Africa – has increased from $13 billion in 1989 when President Omar al-Bashir engineered the coup that brought him to power.

The Save Darfur coalition doesn’t feel that debt-relief should happen unless Sudan makes proven and significant progress toward peace in Darfur. Hmm…that request does remind me a little bit of what we hoped would’ve been said to the bailed out banks here in the U.S., when they were given relief. Spread the wealth to the citizens. Of course, what is happening here does not compare to the atrocities that happen daily in Darfur. I am by no means comparing the rape and death in Darfur to those losing their houses in the U.S. But it does make one think.

Here’s the rest of what the Save Darfur coalition has to say:

SUDAN’S DEBT IS ODIOUS DEBT

Debt is to be considered odious if a government has used these externally secured funds for personal interests or to oppress its own people. Sudan’s debt of the last twenty years has been contracted without public consent, and primarily spent – not for – but against the interests of the Sudanese people.  The same regime in Khartoum though that used international loans to finance civil war in the 1990s and genocide this decade now seeks a debt-relief package from its creditors to overcome its current financial challenges.

WHY SUDAN’S DEBT SHOULD NOT BE FORGIVEN

Instead of first changing its egregious behavior in Darfur, which would make international lenders more sympathetic to debt-relief requests, the Sudanese government continues to defy the international community by refusing to acknowledge past and ongoing human rights violations in the region, blocking humanitarian assistance and the deployment of the AU/UN peacekeeping force (UNAMID), and obstructing at every stage efforts to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

The Sudanese government has not convincingly shown that debt-relief would actually serve the interests of the its impoverished population. President Bashir and the National Congress Party (NCP) in Sudan continue to obstruct the full implementation of the North-South peace agreement and the 2005 Interim Constitution which includes a Bill of Rights. At every turn over the last five years, Bashir and the NCP have frustrated attempts to bring about true political and judicial reforms for all Sudanese.

KHARTOUM’S RECENT APPEALS FOR DEBT FORGIVENESS

This summer the Sudanese government officially requested help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in obtaining a debt-relief package from the international community.  In July, Japan wrote off $28 million in debt while NCP officials raised the issue with British officials on at least two occasions. David Shinn, former U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia, in testimony before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also recommended that the international community “begin the process of looking at Sudan’s debt, especially if Khartoum makes progress in ending the Darfur conflict.”

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THE G-20: DON’T FORGIVE SUDAN’S DEBT

President Obama should lead the international community in making clear that any condition of debt-relief can happen only if Sudan makes proven and significant progress toward: peace in Darfur, the full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and significant structural reforms that fundamentally change the repressive systems in Sudan.  By adopting this approach, President Obama would be carrying out his inaugural offer to repressive regimes of extending a hand – but only to those willing to “unclench” their fists.

If the Sudanese government demonstrably changes its behavior to the benefit of all of Sudan’s people, the U.S. should lead efforts to facilitate a debt-relief package for Sudan with the international community…But if the Sudanese government fails to match its rhetoric for peace with proven action, then the U.S. should make it clear to Sudan that it will use its role at the IMF and World Bank, as well as its position in the Paris Club, to block any potential debt-relief package.

Readers: What are your thoughts, if any, about Sudan’s Debt and what the G20 should do? Maybe Anonz will be reading this and he can tell us more and give us his thoughts.

May peace come to Darfur……peacin’ out again….

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor

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