• Communication commission discussion

  • une très bonne and, mais en suivant les problèmesà

    from Roberto Savio on Jan 01, 2016 09:38 PM
    
    
    
    POOR 2016, SO MANY HANDICAPS
    
    By Roberto Savio*
    
    San Salvador, Bahamas, December 31, 2015 - At this time, we all wish “ a very good year”. While the wish is always a positive thing, we should also realize that we cannot expect too much from the new born year. He is loaded by so  many handicaps, that we  should have lot of sympathy for him…He is part of a negative circle that started with the financial crisis of 2008, and that will probably conclude in 2017, a cathartic year in which   elections in several key countries and other crucial appointments could open a new cycle. Unless a  republican victory in the American Elections will anticipate a global crisis of governance faster…
    
    Here is a list of the major handicaps for 2016, which is of course a personal view: but supported  by many data…
    
    Handicap 1:  Climate change.
    
    After Paris conference on climate change, this year will be crucial to understand in which direction the wind of change is blowing. Of course, the process of saving our planet at its present level, is planned over a span going to 2050. Let us briefly recall  that the engagements taken in Paris are insufficient to reach the goal of not surpassing 2 Centigrade above the level that prevailed before the Industrial Revolution( we have already used 1 centigrade). As now, the Paris Pact  will at least reach 3.7 Centigrade, which means, among many things, 850 millions people displaced. In fact, there is a consensus that we should not  go beyond 1.5 Centigrades, to be really safe. 
    
    Well, we will take just two examples, to show that the threat to the planet is a very concrete one, and that political subjection to the energy sector continues. The British Parliament has just approved legislation allowing use of the shale gas extraction technology , know has hydraulic fracking. This is also allowed beneath protected sites, including national parks.British government has announced that they will award new licenses for shale gas and oil exploration, including national parks.
    
    The other is an interview from Gian Luca Galletti, Italian minister for environment, back from Paris.He defends his new program of oil extraction in land and sea, by declaring: “One of the key themes of Paris is the equitable exploration of natural resources. We live in a country that is still uses petrol and gas, and I do not see why we should  use energies from others.”The Prime Minister Renzi has applauded the “green criteria”  with which the new plan of drilling, for  2 billion euro. . Meanwhile in Gela, Sicily, one of the refining places, child cancer has gone to 159.2 percent, Hodgkin to 72.4, stomach tumor 47.5 percent, versus the national norma.
    
    According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect subsidies to the fossil industries, coal and oil, amount to  5.3 trillion dollars dollars per year. The subsidy requested in Paris for introducing green technologies, world wide, is 100 billion dollars. This data is sufficient to illustrate the gap between good intentions and vested interests.
    
    If this trend will continue in 2016, it is clear that the Paris climate agreement swill never reach its goals. 
    
    Handicap 2: ISIS and terrorism 
    
    While everybody keeps focusing on the war to the Caliphate in Siria, it is time to look more in long term.The war in Siria has become a proxy war by Saudi Arabia (which  is directly responsible for the diffusion of the radical islam imposed by ISIS, wahabism), Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Russia, United States, France, Great Britain, and now with support from Germany and theoretically from the European Union. Now, all muslim countries worldwide are supposed to join Saudi Arabia.They are all ready to fight this war to the last syrian, but not to risk any man. As bombing has never been sufficient to win,  this is a war that in 2016 will go nowhere. But what we have to start to reflect  is that ISIS is  a local project, and  is becoming a global one. A Security Council  report  estimates that 25.000 people from 100 countries have joined Al Qaida and ISIS. The number of foreign fighters went up by 71% in just ten months. And the massacres of Paris and San Bernardino were perpetuated by local people, who were not part of the ISIS structure.
    
    The main difference between Al Qaida and ISIS, according About Zeid, from the Carnegie  Center in Beirut, is that Al Qaida has as its main goal to fight against Western domination. But ISIS is especially interested to a depuration of  the muslim world, fighting  other branches of Islam, from Shia to Sufi to YAZIDI , ismaeliti etc, to eliminate them and oblige  Sunni to accept a strict wahabist practice, or suffer violence.
    
    It is in that light that ISIS messages to muslim living in the West is insistent and clear :Take side, or with the West as apostates, or with us as real Muslim.
    
    The problem is that mistrust of Muslims  the West is increasing. Hate crimes have tripled in the last month in US, spurred by the irresponsible Republican presidential candidates. The growing rightwing  xenophobic european parties, led by demagogues like Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in the Nederland, or Le Pen in France, are subjecting Muslim to harsh times. It obliges them to define more their allegiances, and this can push young and marginalized muslim into  the ISIS camp.
    
    Refugees from muslim countries, like Siria, are depicted  as infiltrated by ISIS.If this trend of radicalization continues, it will become a phenomena which will survive  ISIS. itself. Over 25.000 people from 100  countries have joined the ISIS: a 715 increase of foreign fighters in just ten months. According to the Pew Institute, Islam is now at 1.6 billion people, but in 2050 will be close to the christians ( 1.8 billions), in 2075 will have the same consistency, and in 2.100 will be the largest religion in the world. By the way, is the religion who has the largest number of under 15.
    
    The long terms project of ISIS is a clash of civilization. A continues polarization, with the West as a clear enemy, is what ISIS legacy could be. It means to go global, from local.
    
    The year 2016 will be crucial to see if this polarization will increase or not. Will the West be able to understand the trap in which he is walking? Anyhow, our daily life is already under attack. To travel has become an aggravation. US is now tightening its visa policy for Europeans. Cots of security are  increasing  by 83 percent in Europe, according to an Interpol estimate. Fear is seeping more and more in the collective subconscious. If in 2016 there will be more massacres like Paris and San Bernardino, fear and polarization will take a trend may be irreversible.
    
    Handicap 3: Refugees: 
    
    With media covering just events, , the refugee crisis has now passed to a second plan. Nothing has changed: people die like before, countries have erected walls and continue to adopt stricter measures, but with winter less people are ready to risk their life.But let us take a long term view. Europe, Australia, United States and other rich countries are simply not culturally prepared to accept two inescapable facts. The first, that the homogenous, white, christian world that we know, is not sustainable. Is a law of physics that an empty space attract overflow. In this moment the crisis is due entirely to irresponsible military actions taken to depose an unsavory dictator, without any planning for the after. In a short time, Saddam Hussein and Gheddafi were successfully deposed, leaving their countries in chaos and misery. The last attempt, Assad, become a proxy war , with Russia and the Shia ( Iran , Hezbollah), keeping him in place, in spite of the efforts of Europe and United States.  Only Siria has now four million refugees and just a fourth of them is trying to make a new life in Europe. 
    
    At the same time, Europe has a significant  demographic decline. According to the UN, Europe needs at least 2 more millions of additional people to keep its pension system functioning, and the economy running, and will need at least 350.000 new immigrants every year, until the population will stabilize again, around 2080. Of course, there is no political campaign of education to this reality. The right wing parties present a dream: let us go back to the time that we were all white, with Christianity as our common bond, let us defend our identity and our history. 
    
    But if we go beyond our present crisis, let us realize that demographic transformations are staggering. According to the last UN projections, the world in 2100 will not be 9 billion as thought ( we are now at 7.5 billion), but 11.2 billions. Africa will be then 4.4 billion people, up from its present  billion. Ethiopia, to make a case, is now 100 million people: it will l be 243 millions in 2100. Africa will be then 39% of the world population, almost as much as Asia, and four times the share of Europe and North America put together. Africa is largely muslim..… 
    
    Let us remind that now Europe and US are accepting ( US  symbolically)  refugees, or those who have left their home because of a conflict. That leaves outside people who are afraid of mortal discrimination, like gays in Africa, Nigerian girls where Boko Haram bring them in slavery, religious groups like Christians in the middle east, or rohinyás in Myanmar…and this excludes economic migrants, or people who have left their home because it does not feed them, and escape hunger, not war…and  we will have to add the new category of climate refugees, which does not even exist in the present debate.
    
    According to the United Nations High Commission for Refuges, in 50 years, according on how we implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, we could go with 3  degrees to 250 millions displaced people, and with 4.5 to 1.000 million people. According the International Organization for Migrations, “ in the last 30 years droughts and inundations have tripled” and climate changes have created more displaced people than wars. The security Council has released a report which depicts how more than one million Syrian farmers, ruined by the drought between 2007 and 2010, took refuge in unprepared and fragile towns, and their desperation  plaid a key role in the Arab Spring insurrection against Assad.
    
    So it is time to realize that the West is facing an historical change, with dramatic consequences in lifestyle, customs, and  daily practices. This could be achieved by accepting gradually newcomers to the club, in harmony and coexistence  of the Western values, or by showing them a fist, as Salvini and Trump do.  The 2016 will be very crucial to see how this will go, especially after American Elections.
    
    Handicap 4: Decline of democracy
    
    It is time to realize that political disaffection is not only increasing xenophobic and right wing parties   since the economic crisis of 2009, but also sapping the prestige of democracy as an undisputed modern value. We have now the Hungarian Prime Minister, who openly advocates an “illiberal democracy”, and look to Putin as a  model. Poland is following the same direction, and all over Eastern Europe there is  a clear shift to the right, marked by pressing request to Nato and United States to enhance military barriers to Russia. ( And Nato poking Putin paranoia, by offering Montenegro, with 2.000 soldiers, to join).All those countries have refused European agreements on receiving  refugees, as well as any other burden from Brussels ( money of  course is accepted and requested). Putin has set up an informal alliance with the right wing parties , as a leader in the defense of identity and religion. He has even given  a 5 million euro loan to Le Pen.
    
    In time of crisis, people are more interested in their security and work, than who is in power. Many classical voters for the left, like workers and unemployed, now vote for the right wing parties, and believe their promises of going back to the golden past. They are not interested any longer by ideologies or political visions. They think that right and left does not exist any more. They are disillusioned with the classical party system, and they are ready to try anything new and which is not part of the establishment. This is the reason of Le Pen success in France, of the disconcerting support for Trump in United States ( and even more puzzling the success of  Bernie Sanders , a declared socialist, a term which is close to anathema  in US).
    
    Of course, right wing xenophobic parties are not very useful for international cooperation and dialogue with others. But the real problem is that we are in a crisis of  political vision.When ideologies are discarded as relics, and the following step is to adopt pragmatism as a solution, in fact you are making of politics a number of ad hoc solutions, without any final view of the society.  Each action is chosen as the most useful for that specific issue. That is not pragmatism, is utilitarism, which downgrade policy to administrative, and this does not attract people’s participation, especially young people. And the administrative  level of politics, without any vision,  is prone to corruption, which is clearly growing in the western democracies.
    
    Fear is strengthening  the right, not the left. Today fear is creeping into our daily lives, according to different polls. A survey from The World Value System, found out that today only one  fifth of Americans consider democracy as a fundamental principle.  The same is happening in Europe, according to the same survey. In other words, nazism and stalinism are faded memories. And the Chinese model, where decision can be taken in a short time, bolstering productivity and action., is becoming popular.
    
    We  are, of course, not yet in the Weimar climate. But we are getting in place many of the ingredients which brought an obscure demagogue to run  the most advanced country of the time.
    
    It will be important to see  how in this year demagogy will continue its growth, or will abate. But what would be important is that we all start to put democracy under observation, not  longer a  value over the fray. It is under attack, not only from ISIS and terrorism, but from leaders elected by their citizens, be  Orban or Putin, and whit a phenomenal approval rate. So it is time we take into account that a growing segment of the population in the West is finding refuge in the dreams of the past, with political en economic agendas which are out of reality. Democracy, sadly, is on the wane.
    
    Handicap 5: The decline  of Europe. 
    
    In 2016 probably Cameron will call a referendum on leaving the European Union or not.  This is    trap in which the British PM put himself, by promising to renegotiate Britain permanence in the EU, or  having several benefits or quitting. It is clear now that with empty hands, he would loose the referendum ( he is supposed to want to remain). Negotiations with Europe will go ahed in the first months of the year. Germany considers a catastrophe if Britain leaves, so it will help Cameron. Whatever the EU will concede to Britain, will be immediately requested by all East European countries.This will mark the  end  of european integration. The 2016 could  be the year when  this will happen.
    
    Handicap 6 : Nationalism in Asia.  
    
    It is a worrying reality that for the first time since the end of the last war, the major Asian countries, China, India and Japan, are run at the same time by nationalist leaders. While obviously different in their reality and style (nothing like the twins Putin-Erdogan), they are revamping the glorious past and the humiliations that they did suffer in the World War 2, to stir citizens to their support.  
    
    President Xi has launched “the Chinese dream”,  which is rooted in bringing back the ancient glories of the Empire of the Middle, and revenge the humiliations of the european occupation, Japanese occupation, and the oppium war. Two years ago mobs destroyed Japanese shops and properties, without initially any police intervention.China has embarked in a plan of influences to counter United Sates, by financing several grandiose projects: the creation of a Bank alternative to the World Bank, under Washington control. On Xi invitation, 45 countries did join the bank, who will have a total of 200 billion dollars, in spite of Washington opposition.It is also planning to recreate the ancient “Silk Road”, by investing over 50 billion dollars. And it is planning  to finance the “twin Ocean Railroad connection, a planned 5.000 km railway from the Peru coast to Brasil. 
    
    It has given to Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, loans for over 80 billion dollars, sending a message to the  traditional “backyard” of United States: wane yourself from Washington, I have more resources ( China reserves are  3.8 trillion dollars). It has been intervening heavily in Africa, to the point that Zimbabwe is considering pegging its currency to the yuan. And it is expanding its maritime zone  in the sea, by building bases on some small rocks, which were claimed by several asian countries. China will  increased its military budget by 7% during  the new five year plan.
    
    Abe, the Japanese PM, has gone in the same direction. It has just increased the military budget by 7%, and more importantly he has made an interpretation of the constitution, that allows again the Japanese Defense Force to act abroad. He defends that change by saying that it is for limited cases. Yet, is like to give liquors filled chocolates to an ex alcoholic. Polls show a growing surge of the right and of the nostalgics, who feel the defeat in the second world war as an humiliation to erase. Abe has refused to apologize for the violence used against civilians by Japanese troops in China, and to recognize Japanese responsibilities in the forcible recruitment of over 60.000 Korean girls to be used as “sex help”, for the Japanese soldiers.
    
    Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, is also recalling the glorious past, tacitly condoning right wing and nationalist acts, and speaking of “ a new indian glory" .In 2050, according the Un projections, India will overtake China as the largest population  of the world. The difference is that India has 41% of his population under 18;China by that time will have only 23% of young people, in a sea of old people, because of its one child policy. 
    
    Modi has projected India at the forefront of the international scene, by using his leverage in the Paris Conference on climate change. He now speaks on behalf of the non industrialized country ( China attempt to do that in Paris went nowhere), and he is also increasing the military budget. He just bought armament from China for 12 b million dollars, an hefty amount for a country which needs dramatic injections in its social, educational and health system, beside of course infrastructures.
    
    In other words, if there is a place where a new world war could coming, is Asia. And its scale would be really unprecedented. What is worrying is that ALL asian  countries are increasing their defense budget, How much this will bring some significant events in 2016, is difficult to predict. But it would be important to loom at Asia as a place of concern for the world peace.
    
    Handicap 7: Decline in Latin America. 
    
     While this is more of a  regional problem, in an interconnected world everything  has relevance for everybody. Latin America has been for the last decade an active international actor, contributing to the world development. The decline of Chinese imports of raw material, and  the increase of interest rates from the Federal Reserve in Washington, ( which will shift investments from Latin America to the US market) are a two piece prong, that is affecting seriously the region. 
    
    Some economists are already talking of a new negative cycle, that could  last for some years. The low prices of commodities is affecting all the region, from copper in Chile to oil in Venezuela, Ecuador, and agricultural commodities in Argentina. in Venezuela, Maduro is still ignoring the new reality, and the World Bank predicts a decline of 10% in 2016. He could remain in power only solving problems, for which he has no funds.
    
     The same is happening in Ecuador. Argentina has already changed direction, and is going back to the neoliberal policies of the past.Brazil is in the middle of a crisis  for corruption, which is hiding a very difficult economic situation. The Economic Commission for Latin America has published an alarmed report, in which it forecast a serious decline. In the report, it indicates that at the end of 2016 we will have a more clear picture, once is clear if the Chinese locomotor is in a temporary loss of speed, or in  a more durable process.
    
    Handicap 8:  Armament increase.
    
     According to the projections of the Swedish Institute for Peace, the 2016 will see increase in armament costs close to 3%. That increase  is the equivalent of 600 billion dollars, an amount which could have solved the ambitious goals of the  Millennium Development goals established by the  UN,;the amount requested in Paris by the non industrialized countries to give them clean technology,( an unresolved problem yet ). But the debate on reduction of armaments  ignores a stunning reality: the five Permanent Members of the Security Council of the UN ( in charge  with securing peace), make  82% of the global arm’s sale. And with China entering massively into weapons manufacturing, that percentage is bound to grow. 
    
    United Nations started to authorize  “humanitarian intervention”, in Somalia(December 5, 1992 - May 4, 1993). The scope of the american led invasion was to bring humanitarian aid in a rogue country, where conflicting militia were starving the population. The balance of that operation ( with a quick exit of US, after several of his soldiers were drawn as corpses in the main street of Mogadishu), was a total cost of the military operations of 900 million dollars.
    
     The value of the food and other supplies distributed was 90 million dollars. That proportion has been kept in every case. Except that it is always much more easy to find resources for military operations, than for humanitarian ones. The massive wave of refugees for all the local wars in Africa and Middle East, is a consequence of that priority. Europe has accepted to give 3 billions dollars to Turkey, and eliminate visas, so to keep Syrian refugees there. It is now spending for refugees  an amount which is  not yet quantifiable, but that certainly goes in billion of dollars. If that money would have been spent for assisting populations in the conflict zone, certainly the number of refugees pounding on the doors would have been considerably smaller.
    
    Unfortunately, 2016 is going in that direction. Armaments costs will increase, while development assistance is being curtailed everywhere. The budget for aid is now being used to finance the incoming refugees, and probably to finance the commitments of Paris. Therefore, the amount of aid reaching poor populations, is decreasing. The last Un Conference for pledging resources, held on Nov. 10th in NewYork, saw a “ dramatic decline” in donors contributions, from 560 million dollars in 2014, to 77 million dollars, ,largely covering 2015. Of course, this is going to increase economic migrants.
    
    Handicap 9: increase of inequality 
    
    The Economist itself has been noting” that the rich are becoming richer and  the richest are getting richer faster, is beyond doubt”. A research by the University of California found out that the share of  American wealth held the 0.1 percent of the richest households rose from 7% in 1979, to 22% in 2012. And  that of the richest 0.01 per cent ( about 16.000 household), jumped from 2% to 11%. Of course, they do not get money printed especially for them. They suck the money from the total monetary circulation, which means that some people are surrendering their wealth. An other study has documented that since 2008, the american middle class has shrunk by 10 million families.
    
    This is a worldwide trend. In Spain, rich people have increased by 40% since 2008. In 2014, the number of millionaires did increase worldwide by 920.000 individual. There are now in the world , according the Bank of Canada 14.6 millions who owns more than million dollars in cash beside the primary house, cars and different goods. The gap between managers and employees and  workers is growing yearly, with little protest.  The CEO  of the 500 Fortune Companies (the most successful) had a median income of 17.5 million dollars, with some of course over 200 millions.
    
    A number of economists, among them from the World Bank and the IMF, have been warning that inequality has not only social and political implications, but also economic, as it reduces buying power from the poor, eliminates small shops and companies, and erodes the middle class, which is the basis for social stability. The famous book “Capital in the Twenty-First 
    
    Century”, by Thomas Piketty, makes this point central: as wealth concentrates, democratic societies lose faith in the fairness of governments, which are seen as allied to the big capital. Le Pen campaign against “plutocrats” is reminiscent of the language used by Mussolini and Hitler: all right wing parties denounce bankers as enemies, and that stirs with those who see their lifestyle decline, or their sons without a job, why a few are obscenely rich. 
    
    What is disconcerting in this unprecedented explosion of inequality ( according Oxfam in 2025 England will have the same level   of the time of Queen Victoria),  that the banner has been generally taken more by the right wing parties, than from those on the left. And inequality has not become a big political issue. If it were not for Sanders, it would be totally absent in the american elections. 
    
    And now, two researchers, the Russian economist Vladimir Gimpelson ad the American political scientist Daniel Treisman have come up with an illuminating study. They looked at a collection of survey from 40 countries, both rich and poor. The  conclusion is that people’s guess about the distribution of incomes and where they  are  is as wrong as it could be. Those who were relatively poor people tended to depict them as middle class. In Italy, more than half of the needy though they were at the middle of the income scales. In France and Sweden, the proportion was more than one third. In contrast, those who are better off tend to think that they have not yet made it. In France, Italy and Britain, 40 percent or more of the people who owned second homes put themselves in the bottom half.
    
    This, in Marxists  terms, means that people have lost a sense of class, and therefore they do not resent inequality as it was done before. And this means that the political class does not feel inequality as a crucial issue.It is not by chance that the term “social justice” has disappeared from the political debate. But how long this will last?
    
    The 2016 will see this trend to continue. It is difficult for people to realize how this concentration process is becoming extreme. Let us take two noble examples, to illustrate it. Mark Zuckeberg, the founder of Facebook, has announced that he will donate 99% of his shares, valued at 45 billion dollars, to philanthropy. It is an amount that competes with China project for its railroad spanning from Beijing to Europe, so is an extreme act  of philanthropy. But let us keep in mind that the 1% left to him is 450 million dollars: 400 times the lifetime income of a collage graduate.
    
     And that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation,a very important institution,  which is supported by 44 billions, has given away 5 billion in 2014: this was anyhow less than the 7.4 billion it accumulated thanks to new contributions, investment income and rising value assets.In other words, money brings so much money, when  you have plenty of it, that it will be always there ( unless you waste it…but billionaires usually do not do..when  Zuckeberg  was in Rome in honeymoon, in the jewish quarter,  he did not leave any tip to the astonished waiter)
    
    Handicap  10: your personal commitment.  
    
    This list of handicaps is highly subjective, and leaves outside several issues which are very important, like gender, human rights, development assistance, finance control, migrants, etc. If you have reached this point of my paper, it means that you  are committed to a  better world, and you are an unusual reader.  According to a study from Unesco, only 3% of the world population can read 5.000 words of abstract material, without  giving up.It also means that you have some commitment probably to issues that I have left out. It would be the most positive result to this writing,  if you could make an effort and  think how they will fare in  2016: if the Newborn  year looks positive for your commitments. The purpose of Othernews is to stimulate thinking and awareness. Let us this  be the New Year wishes from the publisher to all of you!
    
    *Italian-Argentine journalist. Co-founder and former Director General of Inter Press Service (IPS). In recent years he also founded Other News, a service that provides "information markets eliminate". Other News. In Spanish: http://www.other-news.info/noticias/ <http://www.other-news.info/noticias/> In English:  <>http://www.other-net.info/ <http://www.other-net.info/>
     
    
    
    
    
     Roberto Savio
    utopie@...
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Thread Outline:
  • Fwd: une très bonne and, mais en suivant les problèmesà

    from Azril Bacal on Jan 02, 2016 02:09 AM
    *El buen amigo y gran periodista Roberto identifica algunos retos del 2016.
    Le respondo con el llamado a leer los signos de los tiempos con el
    pesimismo de la mente y el optimismo del corazón, en el sendero del PODER
    PUDIENDO de PODEMOS - ¿o nos quedamos contemplando a las espinas sin
    podarlas para que la rosa nos brinde sus efluvios? *
    
    *Malgrait tout, abrazotes por el año nuevo 2016 😊*
    
    Azril
    
    _______________________
    
    *POOR 2016, SO MANY HANDICAPS*
    
    *By Roberto Savio**
    
    San Salvador, Bahamas, December 31, 2015 - At this time, we all wish “ a
    very good year”. While the wish is always a positive thing, we should also
    realize that we cannot expect too much from the new born year. He is loaded
    by so  many handicaps, that we  should have lot of sympathy for him…He is
    part of a negative circle that started with the financial crisis of 2008,
    and that will probably conclude in 2017, a cathartic year in which
    elections in several key countries and other crucial appointments could
    open a new cycle. Unless a  republican victory in the American Elections
    will anticipate a global crisis of governance faster…
    
    Here is a list of the major handicaps for 2016, which is of course a
    personal view: but supported  by many data…
    
    *Handicap 1:  Climate change.*
    
    After Paris conference on climate change, this year will be crucial to
    understand in which direction the wind of change is blowing. Of course, the
    process of saving our planet at its present level, is planned over a span
    going to 2050. Let us briefly recall  that the engagements taken in Paris
    are insufficient to reach the goal of not surpassing 2 Centigrade above the
    level that prevailed before the Industrial Revolution( we have already used
    1 centigrade). As now, the Paris Pact  will at least reach 3.7 Centigrade,
    which means, among many things, 850 millions people displaced. In fact,
    there is a consensus that we should not  go beyond 1.5 Centigrades, to be
    really safe.
    
    Well, we will take just two examples, to show that the threat to the planet
    is a very concrete one, and that political subjection to the energy sector
    continues. The British Parliament has just approved legislation allowing
    use of the shale gas extraction technology , know has hydraulic fracking.
    This is also allowed beneath protected sites, including national
    parks.British government has announced that they will award new licenses
    for shale gas and oil exploration, including national parks.
    
    The other is an interview from Gian Luca Galletti, Italian minister for
    environment, back from Paris.He defends his new program of oil extraction
    in land and sea, by declaring: “One of the key themes of Paris is the
    equitable exploration of natural resources. We live in a country that is
    still uses petrol and gas, and I do not see why we should  use energies
    from others.”The Prime Minister Renzi has applauded the “green criteria”
    with which the new plan of drilling, for  2 billion euro. . Meanwhile in
    Gela, Sicily, one of the refining places, child cancer has gone to 159.2
    percent, Hodgkin to 72.4, stomach tumor 47.5 percent, versus the national
    norma.
    
    According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect subsidies
    to the fossil industries, coal and oil, amount to  5.3 trillion dollars
    dollars per year. The subsidy requested in Paris for introducing green
    technologies, world wide, is 100 billion dollars. This data is sufficient
    to illustrate the gap between good intentions and vested interests.
    
    If this trend will continue in 2016, it is clear that the Paris climate
    agreement swill never reach its goals.
    
    *Handicap 2: ISIS and terrorism *
    
    While everybody keeps focusing on the war to the Caliphate in Siria, it is
    time to look more in long term.The war in Siria has become a proxy war by
    Saudi Arabia (which  is directly responsible for the diffusion of the
    radical islam imposed by ISIS, wahabism), Qatar, United Arab Emirates,
    Turkey, Russia, United States, France, Great Britain, and now with support
    from Germany and theoretically from the European Union. Now, all muslim
    countries worldwide are supposed to join Saudi Arabia.They are all ready to
    fight this war to the last syrian, but not to risk any man. As bombing has
    never been sufficient to win,  this is a war that in 2016 will go nowhere.
    But what we have to start to reflect  is that ISIS is  a local project,
    and  is becoming a global one. A Security Council  report  estimates that
    25.000 people from 100 countries have joined Al Qaida and ISIS. The number
    of foreign fighters went up by 71% in just ten months. And the massacres of
    Paris and San Bernardino were perpetuated by local people, who were not
    part of the ISIS structure.
    
    The main difference between Al Qaida and ISIS, according About Zeid, from
    the Carnegie  Center in Beirut, is that Al Qaida has as its main goal to
    fight against Western domination. But ISIS is especially interested to a
    depuration of  the muslim world, fighting  other branches of Islam, from
    Shia to Sufi to YAZIDI , ismaeliti etc, to eliminate them and oblige  Sunni
    to accept a strict wahabist practice, or suffer violence.
    
    It is in that light that ISIS messages to muslim living in the West is
    insistent and clear :Take side, or with the West as apostates, or with us
    as real Muslim.
    
    The problem is that mistrust of Muslims  the West is increasing. Hate
    crimes have tripled in the last month in US, spurred by the irresponsible
    Republican presidential candidates. The growing rightwing  xenophobic
    european parties, led by demagogues like Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in
    the Nederland, or Le Pen in France, are subjecting Muslim to harsh times.
    It obliges them to define more their allegiances, and this can push young
    and marginalized muslim into  the ISIS camp.
    
    Refugees from muslim countries, like Siria, are depicted  as infiltrated by
    ISIS.If this trend of radicalization continues, it will become a phenomena
    which will survive  ISIS. itself. Over 25.000 people from 100  countries
    have joined the ISIS: a 715 increase of foreign fighters in just ten
    months. According to the Pew Institute, Islam is now at 1.6 billion people,
    but in 2050 will be close to the christians ( 1.8 billions), in 2075 will
    have the same consistency, and in 2.100 will be the largest religion in the
    world. By the way, is the religion who has the largest number of under 15.
    
    The long terms project of ISIS is a clash of civilization. A continues
    polarization, with the West as a clear enemy, is what ISIS legacy could be.
    It means to go global, from local.
    
    The year 2016 will be crucial to see if this polarization will increase or
    not. Will the West be able to understand the trap in which he is
    walking? Anyhow,
    our daily life is already under attack. To travel has become an
    aggravation. US is now tightening its visa policy for Europeans. Cots of
    security are  increasing  by 83 percent in Europe, according to an Interpol
    estimate. Fear is seeping more and more in the collective subconscious. If
    in 2016 there will be more massacres like Paris and San Bernardino, fear
    and polarization will take a trend may be irreversible.
    
    *Handicap 3: Refugees: *
    
    With media covering just events, , the refugee crisis has now passed to a
    second plan. Nothing has changed: people die like before, countries have
    erected walls and continue to adopt stricter measures, but with winter less
    people are ready to risk their life.But let us take a long term view.
    Europe, Australia, United States and other rich countries are simply not
    culturally prepared to accept two inescapable facts. The first, that the
    homogenous, white, christian world that we know, is not sustainable. Is a
    law of physics that an empty space attract overflow. In this moment the
    crisis is due entirely to irresponsible military actions taken to depose an
    unsavory dictator, without any planning for the after. In a short time,
    Saddam Hussein and Gheddafi were successfully deposed, leaving their
    countries in chaos and misery. The last attempt, Assad, become a proxy war
    , with Russia and the Shia ( Iran , Hezbollah), keeping him in place, in
    spite of the efforts of Europe and United States.  Only Siria has now four
    million refugees and just a fourth of them is trying to make a new life in
    Europe.
    
    At the same time, Europe has a significant  demographic decline. According
    to the UN, Europe needs at least 2 more millions of additional people to
    keep its pension system functioning, and the economy running, and will need
    at least 350.000 new immigrants every year, until the population will
    stabilize again, around 2080. Of course, there is no political campaign of
    education to this reality. The right wing parties present a dream: let us
    go back to the time that we were all white, with Christianity as our common
    bond, let us defend our identity and our history.
    
    But if we go beyond our present crisis, let us realize that demographic
    transformations are staggering. According to the last UN projections, the
    world in 2100 will not be 9 billion as thought ( we are now at 7.5
    billion), but 11.2 billions. Africa will be then 4.4 billion people, up
    from its present  billion. Ethiopia, to make a case, is now 100 million
    people: it will l be 243 millions in 2100. Africa will be then 39% of the
    world population, almost as much as Asia, and four times the share of
    Europe and North America put together. Africa is largely muslim..…
    
    Let us remind that now Europe and US are accepting ( US  symbolically)
    refugees, or those who have left their home because of a conflict. That
    leaves outside people who are afraid of mortal discrimination, like gays in
    Africa, Nigerian girls where Boko Haram bring them in slavery, religious
    groups like Christians in the middle east, or rohinyás in Myanmar…and this
    excludes economic migrants, or people who have left their home because it
    does not feed them, and escape hunger, not war…and  we will have to add the
    new category of climate refugees, which does not even exist in the present
    debate.
    
    According to the United Nations High Commission for Refuges, in 50 years,
    according on how we implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, we
    could go with 3  degrees to 250 millions displaced people, and with 4.5 to
    1.000 million people. According the International Organization for
    Migrations, “ in the last 30 years droughts and inundations have tripled”
    and climate changes have created more displaced people than wars. The
    security Council has released a report which depicts how more than one
    million Syrian farmers, ruined by the drought between 2007 and 2010, took
    refuge in unprepared and fragile towns, and their desperation  plaid a key
    role in the Arab Spring insurrection against Assad.
    
    So it is time to realize that the West is facing an historical change, with
    dramatic consequences in lifestyle, customs, and  daily practices. This
    could be achieved by accepting gradually newcomers to the club, in harmony
    and coexistence  of the Western values, or by showing them a fist, as
    Salvini and Trump do.  The 2016 will be very crucial to see how this will
    go, especially after American Elections.
    
    *Handicap 4: Decline of democracy*
    
    It is time to realize that political disaffection is not only increasing
    xenophobic and right wing parties   since the economic crisis of 2009, but
    also sapping the prestige of democracy as an undisputed modern value. We
    have now the Hungarian Prime Minister, who openly advocates an “illiberal
    democracy”, and look to Putin as a  model. Poland is following the same
    direction, and all over Eastern Europe there is  a clear shift to the
    right, marked by pressing request to Nato and United States to enhance
    military barriers to Russia. ( And Nato poking Putin paranoia, by offering
    Montenegro, with 2.000 soldiers, to join).All those countries have refused
    European agreements on receiving  refugees, as well as any other burden
    from Brussels ( money of  course is accepted and requested). Putin has set
    up an informal alliance with the right wing parties , as a leader in the
    defense of identity and religion. He has even given  a 5 million euro loan
    to Le Pen.
    
    In time of crisis, people are more interested in their security and work,
    than who is in power. Many classical voters for the left, like workers and
    unemployed, now vote for the right wing parties, and believe their promises
    of going back to the golden past. They are not interested any longer by
    ideologies or political visions. They think that right and left does not
    exist any more. They are disillusioned with the classical party system, and
    they are ready to try anything new and which is not part of the
    establishment. This is the reason of Le Pen success in France, of the
    disconcerting support for Trump in United States ( and even more puzzling
    the success of  Bernie Sanders , a declared socialist, a term which is
    close to anathema  in US).
    
    Of course, right wing xenophobic parties are not very useful for
    international cooperation and dialogue with others. But the real problem is
    that we are in a crisis of  political vision.When ideologies are discarded
    as relics, and the following step is to adopt pragmatism as a solution, in
    fact you are making of politics a number of ad hoc solutions, without any
    final view of the society.  Each action is chosen as the most useful for
    that specific issue. That is not pragmatism, is utilitarism, which
    downgrade policy to administrative, and this does not attract people’s
    participation, especially young people. And the administrative  level of
    politics, without any vision,  is prone to corruption, which is clearly
    growing in the western democracies.
    
    Fear is strengthening  the right, not the left. Today fear is creeping into
    our daily lives, according to different polls. A survey from The World
    Value System, found out that today only one  fifth of Americans consider
    democracy as a fundamental principle.  The same is happening in Europe,
    according to the same survey. In other words, nazism and stalinism are
    faded memories. And the Chinese model, where decision can be taken in a
    short time, bolstering productivity and action., is becoming popular.
    
    We  are, of course, not yet in the Weimar climate. But we are getting in
    place many of the ingredients which brought an obscure demagogue to run
    the most advanced country of the time.
    
    It will be important to see  how in this year demagogy will continue its
    growth, or will abate. But what would be important is that we all start to
    put democracy under observation, not  longer a  value over the fray. It is
    under attack, not only from ISIS and terrorism, but from leaders elected by
    their citizens, be  Orban or Putin, and whit a phenomenal approval rate. So
    it is time we take into account that a growing segment of the population in
    the West is finding refuge in the dreams of the past, with political en
    economic agendas which are out of reality. Democracy, sadly, is on the wane.
    
    *Handicap 5: The decline  of Europe. *
    
    In 2016 probably Cameron will call a referendum on leaving the European
    Union or not.  This is    trap in which the British PM put himself, by
    promising to renegotiate Britain permanence in the EU, or  having several
    benefits or quitting. It is clear now that with empty hands, he would loose
    the referendum ( he is supposed to want to remain). Negotiations with
    Europe will go ahed in the first months of the year. Germany considers a
    catastrophe if Britain leaves, so it will help Cameron. Whatever the EU
    will concede to Britain, will be immediately requested by all East European
    countries.This will mark the  end  of european integration. The 2016 could
    be the year when  this will happen.
    
    *Handicap 6 : Nationalism in Asia.  *
    
    It is a worrying reality that for the first time since the end of the last
    war, the major Asian countries, China, India and Japan, are run at the same
    time by nationalist leaders. While obviously different in their reality and
    style (nothing like the twins Putin-Erdogan), they are revamping the
    glorious past and the humiliations that they did suffer in the World War 2,
    to stir citizens to their support.
    
    President Xi has launched “the Chinese dream”,  which is rooted in bringing
    back the ancient glories of the Empire of the Middle, and revenge the
    humiliations of the european occupation, Japanese occupation, and the
    oppium war. Two years ago mobs destroyed Japanese shops and properties,
    without initially any police intervention.China has embarked in a plan of
    influences to counter United Sates, by financing several grandiose
    projects: the creation of a Bank alternative to the World Bank, under
    Washington control. On Xi invitation, 45 countries did join the bank, who
    will have a total of 200 billion dollars, in spite of Washington
    opposition.It is also planning to recreate the ancient “Silk Road”, by
    investing over 50 billion dollars. And it is planning  to finance the “twin
    Ocean Railroad connection, a planned 5.000 km railway from the Peru coast
    to Brasil.
    
    It has given to Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, loans for over 80 billion
    dollars, sending a message to the  traditional “backyard” of United States:
    wane yourself from Washington, I have more resources ( China reserves are
    3.8 trillion dollars). It has been intervening heavily in Africa, to the
    point that Zimbabwe is considering pegging its currency to the yuan. And it
    is expanding its maritime zone  in the sea, by building bases on some small
    rocks, which were claimed by several asian countries. China will  increased
    its military budget by 7% during  the new five year plan.
    
    Abe, the Japanese PM, has gone in the same direction. It has just increased
    the military budget by 7%, and more importantly he has made an
    interpretation of the constitution, that allows again the Japanese Defense
    Force to act abroad. He defends that change by saying that it is for
    limited cases. Yet, is like to give liquors filled chocolates to an ex
    alcoholic. Polls show a growing surge of the right and of the nostalgics,
    who feel the defeat in the second world war as an humiliation to erase. Abe
    has refused to apologize for the violence used against civilians by
    Japanese troops in China, and to recognize Japanese responsibilities in the
    forcible recruitment of over 60.000 Korean girls to be used as “sex help”,
    for the Japanese soldiers.
    
    Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, is also recalling the glorious
    past, tacitly condoning right wing and nationalist acts, and speaking of “
    a new indian glory" .In 2050, according the Un projections, India will
    overtake China as the largest population  of the world. The difference is
    that India has 41% of his population under 18;China by that time will have
    only 23% of young people, in a sea of old people, because of its one child
    policy.
    
    Modi has projected India at the forefront of the international scene, by
    using his leverage in the Paris Conference on climate change. He now speaks
    on behalf of the non industrialized country ( China attempt to do that in
    Paris went nowhere), and he is also increasing the military budget. He just
    bought armament from China for 12 b million dollars, an hefty amount for a
    country which needs dramatic injections in its social, educational and
    health system, beside of course infrastructures.
    
    In other words, if there is a place where a new world war could coming, is
    Asia. And its scale would be really unprecedented. What is worrying is that
    ALL asian  countries are increasing their defense budget, How much this
    will bring some significant events in 2016, is difficult to predict. But it
    would be important to loom at Asia as a place of concern for the world
    peace.
    
    *Handicap 7: Decline in Latin America*.
    
     While this is more of a  regional problem, in an interconnected world
    everything  has relevance for everybody. Latin America has been for the
    last decade an active international actor, contributing to the world
    development. The decline of Chinese imports of raw material, and  the
    increase of interest rates from the Federal Reserve in Washington, ( which
    will shift investments from Latin America to the US market) are a two piece
    prong, that is affecting seriously the region.
    
    Some economists are already talking of a new negative cycle, that could
    last for some years. The low prices of commodities is affecting all the
    region, from copper in Chile to oil in Venezuela, Ecuador, and agricultural
    commodities in Argentina. in Venezuela, Maduro is still ignoring the new
    reality, and the World Bank predicts a decline of 10% in 2016. He could
    remain in power only solving problems, for which he has no funds.
    
     The same is happening in Ecuador. Argentina has already changed direction,
    and is going back to the neoliberal policies of the past.Brazil is in the
    middle of a crisis  for corruption, which is hiding a very difficult
    economic situation. The Economic Commission for Latin America has published
    an alarmed report, in which it forecast a serious decline. In the report,
    it indicates that at the end of 2016 we will have a more clear picture,
    once is clear if the Chinese locomotor is in a temporary loss of speed, or
    in  a more durable process.
    
    *Handicap 8:  Armament increase.*
    
     According to the projections of the Swedish Institute for Peace, the 2016
    will see increase in armament costs close to 3%. That increase  is the
    equivalent of 600 billion dollars, an amount which could have solved the
    ambitious goals of the  Millennium Development goals established by the
    UN,;the amount requested in Paris by the non industrialized countries to
    give them clean technology,( an unresolved problem yet ). But the debate on
    reduction of armaments  ignores a stunning reality: the five Permanent
    Members of the Security Council of the UN ( in charge  with securing
    peace), make  82% of the global arm’s sale. And with China entering
    massively into weapons manufacturing, that percentage is bound to grow.
    
    United Nations started to authorize  “humanitarian intervention”, in
    Somalia(December 5, 1992 - May 4, 1993). The scope of the american led
    invasion was to bring humanitarian aid in a rogue country, where
    conflicting militia were starving the population. The balance of that
    operation ( with a quick exit of US, after several of his soldiers were
    drawn as corpses in the main street of Mogadishu), was a total cost of the
    military operations of 900 million dollars.
    
     The value of the food and other supplies distributed was 90 million
    dollars. That proportion has been kept in every case. Except that it is
    always much more easy to find resources for military operations, than for
    humanitarian ones. The massive wave of refugees for all the local wars in
    Africa and Middle East, is a consequence of that priority. Europe has
    accepted to give 3 billions dollars to Turkey, and eliminate visas, so to
    keep Syrian refugees there. It is now spending for refugees  an amount
    which is  not yet quantifiable, but that certainly goes in billion of
    dollars. If that money would have been spent for assisting populations in
    the conflict zone, certainly the number of refugees pounding on the doors
    would have been considerably smaller.
    
    Unfortunately, 2016 is going in that direction. Armaments costs will
    increase, while development assistance is being curtailed everywhere. The
    budget for aid is now being used to finance the incoming refugees, and
    probably to finance the commitments of Paris. Therefore, the amount of aid
    reaching poor populations, is decreasing. The last Un Conference for
    pledging resources, held on Nov. 10th in NewYork, saw a “ dramatic decline”
    in donors contributions, from 560 million dollars in 2014, to 77 million
    dollars, ,largely covering 2015. Of course, this is going to increase
    economic migrants.
    
    *Handicap 9: increase of inequality *
    
    The Economist itself has been noting” that the rich are becoming richer
    and  the richest are getting richer faster, is beyond doubt”. A research by
    the University of California found out that the share of  American wealth
    held the 0.1 percent of the richest households rose from 7% in 1979, to 22%
    in 2012. And  that of the richest 0.01 per cent ( about 16.000 household),
    jumped from 2% to 11%. Of course, they do not get money printed especially
    for them. They suck the money from the total monetary circulation, which
    means that some people are surrendering their wealth. An other study has
    documented that since 2008, the american middle class has shrunk by 10
    million families.
    
    This is a worldwide trend. In Spain, rich people have increased by 40%
    since 2008. In 2014, the number of millionaires did increase worldwide by
    920.000 individual. There are now in the world , according the Bank of
    Canada 14.6 millions who owns more than million dollars in cash beside the
    primary house, cars and different goods. The gap between managers and
    employees and  workers is growing yearly, with little protest.  The CEO  of
    the 500 Fortune Companies (the most successful) had a median income of 17.5
    million dollars, with some of course over 200 millions.
    
    A number of economists, among them from the World Bank and the IMF, have
    been warning that inequality has not only social and political
    implications, but also economic, as it reduces buying power from the poor,
    eliminates small shops and companies, and erodes the middle class, which is
    the basis for social stability. The famous book “Capital in the
    Twenty-First
    
    Century”, by Thomas Piketty, makes this point central: as wealth
    concentrates, democratic societies lose faith in the fairness of
    governments, which are seen as allied to the big capital. Le Pen campaign
    against “plutocrats” is reminiscent of the language used by Mussolini and
    Hitler: all right wing parties denounce bankers as enemies, and that stirs
    with those who see their lifestyle decline, or their sons without a job,
    why a few are obscenely rich.
    
    What is disconcerting in this unprecedented explosion of inequality (
    according Oxfam in 2025 England will have the same level   of the time of
    Queen Victoria),  that the banner has been generally taken more by the
    right wing parties, than from those on the left. And inequality has not
    become a big political issue. If it were not for Sanders, it would be
    totally absent in the american elections.
    
    And now, two researchers, the Russian economist Vladimir Gimpelson ad the
    American political scientist Daniel Treisman have come up with an
    illuminating study. They looked at a collection of survey from 40
    countries, both rich and poor. The  conclusion is that people’s guess about
    the distribution of incomes and where they  are  is as wrong as it could
    be. Those who were relatively poor people tended to depict them as middle
    class. In Italy, more than half of the needy though they were at the middle
    of the income scales. In France and Sweden, the proportion was more than
    one third. In contrast, those who are better off tend to think that they
    have not yet made it. In France, Italy and Britain, 40 percent or more of
    the people who owned second homes put themselves in the bottom half.
    
    This, in Marxists  terms, means that people have lost a sense of class, and
    therefore they do not resent inequality as it was done before. And this
    means that the political class does not feel inequality as a crucial
    issue.It is not by chance that the term “social justice” has disappeared
    from the political debate. But how long this will last?
    
    The 2016 will see this trend to continue. It is difficult for people to
    realize how this concentration process is becoming extreme. Let us take two
    noble examples, to illustrate it. Mark Zuckeberg, the founder of Facebook,
    has announced that he will donate 99% of his shares, valued at 45 billion
    dollars, to philanthropy. It is an amount that competes with China project
    for its railroad spanning from Beijing to Europe, so is an extreme act  of
    philanthropy. But let us keep in mind that the 1% left to him is 450
    million dollars: 400 times the lifetime income of a collage graduate.
    
     And that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation,a very important
    institution,  which is supported by 44 billions, has given away 5 billion
    in 2014: this was anyhow less than the 7.4 billion it accumulated thanks to
    new contributions, investment income and rising value assets.In other
    words, money brings so much money, when  you have plenty of it, that it
    will be always there ( unless you waste it…but billionaires usually do not
    do..when  Zuckeberg  was in Rome in honeymoon, in the jewish quarter,  he
    did not leave any tip to the astonished waiter)
    
    *Handicap  10: your personal commitment.  *
    
    This list of handicaps is highly subjective, and leaves outside several
    issues which are very important, like gender, human rights, development
    assistance, finance control, migrants, etc. If you have reached this point
    of my paper, it means that you  are committed to a  better world, and you
    are an unusual reader.  According to a study from Unesco, only 3% of the
    world population can read 5.000 words of abstract material, without  giving
    up.It also means that you have some commitment probably to issues that I
    have left out. It would be the most positive result to this writing,  if
    you could make an effort and  think how they will fare in  2016: if the
    Newborn  year looks positive for your commitments. The purpose of Othernews
    is to stimulate thinking and awareness. Let us this  be the New Year wishes
    from the publisher to all of you!
    
    **Italian-Argentine journalist. Co-founder and former
    Director General of Inter Press Service (IPS). In recent years he also
    founded Other News, a service that
    provides "information markets eliminate". Other News. In Spanish:
    http://www.other-news.info/noticias/
    <http://www.other-news.info/noticias/> In
    English: http://www.other-net.info/ <http://www.other-net.info/>*
    
    
    
    
    
     Roberto Savio
    utopie@...
    
    
    
    
    
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    • Re: Fwd: [Communication commission discussion] une très bonne and, mais en suivant les problèmesà

      from Roberto Savio on Jan 02, 2016 02:29 AM
      Azril, yo escribo solo con la idea de ayudar  a reflexionar.No hay nada mas aburrido escribir cosas que uno ya sabe.  Lo que espero es que la gente,concientizada por hechos que la prensa comercial no da, se activen, y se ocupen en lugar de preocuparse…yo  no soy un gran periodista, esto lo fui , tal vez, en mi vida anterior. Ahora soy  solo un activista…y te doy mis fuertes abrazos para el 2016... 
      Roberto Savio
      utopie@...
      
      
      
      On 01/gen/2016, at 20:43, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
      
      El buen amigo y gran periodista Roberto identifica algunos retos del 2016. Le respondo con el llamado a leer los signos de los tiempos con el pesimismo de la mente y el optimismo del corazón, en el sendero del PODER PUDIENDO de PODEMOS - ¿o nos quedamos contemplando a las espinas sin podarlas para que la rosa nos brinde sus efluvios? 
      
      Malgrait tout, abrazotes por el año nuevo 2016 😊
      
      Azril
      
      _______________________
      
      POOR 2016, SO MANY HANDICAPS
      
      By Roberto Savio*
      
      San Salvador, Bahamas, December 31, 2015 - At this time, we all wish “ a very good year”. While the wish is always a positive thing, we should also realize that we cannot expect too much from the new born year. He is loaded by so  many handicaps, that we  should have lot of sympathy for him…He is part of a negative circle that started with the financial crisis of 2008, and that will probably conclude in 2017, a cathartic year in which   elections in several key countries and other crucial appointments could open a new cycle. Unless a  republican victory in the American Elections will anticipate a global crisis of governance faster…
      
      Here is a list of the major handicaps for 2016, which is of course a personal view: but supported  by many data…
      
      Handicap 1:  Climate change.
      
      After Paris conference on climate change, this year will be crucial to understand in which direction the wind of change is blowing. Of course, the process of saving our planet at its present level, is planned over a span going to 2050. Let us briefly recall  that the engagements taken in Paris are insufficient to reach the goal of not surpassing 2 Centigrade above the level that prevailed before the Industrial Revolution( we have already used 1 centigrade). As now, the Paris Pact  will at least reach 3.7 Centigrade, which means, among many things, 850 millions people displaced. In fact, there is a consensus that we should not  go beyond 1.5 Centigrades, to be really safe. 
      
      Well, we will take just two examples, to show that the threat to the planet is a very concrete one, and that political subjection to the energy sector continues. The British Parliament has just approved legislation allowing use of the shale gas extraction technology , know has hydraulic fracking. This is also allowed beneath protected sites, including national parks.British government has announced that they will award new licenses for shale gas and oil exploration, including national parks.
      
      The other is an interview from Gian Luca Galletti, Italian minister for environment, back from Paris.He defends his new program of oil extraction in land and sea, by declaring: “One of the key themes of Paris is the equitable exploration of natural resources. We live in a country that is still uses petrol and gas, and I do not see why we should  use energies from others.”The Prime Minister Renzi has applauded the “green criteria”  with which the new plan of drilling, for  2 billion euro. . Meanwhile in Gela, Sicily, one of the refining places, child cancer has gone to 159.2 percent, Hodgkin to 72.4, stomach tumor 47.5 percent, versus the national norma.
      
      According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect subsidies to the fossil industries, coal and oil, amount to  5.3 trillion dollars dollars per year. The subsidy requested in Paris for introducing green technologies, world wide, is 100 billion dollars. This data is sufficient to illustrate the gap between good intentions and vested interests.
      
      If this trend will continue in 2016, it is clear that the Paris climate agreement swill never reach its goals. 
      
      Handicap 2: ISIS and terrorism 
      
      While everybody keeps focusing on the war to the Caliphate in Siria, it is time to look more in long term.The war in Siria has become a proxy war by Saudi Arabia (which  is directly responsible for the diffusion of the radical islam imposed by ISIS, wahabism), Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Russia, United States, France, Great Britain, and now with support from Germany and theoretically from the European Union. Now, all muslim countries worldwide are supposed to join Saudi Arabia.They are all ready to fight this war to the last syrian, but not to risk any man. As bombing has never been sufficient to win,  this is a war that in 2016 will go nowhere. But what we have to start to reflect  is that ISIS is  a local project, and  is becoming a global one. A Security Council  report  estimates that 25.000 people from 100 countries have joined Al Qaida and ISIS. The number of foreign fighters went up by 71% in just ten months. And the massacres of Paris and San Bernardino were perpetuated by local people, who were not part of the ISIS structure.
      
      The main difference between Al Qaida and ISIS, according About Zeid, from the Carnegie  Center in Beirut, is that Al Qaida has as its main goal to fight against Western domination. But ISIS is especially interested to a depuration of  the muslim world, fighting  other branches of Islam, from Shia to Sufi to YAZIDI , ismaeliti etc, to eliminate them and oblige  Sunni to accept a strict wahabist practice, or suffer violence.
      
      It is in that light that ISIS messages to muslim living in the West is insistent and clear :Take side, or with the West as apostates, or with us as real Muslim.
      
      The problem is that mistrust of Muslims  the West is increasing. Hate crimes have tripled in the last month in US, spurred by the irresponsible Republican presidential candidates. The growing rightwing  xenophobic european parties, led by demagogues like Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in the Nederland, or Le Pen in France, are subjecting Muslim to harsh times. It obliges them to define more their allegiances, and this can push young and marginalized muslim into  the ISIS camp.
      
      Refugees from muslim countries, like Siria, are depicted  as infiltrated by ISIS.If this trend of radicalization continues, it will become a phenomena which will survive  ISIS. itself. Over 25.000 people from 100  countries have joined the ISIS: a 715 increase of foreign fighters in just ten months. According to the Pew Institute, Islam is now at 1.6 billion people, but in 2050 will be close to the christians ( 1.8 billions), in 2075 will have the same consistency, and in 2.100 will be the largest religion in the world. By the way, is the religion who has the largest number of under 15.
      
      The long terms project of ISIS is a clash of civilization. A continues polarization, with the West as a clear enemy, is what ISIS legacy could be. It means to go global, from local.
      
      The year 2016 will be crucial to see if this polarization will increase or not. Will the West be able to understand the trap in which he is walking? Anyhow, our daily life is already under attack. To travel has become an aggravation. US is now tightening its visa policy for Europeans. Cots of security are  increasing  by 83 percent in Europe, according to an Interpol estimate. Fear is seeping more and more in the collective subconscious. If in 2016 there will be more massacres like Paris and San Bernardino, fear and polarization will take a trend may be irreversible.
      
      Handicap 3: Refugees: 
      
      With media covering just events, , the refugee crisis has now passed to a second plan. Nothing has changed: people die like before, countries have erected walls and continue to adopt stricter measures, but with winter less people are ready to risk their life.But let us take a long term view. Europe, Australia, United States and other rich countries are simply not culturally prepared to accept two inescapable facts. The first, that the homogenous, white, christian world that we know, is not sustainable. Is a law of physics that an empty space attract overflow. In this moment the crisis is due entirely to irresponsible military actions taken to depose an unsavory dictator, without any planning for the after. In a short time, Saddam Hussein and Gheddafi were successfully deposed, leaving their countries in chaos and misery. The last attempt, Assad, become a proxy war , with Russia and the Shia ( Iran , Hezbollah), keeping him in place, in spite of the efforts of Europe and United States.  Only Siria has now four million refugees and just a fourth of them is trying to make a new life in Europe. 
      
      At the same time, Europe has a significant  demographic decline. According to the UN, Europe needs at least 2 more millions of additional people to keep its pension system functioning, and the economy running, and will need at least 350.000 new immigrants every year, until the population will stabilize again, around 2080. Of course, there is no political campaign of education to this reality. The right wing parties present a dream: let us go back to the time that we were all white, with Christianity as our common bond, let us defend our identity and our history. 
      
      But if we go beyond our present crisis, let us realize that demographic transformations are staggering. According to the last UN projections, the world in 2100 will not be 9 billion as thought ( we are now at 7.5 billion), but 11.2 billions. Africa will be then 4.4 billion people, up from its present  billion. Ethiopia, to make a case, is now 100 million people: it will l be 243 millions in 2100. Africa will be then 39% of the world population, almost as much as Asia, and four times the share of Europe and North America put together. Africa is largely muslim..… 
      
      Let us remind that now Europe and US are accepting ( US  symbolically)  refugees, or those who have left their home because of a conflict. That leaves outside people who are afraid of mortal discrimination, like gays in Africa, Nigerian girls where Boko Haram bring them in slavery, religious groups like Christians in the middle east, or rohinyás in Myanmar…and this excludes economic migrants, or people who have left their home because it does not feed them, and escape hunger, not war…and  we will have to add the new category of climate refugees, which does not even exist in the present debate.
      
      According to the United Nations High Commission for Refuges, in 50 years, according on how we implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, we could go with 3  degrees to 250 millions displaced people, and with 4.5 to 1.000 million people. According the International Organization for Migrations, “ in the last 30 years droughts and inundations have tripled” and climate changes have created more displaced people than wars. The security Council has released a report which depicts how more than one million Syrian farmers, ruined by the drought between 2007 and 2010, took refuge in unprepared and fragile towns, and their desperation  plaid a key role in the Arab Spring insurrection against Assad.
      
      So it is time to realize that the West is facing an historical change, with dramatic consequences in lifestyle, customs, and  daily practices. This could be achieved by accepting gradually newcomers to the club, in harmony and coexistence  of the Western values, or by showing them a fist, as Salvini and Trump do.  The 2016 will be very crucial to see how this will go, especially after American Elections.
      
      Handicap 4: Decline of democracy
      
      It is time to realize that political disaffection is not only increasing xenophobic and right wing parties   since the economic crisis of 2009, but also sapping the prestige of democracy as an undisputed modern value. We have now the Hungarian Prime Minister, who openly advocates an “illiberal democracy”, and look to Putin as a  model. Poland is following the same direction, and all over Eastern Europe there is  a clear shift to the right, marked by pressing request to Nato and United States to enhance military barriers to Russia. ( And Nato poking Putin paranoia, by offering Montenegro, with 2.000 soldiers, to join).All those countries have refused European agreements on receiving  refugees, as well as any other burden from Brussels ( money of  course is accepted and requested). Putin has set up an informal alliance with the right wing parties , as a leader in the defense of identity and religion. He has even given  a 5 million euro loan to Le Pen.
      
      In time of crisis, people are more interested in their security and work, than who is in power. Many classical voters for the left, like workers and unemployed, now vote for the right wing parties, and believe their promises of going back to the golden past. They are not interested any longer by ideologies or political visions. They think that right and left does not exist any more. They are disillusioned with the classical party system, and they are ready to try anything new and which is not part of the establishment. This is the reason of Le Pen success in France, of the disconcerting support for Trump in United States ( and even more puzzling the success of  Bernie Sanders , a declared socialist, a term which is close to anathema  in US).
      
      Of course, right wing xenophobic parties are not very useful for international cooperation and dialogue with others. But the real problem is that we are in a crisis of  political vision.When ideologies are discarded as relics, and the following step is to adopt pragmatism as a solution, in fact you are making of politics a number of ad hoc solutions, without any final view of the society.  Each action is chosen as the most useful for that specific issue. That is not pragmatism, is utilitarism, which downgrade policy to administrative, and this does not attract people’s participation, especially young people. And the administrative  level of politics, without any vision,  is prone to corruption, which is clearly growing in the western democracies.
      
      Fear is strengthening  the right, not the left. Today fear is creeping into our daily lives, according to different polls. A survey from The World Value System, found out that today only one  fifth of Americans consider democracy as a fundamental principle.  The same is happening in Europe, according to the same survey. In other words, nazism and stalinism are faded memories. And the Chinese model, where decision can be taken in a short time, bolstering productivity and action., is becoming popular.
      
      We  are, of course, not yet in the Weimar climate. But we are getting in place many of the ingredients which brought an obscure demagogue to run  the most advanced country of the time.
      
      It will be important to see  how in this year demagogy will continue its growth, or will abate. But what would be important is that we all start to put democracy under observation, not  longer a  value over the fray. It is under attack, not only from ISIS and terrorism, but from leaders elected by their citizens, be  Orban or Putin, and whit a phenomenal approval rate. So it is time we take into account that a growing segment of the population in the West is finding refuge in the dreams of the past, with political en economic agendas which are out of reality. Democracy, sadly, is on the wane.
      
      Handicap 5: The decline  of Europe. 
      
      In 2016 probably Cameron will call a referendum on leaving the European Union or not.  This is    trap in which the British PM put himself, by promising to renegotiate Britain permanence in the EU, or  having several benefits or quitting. It is clear now that with empty hands, he would loose the referendum ( he is supposed to want to remain). Negotiations with Europe will go ahed in the first months of the year. Germany considers a catastrophe if Britain leaves, so it will help Cameron. Whatever the EU will concede to Britain, will be immediately requested by all East European countries.This will mark the  end  of european integration. The 2016 could  be the year when  this will happen.
      
      Handicap 6 : Nationalism in Asia.  
      
      It is a worrying reality that for the first time since the end of the last war, the major Asian countries, China, India and Japan, are run at the same time by nationalist leaders. While obviously different in their reality and style (nothing like the twins Putin-Erdogan), they are revamping the glorious past and the humiliations that they did suffer in the World War 2, to stir citizens to their support.  
      
      President Xi has launched “the Chinese dream”,  which is rooted in bringing back the ancient glories of the Empire of the Middle, and revenge the humiliations of the european occupation, Japanese occupation, and the oppium war. Two years ago mobs destroyed Japanese shops and properties, without initially any police intervention.China has embarked in a plan of influences to counter United Sates, by financing several grandiose projects: the creation of a Bank alternative to the World Bank, under Washington control. On Xi invitation, 45 countries did join the bank, who will have a total of 200 billion dollars, in spite of Washington opposition.It is also planning to recreate the ancient “Silk Road”, by investing over 50 billion dollars. And it is planning  to finance the “twin Ocean Railroad connection, a planned 5.000 km railway from the Peru coast to Brasil. 
      
      It has given to Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, loans for over 80 billion dollars, sending a message to the  traditional “backyard” of United States: wane yourself from Washington, I have more resources ( China reserves are  3.8 trillion dollars). It has been intervening heavily in Africa, to the point that Zimbabwe is considering pegging its currency to the yuan. And it is expanding its maritime zone  in the sea, by building bases on some small rocks, which were claimed by several asian countries. China will  increased its military budget by 7% during  the new five year plan.
      
      Abe, the Japanese PM, has gone in the same direction. It has just increased the military budget by 7%, and more importantly he has made an interpretation of the constitution, that allows again the Japanese Defense Force to act abroad. He defends that change by saying that it is for limited cases. Yet, is like to give liquors filled chocolates to an ex alcoholic. Polls show a growing surge of the right and of the nostalgics, who feel the defeat in the second world war as an humiliation to erase. Abe has refused to apologize for the violence used against civilians by Japanese troops in China, and to recognize Japanese responsibilities in the forcible recruitment of over 60.000 Korean girls to be used as “sex help”, for the Japanese soldiers.
      
      Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, is also recalling the glorious past, tacitly condoning right wing and nationalist acts, and speaking of “ a new indian glory" .In 2050, according the Un projections, India will overtake China as the largest population  of the world. The difference is that India has 41% of his population under 18;China by that time will have only 23% of young people, in a sea of old people, because of its one child policy. 
      
      Modi has projected India at the forefront of the international scene, by using his leverage in the Paris Conference on climate change. He now speaks on behalf of the non industrialized country ( China attempt to do that in Paris went nowhere), and he is also increasing the military budget. He just bought armament from China for 12 b million dollars, an hefty amount for a country which needs dramatic injections in its social, educational and health system, beside of course infrastructures.
      
      In other words, if there is a place where a new world war could coming, is Asia. And its scale would be really unprecedented. What is worrying is that ALL asian  countries are increasing their defense budget, How much this will bring some significant events in 2016, is difficult to predict. But it would be important to loom at Asia as a place of concern for the world peace.
      
      Handicap 7: Decline in Latin America. 
      
       While this is more of a  regional problem, in an interconnected world everything  has relevance for everybody. Latin America has been for the last decade an active international actor, contributing to the world development. The decline of Chinese imports of raw material, and  the increase of interest rates from the Federal Reserve in Washington, ( which will shift investments from Latin America to the US market) are a two piece prong, that is affecting seriously the region. 
      
      Some economists are already talking of a new negative cycle, that could  last for some years. The low prices of commodities is affecting all the region, from copper in Chile to oil in Venezuela, Ecuador, and agricultural commodities in Argentina. in Venezuela, Maduro is still ignoring the new reality, and the World Bank predicts a decline of 10% in 2016. He could remain in power only solving problems, for which he has no funds.
      
       The same is happening in Ecuador. Argentina has already changed direction, and is going back to the neoliberal policies of the past.Brazil is in the middle of a crisis  for corruption, which is hiding a very difficult economic situation. The Economic Commission for Latin America has published an alarmed report, in which it forecast a serious decline. In the report, it indicates that at the end of 2016 we will have a more clear picture, once is clear if the Chinese locomotor is in a temporary loss of speed, or in  a more durable process.
      
      Handicap 8:  Armament increase.
      
       According to the projections of the Swedish Institute for Peace, the 2016 will see increase in armament costs close to 3%. That increase  is the equivalent of 600 billion dollars, an amount which could have solved the ambitious goals of the  Millennium Development goals established by the  UN,;the amount requested in Paris by the non industrialized countries to give them clean technology,( an unresolved problem yet ). But the debate on reduction of armaments  ignores a stunning reality: the five Permanent Members of the Security Council of the UN ( in charge  with securing peace), make  82% of the global arm’s sale. And with China entering massively into weapons manufacturing, that percentage is bound to grow. 
      
      United Nations started to authorize  “humanitarian intervention”, in Somalia(December 5, 1992 - May 4, 1993). The scope of the american led invasion was to bring humanitarian aid in a rogue country, where conflicting militia were starving the population. The balance of that operation ( with a quick exit of US, after several of his soldiers were drawn as corpses in the main street of Mogadishu), was a total cost of the military operations of 900 million dollars.
      
       The value of the food and other supplies distributed was 90 million dollars. That proportion has been kept in every case. Except that it is always much more easy to find resources for military operations, than for humanitarian ones. The massive wave of refugees for all the local wars in Africa and Middle East, is a consequence of that priority. Europe has accepted to give 3 billions dollars to Turkey, and eliminate visas, so to keep Syrian refugees there. It is now spending for refugees  an amount which is  not yet quantifiable, but that certainly goes in billion of dollars. If that money would have been spent for assisting populations in the conflict zone, certainly the number of refugees pounding on the doors would have been considerably smaller.
      
      Unfortunately, 2016 is going in that direction. Armaments costs will increase, while development assistance is being curtailed everywhere. The budget for aid is now being used to finance the incoming refugees, and probably to finance the commitments of Paris. Therefore, the amount of aid reaching poor populations, is decreasing. The last Un Conference for pledging resources, held on Nov. 10th in NewYork, saw a “ dramatic decline” in donors contributions, from 560 million dollars in 2014, to 77 million dollars, ,largely covering 2015. Of course, this is going to increase economic migrants.
      
      Handicap 9: increase of inequality 
      
      The Economist itself has been noting” that the rich are becoming richer and  the richest are getting richer faster, is beyond doubt”. A research by the University of California found out that the share of  American wealth held the 0.1 percent of the richest households rose from 7% in 1979, to 22% in 2012. And  that of the richest 0.01 per cent ( about 16.000 household), jumped from 2% to 11%. Of course, they do not get money printed especially for them. They suck the money from the total monetary circulation, which means that some people are surrendering their wealth. An other study has documented that since 2008, the american middle class has shrunk by 10 million families.
      
      This is a worldwide trend. In Spain, rich people have increased by 40% since 2008. In 2014, the number of millionaires did increase worldwide by 920.000 individual. There are now in the world , according the Bank of Canada 14.6 millions who owns more than million dollars in cash beside the primary house, cars and different goods. The gap between managers and employees and  workers is growing yearly, with little protest.  The CEO  of the 500 Fortune Companies (the most successful) had a median income of 17.5 million dollars, with some of course over 200 millions.
      
      A number of economists, among them from the World Bank and the IMF, have been warning that inequality has not only social and political implications, but also economic, as it reduces buying power from the poor, eliminates small shops and companies, and erodes the middle class, which is the basis for social stability. The famous book “Capital in the Twenty-First 
      
      Century”, by Thomas Piketty, makes this point central: as wealth concentrates, democratic societies lose faith in the fairness of governments, which are seen as allied to the big capital. Le Pen campaign against “plutocrats” is reminiscent of the language used by Mussolini and Hitler: all right wing parties denounce bankers as enemies, and that stirs with those who see their lifestyle decline, or their sons without a job, why a few are obscenely rich. 
      
      What is disconcerting in this unprecedented explosion of inequality ( according Oxfam in 2025 England will have the same level   of the time of Queen Victoria),  that the banner has been generally taken more by the right wing parties, than from those on the left. And inequality has not become a big political issue. If it were not for Sanders, it would be totally absent in the american elections. 
      
      And now, two researchers, the Russian economist Vladimir Gimpelson ad the American political scientist Daniel Treisman have come up with an illuminating study. They looked at a collection of survey from 40 countries, both rich and poor. The  conclusion is that people’s guess about the distribution of incomes and where they  are  is as wrong as it could be. Those who were relatively poor people tended to depict them as middle class. In Italy, more than half of the needy though they were at the middle of the income scales. In France and Sweden, the proportion was more than one third. In contrast, those who are better off tend to think that they have not yet made it. In France, Italy and Britain, 40 percent or more of the people who owned second homes put themselves in the bottom half.
      
      This, in Marxists  terms, means that people have lost a sense of class, and therefore they do not resent inequality as it was done before. And this means that the political class does not feel inequality as a crucial issue.It is not by chance that the term “social justice” has disappeared from the political debate. But how long this will last?
      
      The 2016 will see this trend to continue. It is difficult for people to realize how this concentration process is becoming extreme. Let us take two noble examples, to illustrate it. Mark Zuckeberg, the founder of Facebook, has announced that he will donate 99% of his shares, valued at 45 billion dollars, to philanthropy. It is an amount that competes with China project for its railroad spanning from Beijing to Europe, so is an extreme act  of philanthropy. But let us keep in mind that the 1% left to him is 450 million dollars: 400 times the lifetime income of a collage graduate.
      
       And that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation,a very important institution,  which is supported by 44 billions, has given away 5 billion in 2014: this was anyhow less than the 7.4 billion it accumulated thanks to new contributions, investment income and rising value assets.In other words, money brings so much money, when  you have plenty of it, that it will be always there ( unless you waste it…but billionaires usually do not do..when  Zuckeberg  was in Rome in honeymoon, in the jewish quarter,  he did not leave any tip to the astonished waiter)
      
      Handicap  10: your personal commitment.  
      
      This list of handicaps is highly subjective, and leaves outside several issues which are very important, like gender, human rights, development assistance, finance control, migrants, etc. If you have reached this point of my paper, it means that you  are committed to a  better world, and you are an unusual reader.  According to a study from Unesco, only 3% of the world population can read 5.000 words of abstract material, without  giving up.It also means that you have some commitment probably to issues that I have left out. It would be the most positive result to this writing,  if you could make an effort and  think how they will fare in  2016: if the Newborn  year looks positive for your commitments. The purpose of Othernews is to stimulate thinking and awareness. Let us this  be the New Year wishes from the publisher to all of you!
      
      *Italian-Argentine journalist. Co-founder and former Director General of Inter Press Service (IPS). In recent years he also founded Other News, a service that provides "information markets eliminate". Other News. In Spanish: http://www.other-news.info/noticias/ <http://www.other-news.info/noticias/> In English:  <>http://www.other-net.info/ <http://www.other-net.info/>
       
      
      
      
      
       Roberto Savio
      utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>
      
      
      
      
      
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      • Re: Re: [Communication commission discussion] Fwd: [Communication commission discussion] une très bonne and, mais en suivant les problèmesà

        from Azril Bacal on Jan 11, 2016 11:56 AM
        Dear Roberto,
        Am I allowed to quote you in a sociological article intended for
        publication?
        My article deals with social movements and ethnic identity - and I would
        certainly send you a copy if you wished to read it.
        Gracias y un fuerte abrazo.
        Azril
        
        On Sat, Jan 2, 2016 at 3:03 AM, Roberto Savio <utopie@...> wrote:
        
        > Azril, yo escribo solo con la idea de ayudar  a reflexionar.No hay nada
        > mas aburrido escribir cosas que uno ya sabe.  Lo que espero es que la
        > gente,concientizada por hechos que la prensa comercial no da, se activen, y
        > se ocupen en lugar de preocuparse…yo  no soy un gran periodista, esto lo
        > fui , tal vez, en mi vida anterior. Ahora soy  solo un activista…y te doy
        > mis fuertes abrazos para el 2016...
        > Roberto Savio
        > utopie@...
        >
        >
        >
        > On 01/gen/2016, at 20:43, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
        >
        > *El buen amigo y gran periodista Roberto identifica algunos retos del
        > 2016. Le respondo con el llamado a leer los signos de los tiempos con el
        > pesimismo de la mente y el optimismo del corazón, en el sendero del PODER
        > PUDIENDO de PODEMOS - ¿o nos quedamos contemplando a las espinas sin
        > podarlas para que la rosa nos brinde sus efluvios? *
        >
        > *Malgrait tout, abrazotes por el año nuevo 2016 😊*
        >
        > Azril
        >
        > _______________________
        >
        > *POOR 2016, SO MANY HANDICAPS*
        >
        > *By Roberto Savio**
        >
        > San Salvador, Bahamas, December 31, 2015 - At this time, we all wish “ a
        > very good year”. While the wish is always a positive thing, we should also
        > realize that we cannot expect too much from the new born year. He is
        > loaded by so  many handicaps, that we  should have lot of sympathy for
        > him…He is part of a negative circle that started with the financial crisis
        > of 2008, and that will probably conclude in 2017, a cathartic year in
        > which   elections in several key countries and other crucial appointments
        > could open a new cycle. Unless a  republican victory in the American
        > Elections will anticipate a global crisis of governance faster…
        >
        > Here is a list of the major handicaps for 2016, which is of course a
        > personal view: but supported  by many data…
        >
        > *Handicap 1:  Climate change.*
        >
        > After Paris conference on climate change, this year will be crucial to
        > understand in which direction the wind of change is blowing. Of course, the
        > process of saving our planet at its present level, is planned over a span
        > going to 2050. Let us briefly recall  that the engagements taken in Paris
        > are insufficient to reach the goal of not surpassing 2 Centigrade above the
        > level that prevailed before the Industrial Revolution( we have already used
        > 1 centigrade). As now, the Paris Pact  will at least reach 3.7 Centigrade,
        > which means, among many things, 850 millions people displaced. In fact,
        > there is a consensus that we should not  go beyond 1.5 Centigrades, to be
        > really safe.
        >
        > Well, we will take just two examples, to show that the threat to the
        > planet is a very concrete one, and that political subjection to the energy
        > sector continues. The British Parliament has just approved legislation
        > allowing use of the shale gas extraction technology , know has hydraulic
        > fracking. This is also allowed beneath protected sites, including national
        > parks.British government has announced that they will award new licenses
        > for shale gas and oil exploration, including national parks.
        >
        > The other is an interview from Gian Luca Galletti, Italian minister for
        > environment, back from Paris.He defends his new program of oil extraction
        > in land and sea, by declaring: “One of the key themes of Paris is the
        > equitable exploration of natural resources. We live in a country that is
        > still uses petrol and gas, and I do not see why we should  use energies
        > from others.”The Prime Minister Renzi has applauded the “green criteria”
        > with which the new plan of drilling, for  2 billion euro. . Meanwhile in
        > Gela, Sicily, one of the refining places, child cancer has gone to 159.2
        > percent, Hodgkin to 72.4, stomach tumor 47.5 percent, versus the national
        > norma.
        >
        > According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect
        > subsidies to the fossil industries, coal and oil, amount to  5.3 trillion
        > dollars dollars per year. The subsidy requested in Paris for introducing
        > green technologies, world wide, is 100 billion dollars. This data is
        > sufficient to illustrate the gap between good intentions and vested
        > interests.
        >
        > If this trend will continue in 2016, it is clear that the Paris climate
        > agreement swill never reach its goals.
        >
        > *Handicap 2: ISIS and terrorism *
        >
        > While everybody keeps focusing on the war to the Caliphate in Siria, it is
        > time to look more in long term.The war in Siria has become a proxy war by
        > Saudi Arabia (which  is directly responsible for the diffusion of the
        > radical islam imposed by ISIS, wahabism), Qatar, United Arab Emirates,
        > Turkey, Russia, United States, France, Great Britain, and now with support
        > from Germany and theoretically from the European Union. Now, all muslim
        > countries worldwide are supposed to join Saudi Arabia.They are all ready to
        > fight this war to the last syrian, but not to risk any man. As bombing
        > has never been sufficient to win,  this is a war that in 2016 will go
        > nowhere. But what we have to start to reflect  is that ISIS is  a local
        > project, and  is becoming a global one. A Security Council  report
        > estimates that 25.000 people from 100 countries have joined Al Qaida and
        > ISIS. The number of foreign fighters went up by 71% in just ten months. And
        > the massacres of Paris and San Bernardino were perpetuated by local people,
        > who were not part of the ISIS structure.
        >
        > The main difference between Al Qaida and ISIS, according About Zeid, from
        > the Carnegie  Center in Beirut, is that Al Qaida has as its main goal to
        > fight against Western domination. But ISIS is especially interested to a
        > depuration of  the muslim world, fighting  other branches of Islam, from
        > Shia to Sufi to YAZIDI , ismaeliti etc, to eliminate them and oblige  Sunni
        > to accept a strict wahabist practice, or suffer violence.
        >
        > It is in that light that ISIS messages to muslim living in the West is
        > insistent and clear :Take side, or with the West as apostates, or with us
        > as real Muslim.
        >
        > The problem is that mistrust of Muslims  the West is increasing. Hate
        > crimes have tripled in the last month in US, spurred by the irresponsible
        > Republican presidential candidates. The growing rightwing  xenophobic
        > european parties, led by demagogues like Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in
        > the Nederland, or Le Pen in France, are subjecting Muslim to harsh times.
        > It obliges them to define more their allegiances, and this can push young
        > and marginalized muslim into  the ISIS camp.
        >
        > Refugees from muslim countries, like Siria, are depicted  as infiltrated
        > by ISIS.If this trend of radicalization continues, it will become a
        > phenomena which will survive  ISIS. itself. Over 25.000 people from 100
        > countries have joined the ISIS: a 715 increase of foreign fighters in just
        > ten months. According to the Pew Institute, Islam is now at 1.6 billion
        > people, but in 2050 will be close to the christians ( 1.8 billions), in
        > 2075 will have the same consistency, and in 2.100 will be the largest
        > religion in the world. By the way, is the religion who has the largest
        > number of under 15.
        >
        > The long terms project of ISIS is a clash of civilization. A continues
        > polarization, with the West as a clear enemy, is what ISIS legacy could be.
        > It means to go global, from local.
        >
        > The year 2016 will be crucial to see if this polarization will increase or
        > not. Will the West be able to understand the trap in which he is walking? Anyhow,
        > our daily life is already under attack. To travel has become an
        > aggravation. US is now tightening its visa policy for Europeans. Cots of
        > security are  increasing  by 83 percent in Europe, according to an Interpol
        > estimate. Fear is seeping more and more in the collective subconscious. If
        > in 2016 there will be more massacres like Paris and San Bernardino, fear
        > and polarization will take a trend may be irreversible.
        >
        > *Handicap 3: Refugees: *
        >
        > With media covering just events, , the refugee crisis has now passed to a
        > second plan. Nothing has changed: people die like before, countries have
        > erected walls and continue to adopt stricter measures, but with winter less
        > people are ready to risk their life.But let us take a long term view.
        > Europe, Australia, United States and other rich countries are simply not
        > culturally prepared to accept two inescapable facts. The first, that the
        > homogenous, white, christian world that we know, is not sustainable. Is a
        > law of physics that an empty space attract overflow. In this moment the
        > crisis is due entirely to irresponsible military actions taken to depose an
        > unsavory dictator, without any planning for the after. In a short time,
        > Saddam Hussein and Gheddafi were successfully deposed, leaving their
        > countries in chaos and misery. The last attempt, Assad, become a proxy war
        > , with Russia and the Shia ( Iran , Hezbollah), keeping him in place, in
        > spite of the efforts of Europe and United States.  Only Siria has now four
        > million refugees and just a fourth of them is trying to make a new life in
        > Europe.
        >
        > At the same time, Europe has a significant  demographic decline. According
        > to the UN, Europe needs at least 2 more millions of additional people to
        > keep its pension system functioning, and the economy running, and will need
        > at least 350.000 new immigrants every year, until the population will
        > stabilize again, around 2080. Of course, there is no political campaign of
        > education to this reality. The right wing parties present a dream: let us
        > go back to the time that we were all white, with Christianity as our common
        > bond, let us defend our identity and our history.
        >
        > But if we go beyond our present crisis, let us realize that demographic
        > transformations are staggering. According to the last UN projections, the
        > world in 2100 will not be 9 billion as thought ( we are now at 7.5
        > billion), but 11.2 billions. Africa will be then 4.4 billion people, up
        > from its present  billion. Ethiopia, to make a case, is now 100 million
        > people: it will l be 243 millions in 2100. Africa will be then 39% of the
        > world population, almost as much as Asia, and four times the share of
        > Europe and North America put together. Africa is largely muslim..…
        >
        > Let us remind that now Europe and US are accepting ( US  symbolically)
        > refugees, or those who have left their home because of a conflict. That
        > leaves outside people who are afraid of mortal discrimination, like gays in
        > Africa, Nigerian girls where Boko Haram bring them in slavery, religious
        > groups like Christians in the middle east, or rohinyás in Myanmar…and this
        > excludes economic migrants, or people who have left their home because it
        > does not feed them, and escape hunger, not war…and  we will have to add the
        > new category of climate refugees, which does not even exist in the present
        > debate.
        >
        > According to the United Nations High Commission for Refuges, in 50 years,
        > according on how we implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, we
        > could go with 3  degrees to 250 millions displaced people, and with 4.5 to
        > 1.000 million people. According the International Organization for
        > Migrations, “ in the last 30 years droughts and inundations have tripled”
        > and climate changes have created more displaced people than wars. The
        > security Council has released a report which depicts how more than one
        > million Syrian farmers, ruined by the drought between 2007 and 2010, took
        > refuge in unprepared and fragile towns, and their desperation  plaid a key
        > role in the Arab Spring insurrection against Assad.
        >
        > So it is time to realize that the West is facing an historical change,
        > with dramatic consequences in lifestyle, customs, and  daily practices. This
        > could be achieved by accepting gradually newcomers to the club, in harmony
        > and coexistence  of the Western values, or by showing them a fist, as
        > Salvini and Trump do.  The 2016 will be very crucial to see how this will
        > go, especially after American Elections.
        >
        > *Handicap 4: Decline of democracy*
        >
        > It is time to realize that political disaffection is not only increasing
        > xenophobic and right wing parties   since the economic crisis of 2009, but
        > also sapping the prestige of democracy as an undisputed modern value. We
        > have now the Hungarian Prime Minister, who openly advocates an “illiberal
        > democracy”, and look to Putin as a  model. Poland is following the same
        > direction, and all over Eastern Europe there is  a clear shift to the
        > right, marked by pressing request to Nato and United States to enhance
        > military barriers to Russia. ( And Nato poking Putin paranoia, by offering
        > Montenegro, with 2.000 soldiers, to join).All those countries have refused
        > European agreements on receiving  refugees, as well as any other burden
        > from Brussels ( money of  course is accepted and requested). Putin has set
        > up an informal alliance with the right wing parties , as a leader in the
        > defense of identity and religion. He has even given  a 5 million euro loan
        > to Le Pen.
        >
        > In time of crisis, people are more interested in their security and work,
        > than who is in power. Many classical voters for the left, like workers
        > and unemployed, now vote for the right wing parties, and believe their
        > promises of going back to the golden past. They are not interested any
        > longer by ideologies or political visions. They think that right and left
        > does not exist any more. They are disillusioned with the classical party
        > system, and they are ready to try anything new and which is not part of the
        > establishment. This is the reason of Le Pen success in France, of the
        > disconcerting support for Trump in United States ( and even more puzzling
        > the success of  Bernie Sanders , a declared socialist, a term which is
        > close to anathema  in US).
        >
        > Of course, right wing xenophobic parties are not very useful for
        > international cooperation and dialogue with others. But the real problem
        > is that we are in a crisis of  political vision.When ideologies are
        > discarded as relics, and the following step is to adopt pragmatism as a
        > solution, in fact you are making of politics a number of ad hoc solutions,
        > without any final view of the society.  Each action is chosen as the most
        > useful for that specific issue. That is not pragmatism, is utilitarism,
        > which downgrade policy to administrative, and this does not attract
        > people’s participation, especially young people. And the administrative
        > level of politics, without any vision,  is prone to corruption, which is
        > clearly growing in the western democracies.
        >
        > Fear is strengthening  the right, not the left. Today fear is creeping
        > into our daily lives, according to different polls. A survey from The World
        > Value System, found out that today only one  fifth of Americans consider
        > democracy as a fundamental principle.  The same is happening in Europe,
        > according to the same survey. In other words, nazism and stalinism are
        > faded memories. And the Chinese model, where decision can be taken in a
        > short time, bolstering productivity and action., is becoming popular.
        >
        > We  are, of course, not yet in the Weimar climate. But we are getting in
        > place many of the ingredients which brought an obscure demagogue to run
        > the most advanced country of the time.
        >
        > It will be important to see  how in this year demagogy will continue its
        > growth, or will abate. But what would be important is that we all start to
        > put democracy under observation, not  longer a  value over the fray. It is
        > under attack, not only from ISIS and terrorism, but from leaders elected by
        > their citizens, be  Orban or Putin, and whit a phenomenal approval rate. So
        > it is time we take into account that a growing segment of the population in
        > the West is finding refuge in the dreams of the past, with political en
        > economic agendas which are out of reality. Democracy, sadly, is on the wane.
        >
        > *Handicap 5: The decline  of Europe. *
        >
        > In 2016 probably Cameron will call a referendum on leaving the European
        > Union or not.  This is    trap in which the British PM put himself, by
        > promising to renegotiate Britain permanence in the EU, or  having several
        > benefits or quitting. It is clear now that with empty hands, he would loose
        > the referendum ( he is supposed to want to remain). Negotiations with
        > Europe will go ahed in the first months of the year. Germany considers a
        > catastrophe if Britain leaves, so it will help Cameron. Whatever the EU
        > will concede to Britain, will be immediately requested by all East European
        > countries.This will mark the  end  of european integration. The 2016 could
        > be the year when  this will happen.
        >
        > *Handicap 6 : Nationalism in Asia.  *
        >
        > It is a worrying reality that for the first time since the end of the last
        > war, the major Asian countries, China, India and Japan, are run at the same
        > time by nationalist leaders. While obviously different in their reality and
        > style (nothing like the twins Putin-Erdogan), they are revamping the
        > glorious past and the humiliations that they did suffer in the World War 2,
        > to stir citizens to their support.
        >
        > President Xi has launched “the Chinese dream”,  which is rooted in
        > bringing back the ancient glories of the Empire of the Middle, and revenge
        > the humiliations of the european occupation, Japanese occupation, and the
        > oppium war. Two years ago mobs destroyed Japanese shops and properties,
        > without initially any police intervention.China has embarked in a plan of
        > influences to counter United Sates, by financing several grandiose
        > projects: the creation of a Bank alternative to the World Bank, under
        > Washington control. On Xi invitation, 45 countries did join the bank, who
        > will have a total of 200 billion dollars, in spite of Washington
        > opposition.It is also planning to recreate the ancient “Silk Road”, by
        > investing over 50 billion dollars. And it is planning  to finance the
        > “twin Ocean Railroad connection, a planned 5.000 km railway from the Peru
        > coast to Brasil.
        >
        > It has given to Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, loans for over 80 billion
        > dollars, sending a message to the  traditional “backyard” of United States:
        > wane yourself from Washington, I have more resources ( China reserves are
        > 3.8 trillion dollars). It has been intervening heavily in Africa, to the
        > point that Zimbabwe is considering pegging its currency to the yuan. And it
        > is expanding its maritime zone  in the sea, by building bases on some small
        > rocks, which were claimed by several asian countries. China will  increased
        > its military budget by 7% during  the new five year plan.
        >
        > Abe, the Japanese PM, has gone in the same direction. It has just
        > increased the military budget by 7%, and more importantly he has made an
        > interpretation of the constitution, that allows again the Japanese Defense
        > Force to act abroad. He defends that change by saying that it is for
        > limited cases. Yet, is like to give liquors filled chocolates to an ex
        > alcoholic. Polls show a growing surge of the right and of the nostalgics,
        > who feel the defeat in the second world war as an humiliation to erase. Abe
        > has refused to apologize for the violence used against civilians by
        > Japanese troops in China, and to recognize Japanese responsibilities in the
        > forcible recruitment of over 60.000 Korean girls to be used as “sex help”,
        > for the Japanese soldiers.
        >
        > Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, is also recalling the glorious
        > past, tacitly condoning right wing and nationalist acts, and speaking of “
        > a new indian glory" .In 2050, according the Un projections, India will
        > overtake China as the largest population  of the world. The difference is
        > that India has 41% of his population under 18;China by that time will have
        > only 23% of young people, in a sea of old people, because of its one child
        > policy.
        >
        > Modi has projected India at the forefront of the international scene, by
        > using his leverage in the Paris Conference on climate change. He now speaks
        > on behalf of the non industrialized country ( China attempt to do that in
        > Paris went nowhere), and he is also increasing the military budget. He just
        > bought armament from China for 12 b million dollars, an hefty amount for a
        > country which needs dramatic injections in its social, educational and
        > health system, beside of course infrastructures.
        >
        > In other words, if there is a place where a new world war could coming, is
        > Asia. And its scale would be really unprecedented. What is worrying is that
        > ALL asian  countries are increasing their defense budget, How much this
        > will bring some significant events in 2016, is difficult to predict. But it
        > would be important to loom at Asia as a place of concern for the world
        > peace.
        >
        > *Handicap 7: Decline in Latin America*.
        >
        >  While this is more of a  regional problem, in an interconnected world
        > everything  has relevance for everybody. Latin America has been for the
        > last decade an active international actor, contributing to the world
        > development. The decline of Chinese imports of raw material, and  the
        > increase of interest rates from the Federal Reserve in Washington, ( which
        > will shift investments from Latin America to the US market) are a two piece
        > prong, that is affecting seriously the region.
        >
        > Some economists are already talking of a new negative cycle, that could
        > last for some years. The low prices of commodities is affecting all the
        > region, from copper in Chile to oil in Venezuela, Ecuador, and agricultural
        > commodities in Argentina. in Venezuela, Maduro is still ignoring the new
        > reality, and the World Bank predicts a decline of 10% in 2016. He could
        > remain in power only solving problems, for which he has no funds.
        >
        >  The same is happening in Ecuador. Argentina has already changed
        > direction, and is going back to the neoliberal policies of the past.Brazil
        > is in the middle of a crisis  for corruption, which is hiding a very
        > difficult economic situation. The Economic Commission for Latin America has
        > published an alarmed report, in which it forecast a serious decline. In the
        > report, it indicates that at the end of 2016 we will have a more clear
        > picture, once is clear if the Chinese locomotor is in a temporary loss of
        > speed, or in  a more durable process.
        >
        > *Handicap 8:  Armament increase.*
        >
        >  According to the projections of the Swedish Institute for Peace, the
        > 2016 will see increase in armament costs close to 3%. That increase  is the
        > equivalent of 600 billion dollars, an amount which could have solved the
        > ambitious goals of the  Millennium Development goals established by the
        > UN,;the amount requested in Paris by the non industrialized countries to
        > give them clean technology,( an unresolved problem yet ). But the debate
        > on reduction of armaments  ignores a stunning reality: the five Permanent
        > Members of the Security Council of the UN ( in charge  with securing
        > peace), make  82% of the global arm’s sale. And with China entering
        > massively into weapons manufacturing, that percentage is bound to grow.
        >
        > United Nations started to authorize  “humanitarian intervention”, in
        > Somalia(December 5, 1992 - May 4, 1993). The scope of the american led
        > invasion was to bring humanitarian aid in a rogue country, where
        > conflicting militia were starving the population. The balance of that
        > operation ( with a quick exit of US, after several of his soldiers were
        > drawn as corpses in the main street of Mogadishu), was a total cost of the
        > military operations of 900 million dollars.
        >
        >  The value of the food and other supplies distributed was 90 million
        > dollars. That proportion has been kept in every case. Except that it is
        > always much more easy to find resources for military operations, than for
        > humanitarian ones. The massive wave of refugees for all the local wars in
        > Africa and Middle East, is a consequence of that priority. Europe has
        > accepted to give 3 billions dollars to Turkey, and eliminate visas, so to
        > keep Syrian refugees there. It is now spending for refugees  an amount
        > which is  not yet quantifiable, but that certainly goes in billion of
        > dollars. If that money would have been spent for assisting populations in
        > the conflict zone, certainly the number of refugees pounding on the doors
        > would have been considerably smaller.
        >
        > Unfortunately, 2016 is going in that direction. Armaments costs will
        > increase, while development assistance is being curtailed everywhere. The
        > budget for aid is now being used to finance the incoming refugees, and
        > probably to finance the commitments of Paris. Therefore, the amount of aid
        > reaching poor populations, is decreasing. The last Un Conference for
        > pledging resources, held on Nov. 10th in NewYork, saw a “ dramatic decline”
        > in donors contributions, from 560 million dollars in 2014, to 77 million
        > dollars, ,largely covering 2015. Of course, this is going to increase
        > economic migrants.
        >
        > *Handicap 9: increase of inequality *
        >
        > The Economist itself has been noting” that the rich are becoming richer
        > and  the richest are getting richer faster, is beyond doubt”. A research
        > by the University of California found out that the share of  American
        > wealth held the 0.1 percent of the richest households rose from 7% in 1979,
        > to 22% in 2012. And  that of the richest 0.01 per cent ( about 16.000
        > household), jumped from 2% to 11%. Of course, they do not get money printed
        > especially for them. They suck the money from the total monetary
        > circulation, which means that some people are surrendering their wealth. An
        > other study has documented that since 2008, the american middle class has
        > shrunk by 10 million families.
        >
        > This is a worldwide trend. In Spain, rich people have increased by 40%
        > since 2008. In 2014, the number of millionaires did increase worldwide by
        > 920.000 individual. There are now in the world , according the Bank of
        > Canada 14.6 millions who owns more than million dollars in cash beside the
        > primary house, cars and different goods. The gap between managers and
        > employees and  workers is growing yearly, with little protest.  The CEO  of
        > the 500 Fortune Companies (the most successful) had a median income of 17.5
        > million dollars, with some of course over 200 millions.
        >
        > A number of economists, among them from the World Bank and the IMF, have
        > been warning that inequality has not only social and political
        > implications, but also economic, as it reduces buying power from the poor,
        > eliminates small shops and companies, and erodes the middle class, which is
        > the basis for social stability. The famous book “Capital in the
        > Twenty-First
        >
        > Century”, by Thomas Piketty, makes this point central: as wealth
        > concentrates, democratic societies lose faith in the fairness of
        > governments, which are seen as allied to the big capital. Le Pen campaign
        > against “plutocrats” is reminiscent of the language used by Mussolini and
        > Hitler: all right wing parties denounce bankers as enemies, and that stirs
        > with those who see their lifestyle decline, or their sons without a job,
        > why a few are obscenely rich.
        >
        > What is disconcerting in this unprecedented explosion of inequality (
        > according Oxfam in 2025 England will have the same level   of the time of
        > Queen Victoria),  that the banner has been generally taken more by the
        > right wing parties, than from those on the left. And inequality has not
        > become a big political issue. If it were not for Sanders, it would be
        > totally absent in the american elections.
        >
        > And now, two researchers, the Russian economist Vladimir Gimpelson ad the
        > American political scientist Daniel Treisman have come up with an
        > illuminating study. They looked at a collection of survey from 40
        > countries, both rich and poor. The  conclusion is that people’s guess about
        > the distribution of incomes and where they  are  is as wrong as it could
        > be. Those who were relatively poor people tended to depict them as middle
        > class. In Italy, more than half of the needy though they were at the middle
        > of the income scales. In France and Sweden, the proportion was more than
        > one third. In contrast, those who are better off tend to think that they
        > have not yet made it. In France, Italy and Britain, 40 percent or more of
        > the people who owned second homes put themselves in the bottom half.
        >
        > This, in Marxists  terms, means that people have lost a sense of class,
        > and therefore they do not resent inequality as it was done before. And
        > this means that the political class does not feel inequality as a crucial
        > issue.It is not by chance that the term “social justice” has disappeared
        > from the political debate. But how long this will last?
        >
        > The 2016 will see this trend to continue. It is difficult for people to
        > realize how this concentration process is becoming extreme. Let us take two
        > noble examples, to illustrate it. Mark Zuckeberg, the founder of Facebook,
        > has announced that he will donate 99% of his shares, valued at 45 billion
        > dollars, to philanthropy. It is an amount that competes with China project
        > for its railroad spanning from Beijing to Europe, so is an extreme act  of
        > philanthropy. But let us keep in mind that the 1% left to him is 450
        > million dollars: 400 times the lifetime income of a collage graduate.
        >
        >  And that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation,a very important
        > institution,  which is supported by 44 billions, has given away 5 billion
        > in 2014: this was anyhow less than the 7.4 billion it accumulated thanks to
        > new contributions, investment income and rising value assets.In other
        > words, money brings so much money, when  you have plenty of it, that it
        > will be always there ( unless you waste it…but billionaires usually do not
        > do..when  Zuckeberg  was in Rome in honeymoon, in the jewish quarter,  he
        > did not leave any tip to the astonished waiter)
        >
        > *Handicap  10: your personal commitment.  *
        >
        > This list of handicaps is highly subjective, and leaves outside several
        > issues which are very important, like gender, human rights, development
        > assistance, finance control, migrants, etc. If you have reached this
        > point of my paper, it means that you  are committed to a  better world, and
        > you are an unusual reader.  According to a study from Unesco, only 3% of
        > the world population can read 5.000 words of abstract material, without
        > giving up.It also means that you have some commitment probably to issues
        > that I have left out. It would be the most positive result to this
        > writing,  if you could make an effort and  think how they will fare in
        > 2016: if the Newborn  year looks positive for your commitments. The purpose
        > of Othernews is to stimulate thinking and awareness. Let us this  be the
        > New Year wishes from the publisher to all of you!
        >
        > **Italian-Argentine journalist. Co-founder and former
        > Director General of Inter Press Service (IPS). In recent years he also
        > founded Other News, a service that
        > provides "information markets eliminate". Other News. In Spanish: http://www.other-news.info/noticias/
        > <http://www.other-news.info/noticias/> In
        > English: http://www.other-net.info/ <http://www.other-net.info/>*
        >
        >
        >
        >
        >
        >  Roberto Savio
        > utopie@...
        >
        >
        >
        >
        >
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        • Re: Re: [Communication commission discussion] Re: [Communication commission discussion] Fwd: une très bonne and, mais en suivant les problèmesà

          from Roberto Savio on Jan 11, 2016 06:12 PM
          Azril, you can use me in whatever manner! Roberto espero el articulo
          Roberto Savio
          utopie@...
          
          
          
          On 11/gen/2016, at 06:30, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
          
          Dear Roberto,
          Am I allowed to quote you in a sociological article intended for publication?
          My article deals with social movements and ethnic identity - and I would certainly send you a copy if you wished to read it.
          Gracias y un fuerte abrazo.
          Azril
          
          On Sat, Jan 2, 2016 at 3:03 AM, Roberto Savio <utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>> wrote:
          Azril, yo escribo solo con la idea de ayudar  a reflexionar.No hay nada mas aburrido escribir cosas que uno ya sabe.  Lo que espero es que la gente,concientizada por hechos que la prensa comercial no da, se activen, y se ocupen en lugar de preocuparse…yo  no soy un gran periodista, esto lo fui , tal vez, en mi vida anterior. Ahora soy  solo un activista…y te doy mis fuertes abrazos para el 2016... 
          Roberto Savio
          utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>
          
          
          
          On 01/gen/2016, at 20:43, Azril Bacal <bazril1@... <mailto:bazril1@...>> wrote:
          
          El buen amigo y gran periodista Roberto identifica algunos retos del 2016. Le respondo con el llamado a leer los signos de los tiempos con el pesimismo de la mente y el optimismo del corazón, en el sendero del PODER PUDIENDO de PODEMOS - ¿o nos quedamos contemplando a las espinas sin podarlas para que la rosa nos brinde sus efluvios? 
          
          Malgrait tout, abrazotes por el año nuevo 2016 😊
          
          Azril
          
          _______________________
          
          POOR 2016, SO MANY HANDICAPS
          
          By Roberto Savio*
          
          San Salvador, Bahamas, December 31, 2015 - At this time, we all wish “ a very good year”. While the wish is always a positive thing, we should also realize that we cannot expect too much from the new born year. He is loaded by so  many handicaps, that we  should have lot of sympathy for him…He is part of a negative circle that started with the financial crisis of 2008, and that will probably conclude in 2017, a cathartic year in which   elections in several key countries and other crucial appointments could open a new cycle. Unless a  republican victory in the American Elections will anticipate a global crisis of governance faster…
          
          Here is a list of the major handicaps for 2016, which is of course a personal view: but supported  by many data…
          
          Handicap 1:  Climate change.
          
          After Paris conference on climate change, this year will be crucial to understand in which direction the wind of change is blowing. Of course, the process of saving our planet at its present level, is planned over a span going to 2050. Let us briefly recall  that the engagements taken in Paris are insufficient to reach the goal of not surpassing 2 Centigrade above the level that prevailed before the Industrial Revolution( we have already used 1 centigrade). As now, the Paris Pact  will at least reach 3.7 Centigrade, which means, among many things, 850 millions people displaced. In fact, there is a consensus that we should not  go beyond 1.5 Centigrades, to be really safe. 
          
          Well, we will take just two examples, to show that the threat to the planet is a very concrete one, and that political subjection to the energy sector continues. The British Parliament has just approved legislation allowing use of the shale gas extraction technology , know has hydraulic fracking. This is also allowed beneath protected sites, including national parks.British government has announced that they will award new licenses for shale gas and oil exploration, including national parks.
          
          The other is an interview from Gian Luca Galletti, Italian minister for environment, back from Paris.He defends his new program of oil extraction in land and sea, by declaring: “One of the key themes of Paris is the equitable exploration of natural resources. We live in a country that is still uses petrol and gas, and I do not see why we should  use energies from others.”The Prime Minister Renzi has applauded the “green criteria”  with which the new plan of drilling, for  2 billion euro. . Meanwhile in Gela, Sicily, one of the refining places, child cancer has gone to 159.2 percent, Hodgkin to 72.4, stomach tumor 47.5 percent, versus the national norma.
          
          According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect subsidies to the fossil industries, coal and oil, amount to  5.3 trillion dollars dollars per year. The subsidy requested in Paris for introducing green technologies, world wide, is 100 billion dollars. This data is sufficient to illustrate the gap between good intentions and vested interests.
          
          If this trend will continue in 2016, it is clear that the Paris climate agreement swill never reach its goals. 
          
          Handicap 2: ISIS and terrorism 
          
          While everybody keeps focusing on the war to the Caliphate in Siria, it is time to look more in long term.The war in Siria has become a proxy war by Saudi Arabia (which  is directly responsible for the diffusion of the radical islam imposed by ISIS, wahabism), Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Russia, United States, France, Great Britain, and now with support from Germany and theoretically from the European Union. Now, all muslim countries worldwide are supposed to join Saudi Arabia.They are all ready to fight this war to the last syrian, but not to risk any man. As bombing has never been sufficient to win,  this is a war that in 2016 will go nowhere. But what we have to start to reflect  is that ISIS is  a local project, and  is becoming a global one. A Security Council  report  estimates that 25.000 people from 100 countries have joined Al Qaida and ISIS. The number of foreign fighters went up by 71% in just ten months. And the massacres of Paris and San Bernardino were perpetuated by local people, who were not part of the ISIS structure.
          
          The main difference between Al Qaida and ISIS, according About Zeid, from the Carnegie  Center in Beirut, is that Al Qaida has as its main goal to fight against Western domination. But ISIS is especially interested to a depuration of  the muslim world, fighting  other branches of Islam, from Shia to Sufi to YAZIDI , ismaeliti etc, to eliminate them and oblige  Sunni to accept a strict wahabist practice, or suffer violence.
          
          It is in that light that ISIS messages to muslim living in the West is insistent and clear :Take side, or with the West as apostates, or with us as real Muslim.
          
          The problem is that mistrust of Muslims  the West is increasing. Hate crimes have tripled in the last month in US, spurred by the irresponsible Republican presidential candidates. The growing rightwing  xenophobic european parties, led by demagogues like Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in the Nederland, or Le Pen in France, are subjecting Muslim to harsh times. It obliges them to define more their allegiances, and this can push young and marginalized muslim into  the ISIS camp.
          
          Refugees from muslim countries, like Siria, are depicted  as infiltrated by ISIS.If this trend of radicalization continues, it will become a phenomena which will survive  ISIS. itself. Over 25.000 people from 100  countries have joined the ISIS: a 715 increase of foreign fighters in just ten months. According to the Pew Institute, Islam is now at 1.6 billion people, but in 2050 will be close to the christians ( 1.8 billions), in 2075 will have the same consistency, and in 2.100 will be the largest religion in the world. By the way, is the religion who has the largest number of under 15.
          
          The long terms project of ISIS is a clash of civilization. A continues polarization, with the West as a clear enemy, is what ISIS legacy could be. It means to go global, from local.
          
          The year 2016 will be crucial to see if this polarization will increase or not. Will the West be able to understand the trap in which he is walking? Anyhow, our daily life is already under attack. To travel has become an aggravation. US is now tightening its visa policy for Europeans. Cots of security are  increasing  by 83 percent in Europe, according to an Interpol estimate. Fear is seeping more and more in the collective subconscious. If in 2016 there will be more massacres like Paris and San Bernardino, fear and polarization will take a trend may be irreversible.
          
          Handicap 3: Refugees: 
          
          With media covering just events, , the refugee crisis has now passed to a second plan. Nothing has changed: people die like before, countries have erected walls and continue to adopt stricter measures, but with winter less people are ready to risk their life.But let us take a long term view. Europe, Australia, United States and other rich countries are simply not culturally prepared to accept two inescapable facts. The first, that the homogenous, white, christian world that we know, is not sustainable. Is a law of physics that an empty space attract overflow. In this moment the crisis is due entirely to irresponsible military actions taken to depose an unsavory dictator, without any planning for the after. In a short time, Saddam Hussein and Gheddafi were successfully deposed, leaving their countries in chaos and misery. The last attempt, Assad, become a proxy war , with Russia and the Shia ( Iran , Hezbollah), keeping him in place, in spite of the efforts of Europe and United States.  Only Siria has now four million refugees and just a fourth of them is trying to make a new life in Europe. 
          
          At the same time, Europe has a significant  demographic decline. According to the UN, Europe needs at least 2 more millions of additional people to keep its pension system functioning, and the economy running, and will need at least 350.000 new immigrants every year, until the population will stabilize again, around 2080. Of course, there is no political campaign of education to this reality. The right wing parties present a dream: let us go back to the time that we were all white, with Christianity as our common bond, let us defend our identity and our history. 
          
          But if we go beyond our present crisis, let us realize that demographic transformations are staggering. According to the last UN projections, the world in 2100 will not be 9 billion as thought ( we are now at 7.5 billion), but 11.2 billions. Africa will be then 4.4 billion people, up from its present  billion. Ethiopia, to make a case, is now 100 million people: it will l be 243 millions in 2100. Africa will be then 39% of the world population, almost as much as Asia, and four times the share of Europe and North America put together. Africa is largely muslim..… 
          
          Let us remind that now Europe and US are accepting ( US  symbolically)  refugees, or those who have left their home because of a conflict. That leaves outside people who are afraid of mortal discrimination, like gays in Africa, Nigerian girls where Boko Haram bring them in slavery, religious groups like Christians in the middle east, or rohinyás in Myanmar…and this excludes economic migrants, or people who have left their home because it does not feed them, and escape hunger, not war…and  we will have to add the new category of climate refugees, which does not even exist in the present debate.
          
          According to the United Nations High Commission for Refuges, in 50 years, according on how we implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, we could go with 3  degrees to 250 millions displaced people, and with 4.5 to 1.000 million people. According the International Organization for Migrations, “ in the last 30 years droughts and inundations have tripled” and climate changes have created more displaced people than wars. The security Council has released a report which depicts how more than one million Syrian farmers, ruined by the drought between 2007 and 2010, took refuge in unprepared and fragile towns, and their desperation  plaid a key role in the Arab Spring insurrection against Assad.
          
          So it is time to realize that the West is facing an historical change, with dramatic consequences in lifestyle, customs, and  daily practices. This could be achieved by accepting gradually newcomers to the club, in harmony and coexistence  of the Western values, or by showing them a fist, as Salvini and Trump do.  The 2016 will be very crucial to see how this will go, especially after American Elections.
          
          Handicap 4: Decline of democracy
          
          It is time to realize that political disaffection is not only increasing xenophobic and right wing parties   since the economic crisis of 2009, but also sapping the prestige of democracy as an undisputed modern value. We have now the Hungarian Prime Minister, who openly advocates an “illiberal democracy”, and look to Putin as a  model. Poland is following the same direction, and all over Eastern Europe there is  a clear shift to the right, marked by pressing request to Nato and United States to enhance military barriers to Russia. ( And Nato poking Putin paranoia, by offering Montenegro, with 2.000 soldiers, to join).All those countries have refused European agreements on receiving  refugees, as well as any other burden from Brussels ( money of  course is accepted and requested). Putin has set up an informal alliance with the right wing parties , as a leader in the defense of identity and religion. He has even given  a 5 million euro loan to Le Pen.
          
          In time of crisis, people are more interested in their security and work, than who is in power. Many classical voters for the left, like workers and unemployed, now vote for the right wing parties, and believe their promises of going back to the golden past. They are not interested any longer by ideologies or political visions. They think that right and left does not exist any more. They are disillusioned with the classical party system, and they are ready to try anything new and which is not part of the establishment. This is the reason of Le Pen success in France, of the disconcerting support for Trump in United States ( and even more puzzling the success of  Bernie Sanders , a declared socialist, a term which is close to anathema  in US).
          
          Of course, right wing xenophobic parties are not very useful for international cooperation and dialogue with others. But the real problem is that we are in a crisis of  political vision.When ideologies are discarded as relics, and the following step is to adopt pragmatism as a solution, in fact you are making of politics a number of ad hoc solutions, without any final view of the society.  Each action is chosen as the most useful for that specific issue. That is not pragmatism, is utilitarism, which downgrade policy to administrative, and this does not attract people’s participation, especially young people. And the administrative  level of politics, without any vision,  is prone to corruption, which is clearly growing in the western democracies.
          
          Fear is strengthening  the right, not the left. Today fear is creeping into our daily lives, according to different polls. A survey from The World Value System, found out that today only one  fifth of Americans consider democracy as a fundamental principle.  The same is happening in Europe, according to the same survey. In other words, nazism and stalinism are faded memories. And the Chinese model, where decision can be taken in a short time, bolstering productivity and action., is becoming popular.
          
          We  are, of course, not yet in the Weimar climate. But we are getting in place many of the ingredients which brought an obscure demagogue to run  the most advanced country of the time.
          
          It will be important to see  how in this year demagogy will continue its growth, or will abate. But what would be important is that we all start to put democracy under observation, not  longer a  value over the fray. It is under attack, not only from ISIS and terrorism, but from leaders elected by their citizens, be  Orban or Putin, and whit a phenomenal approval rate. So it is time we take into account that a growing segment of the population in the West is finding refuge in the dreams of the past, with political en economic agendas which are out of reality. Democracy, sadly, is on the wane.
          
          Handicap 5: The decline  of Europe. 
          
          In 2016 probably Cameron will call a referendum on leaving the European Union or not.  This is    trap in which the British PM put himself, by promising to renegotiate Britain permanence in the EU, or  having several benefits or quitting. It is clear now that with empty hands, he would loose the referendum ( he is supposed to want to remain). Negotiations with Europe will go ahed in the first months of the year. Germany considers a catastrophe if Britain leaves, so it will help Cameron. Whatever the EU will concede to Britain, will be immediately requested by all East European countries.This will mark the  end  of european integration. The 2016 could  be the year when  this will happen.
          
          Handicap 6 : Nationalism in Asia.  
          
          It is a worrying reality that for the first time since the end of the last war, the major Asian countries, China, India and Japan, are run at the same time by nationalist leaders. While obviously different in their reality and style (nothing like the twins Putin-Erdogan), they are revamping the glorious past and the humiliations that they did suffer in the World War 2, to stir citizens to their support.  
          
          President Xi has launched “the Chinese dream”,  which is rooted in bringing back the ancient glories of the Empire of the Middle, and revenge the humiliations of the european occupation, Japanese occupation, and the oppium war. Two years ago mobs destroyed Japanese shops and properties, without initially any police intervention.China has embarked in a plan of influences to counter United Sates, by financing several grandiose projects: the creation of a Bank alternative to the World Bank, under Washington control. On Xi invitation, 45 countries did join the bank, who will have a total of 200 billion dollars, in spite of Washington opposition.It is also planning to recreate the ancient “Silk Road”, by investing over 50 billion dollars. And it is planning  to finance the “twin Ocean Railroad connection, a planned 5.000 km railway from the Peru coast to Brasil. 
          
          It has given to Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, loans for over 80 billion dollars, sending a message to the  traditional “backyard” of United States: wane yourself from Washington, I have more resources ( China reserves are  3.8 trillion dollars). It has been intervening heavily in Africa, to the point that Zimbabwe is considering pegging its currency to the yuan. And it is expanding its maritime zone  in the sea, by building bases on some small rocks, which were claimed by several asian countries. China will  increased its military budget by 7% during  the new five year plan.
          
          Abe, the Japanese PM, has gone in the same direction. It has just increased the military budget by 7%, and more importantly he has made an interpretation of the constitution, that allows again the Japanese Defense Force to act abroad. He defends that change by saying that it is for limited cases. Yet, is like to give liquors filled chocolates to an ex alcoholic. Polls show a growing surge of the right and of the nostalgics, who feel the defeat in the second world war as an humiliation to erase. Abe has refused to apologize for the violence used against civilians by Japanese troops in China, and to recognize Japanese responsibilities in the forcible recruitment of over 60.000 Korean girls to be used as “sex help”, for the Japanese soldiers.
          
          Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, is also recalling the glorious past, tacitly condoning right wing and nationalist acts, and speaking of “ a new indian glory" .In 2050, according the Un projections, India will overtake China as the largest population  of the world. The difference is that India has 41% of his population under 18;China by that time will have only 23% of young people, in a sea of old people, because of its one child policy. 
          
          Modi has projected India at the forefront of the international scene, by using his leverage in the Paris Conference on climate change. He now speaks on behalf of the non industrialized country ( China attempt to do that in Paris went nowhere), and he is also increasing the military budget. He just bought armament from China for 12 b million dollars, an hefty amount for a country which needs dramatic injections in its social, educational and health system, beside of course infrastructures.
          
          In other words, if there is a place where a new world war could coming, is Asia. And its scale would be really unprecedented. What is worrying is that ALL asian  countries are increasing their defense budget, How much this will bring some significant events in 2016, is difficult to predict. But it would be important to loom at Asia as a place of concern for the world peace.
          
          Handicap 7: Decline in Latin America. 
          
           While this is more of a  regional problem, in an interconnected world everything  has relevance for everybody. Latin America has been for the last decade an active international actor, contributing to the world development. The decline of Chinese imports of raw material, and  the increase of interest rates from the Federal Reserve in Washington, ( which will shift investments from Latin America to the US market) are a two piece prong, that is affecting seriously the region. 
          
          Some economists are already talking of a new negative cycle, that could  last for some years. The low prices of commodities is affecting all the region, from copper in Chile to oil in Venezuela, Ecuador, and agricultural commodities in Argentina. in Venezuela, Maduro is still ignoring the new reality, and the World Bank predicts a decline of 10% in 2016. He could remain in power only solving problems, for which he has no funds.
          
           The same is happening in Ecuador. Argentina has already changed direction, and is going back to the neoliberal policies of the past.Brazil is in the middle of a crisis  for corruption, which is hiding a very difficult economic situation. The Economic Commission for Latin America has published an alarmed report, in which it forecast a serious decline. In the report, it indicates that at the end of 2016 we will have a more clear picture, once is clear if the Chinese locomotor is in a temporary loss of speed, or in  a more durable process.
          
          Handicap 8:  Armament increase.
          
           According to the projections of the Swedish Institute for Peace, the 2016 will see increase in armament costs close to 3%. That increase  is the equivalent of 600 billion dollars, an amount which could have solved the ambitious goals of the  Millennium Development goals established by the  UN,;the amount requested in Paris by the non industrialized countries to give them clean technology,( an unresolved problem yet ). But the debate on reduction of armaments  ignores a stunning reality: the five Permanent Members of the Security Council of the UN ( in charge  with securing peace), make  82% of the global arm’s sale. And with China entering massively into weapons manufacturing, that percentage is bound to grow. 
          
          United Nations started to authorize  “humanitarian intervention”, in Somalia(December 5, 1992 - May 4, 1993). The scope of the american led invasion was to bring humanitarian aid in a rogue country, where conflicting militia were starving the population. The balance of that operation ( with a quick exit of US, after several of his soldiers were drawn as corpses in the main street of Mogadishu), was a total cost of the military operations of 900 million dollars.
          
           The value of the food and other supplies distributed was 90 million dollars. That proportion has been kept in every case. Except that it is always much more easy to find resources for military operations, than for humanitarian ones. The massive wave of refugees for all the local wars in Africa and Middle East, is a consequence of that priority. Europe has accepted to give 3 billions dollars to Turkey, and eliminate visas, so to keep Syrian refugees there. It is now spending for refugees  an amount which is  not yet quantifiable, but that certainly goes in billion of dollars. If that money would have been spent for assisting populations in the conflict zone, certainly the number of refugees pounding on the doors would have been considerably smaller.
          
          Unfortunately, 2016 is going in that direction. Armaments costs will increase, while development assistance is being curtailed everywhere. The budget for aid is now being used to finance the incoming refugees, and probably to finance the commitments of Paris. Therefore, the amount of aid reaching poor populations, is decreasing. The last Un Conference for pledging resources, held on Nov. 10th in NewYork, saw a “ dramatic decline” in donors contributions, from 560 million dollars in 2014, to 77 million dollars, ,largely covering 2015. Of course, this is going to increase economic migrants.
          
          Handicap 9: increase of inequality 
          
          The Economist itself has been noting” that the rich are becoming richer and  the richest are getting richer faster, is beyond doubt”. A research by the University of California found out that the share of  American wealth held the 0.1 percent of the richest households rose from 7% in 1979, to 22% in 2012. And  that of the richest 0.01 per cent ( about 16.000 household), jumped from 2% to 11%. Of course, they do not get money printed especially for them. They suck the money from the total monetary circulation, which means that some people are surrendering their wealth. An other study has documented that since 2008, the american middle class has shrunk by 10 million families.
          
          This is a worldwide trend. In Spain, rich people have increased by 40% since 2008. In 2014, the number of millionaires did increase worldwide by 920.000 individual. There are now in the world , according the Bank of Canada 14.6 millions who owns more than million dollars in cash beside the primary house, cars and different goods. The gap between managers and employees and  workers is growing yearly, with little protest.  The CEO  of the 500 Fortune Companies (the most successful) had a median income of 17.5 million dollars, with some of course over 200 millions.
          
          A number of economists, among them from the World Bank and the IMF, have been warning that inequality has not only social and political implications, but also economic, as it reduces buying power from the poor, eliminates small shops and companies, and erodes the middle class, which is the basis for social stability. The famous book “Capital in the Twenty-First 
          
          Century”, by Thomas Piketty, makes this point central: as wealth concentrates, democratic societies lose faith in the fairness of governments, which are seen as allied to the big capital. Le Pen campaign against “plutocrats” is reminiscent of the language used by Mussolini and Hitler: all right wing parties denounce bankers as enemies, and that stirs with those who see their lifestyle decline, or their sons without a job, why a few are obscenely rich. 
          
          What is disconcerting in this unprecedented explosion of inequality ( according Oxfam in 2025 England will have the same level   of the time of Queen Victoria),  that the banner has been generally taken more by the right wing parties, than from those on the left. And inequality has not become a big political issue. If it were not for Sanders, it would be totally absent in the american elections. 
          
          And now, two researchers, the Russian economist Vladimir Gimpelson ad the American political scientist Daniel Treisman have come up with an illuminating study. They looked at a collection of survey from 40 countries, both rich and poor. The  conclusion is that people’s guess about the distribution of incomes and where they  are  is as wrong as it could be. Those who were relatively poor people tended to depict them as middle class. In Italy, more than half of the needy though they were at the middle of the income scales. In France and Sweden, the proportion was more than one third. In contrast, those who are better off tend to think that they have not yet made it. In France, Italy and Britain, 40 percent or more of the people who owned second homes put themselves in the bottom half.
          
          This, in Marxists  terms, means that people have lost a sense of class, and therefore they do not resent inequality as it was done before. And this means that the political class does not feel inequality as a crucial issue.It is not by chance that the term “social justice” has disappeared from the political debate. But how long this will last?
          
          The 2016 will see this trend to continue. It is difficult for people to realize how this concentration process is becoming extreme. Let us take two noble examples, to illustrate it. Mark Zuckeberg, the founder of Facebook, has announced that he will donate 99% of his shares, valued at 45 billion dollars, to philanthropy. It is an amount that competes with China project for its railroad spanning from Beijing to Europe, so is an extreme act  of philanthropy. But let us keep in mind that the 1% left to him is 450 million dollars: 400 times the lifetime income of a collage graduate.
          
           And that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation,a very important institution,  which is supported by 44 billions, has given away 5 billion in 2014: this was anyhow less than the 7.4 billion it accumulated thanks to new contributions, investment income and rising value assets.In other words, money brings so much money, when  you have plenty of it, that it will be always there ( unless you waste it…but billionaires usually do not do..when  Zuckeberg  was in Rome in honeymoon, in the jewish quarter,  he did not leave any tip to the astonished waiter)
          
          Handicap  10: your personal commitment.  
          
          This list of handicaps is highly subjective, and leaves outside several issues which are very important, like gender, human rights, development assistance, finance control, migrants, etc. If you have reached this point of my paper, it means that you  are committed to a  better world, and you are an unusual reader.  According to a study from Unesco, only 3% of the world population can read 5.000 words of abstract material, without  giving up.It also means that you have some commitment probably to issues that I have left out. It would be the most positive result to this writing,  if you could make an effort and  think how they will fare in  2016: if the Newborn  year looks positive for your commitments. The purpose of Othernews is to stimulate thinking and awareness. Let us this  be the New Year wishes from the publisher to all of you!
          
          *Italian-Argentine journalist. Co-founder and former Director General of Inter Press Service (IPS). In recent years he also founded Other News, a service that provides "information markets eliminate". Other News. In Spanish: http://www.other-news.info/noticias/ <http://www.other-news.info/noticias/> In English:  <>http://www.other-net.info/ <http://www.other-net.info/>
           
          
          
          
          
           Roberto Savio
          utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>
          
          
          
          
          
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          • Re: Re: [Communication commission discussion] Re: [Communication commission discussion] Re: Fwd: une très bonne and, mais en suivant les problèmesà

            from Azril Bacal on Jan 11, 2016 06:58 PM
            Gracias Roberto, amigo querido, por la confianza otorgada a mi persona!
            Me llevará hasta fines de febrero terminar mi artículo a mi gusto. Te
            advierto que el artículo en cuestión peca de jerga sociológica, para lograr
            publicarlo en un "journal" académico, a pesar de mis esfuerzos por
            minimizarlo al máximo. Una vez listo, te lo envío con gusto, abierto a tus
            críticas y comentarios.
            Abrazotes
            Azril
            PD: Te cuento que estamos probando en Uppsala una estrategia de educación
            popular política denominada "positive anti-racism", bajo el paraguas de
            "EXPO", la organización creada por Stieg Larsson para investigar y luchar
            contra la extrema derecha sueca. En mi caso, hago un programa de cine-foro
            con un documental que espero puedas ver algún día, en sueco con subtítulos
            en inglés.
            
            Si tuviera fondos,que no tengo, se podría organizar una sesión en el FSM de
            Montreal. Ya probé la estrategia un par de veces en Uppsala, con muy buenos
            resultados, aunque me temo, que por ahora con los "ya conversos" al
            anti-rasismo. A fines de Enero, haremos una tercera prueba en Gottsunda, un
            barrio fuertemente segregado y asociado con los inmigrantes y refugiados -
            y por ello, más progresista. El reto real será hacerlo a partir de febrero
            en las zonas periféricas, donde medran los lobos...
            
            Frente a la crisis del periodismo en nuestros tiempos, y que tu analizas
            tan bien, creo que el cine-foro (y el radio-foro) pueden ser estrategias
            efectivas en la trinchera gramsciana. Un tema para conversarlo en su
            momento. Otro fuerte abrazo. Azril
            
            On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 12:46 PM, Roberto Savio <utopie@...> wrote:
            
            > Azril, you can use me in whatever manner! Roberto espero el articulo
            > Roberto Savio
            > utopie@...
            >
            >
            >
            > On 11/gen/2016, at 06:30, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
            >
            > Dear Roberto,
            > Am I allowed to quote you in a sociological article intended for
            > publication?
            > My article deals with social movements and ethnic identity - and I would
            > certainly send you a copy if you wished to read it.
            > Gracias y un fuerte abrazo.
            > Azril
            >
            > On Sat, Jan 2, 2016 at 3:03 AM, Roberto Savio <utopie@...> wrote:
            >
            >> Azril, yo escribo solo con la idea de ayudar  a reflexionar.No hay nada
            >> mas aburrido escribir cosas que uno ya sabe.  Lo que espero es que la
            >> gente,concientizada por hechos que la prensa comercial no da, se activen, y
            >> se ocupen en lugar de preocuparse…yo  no soy un gran periodista, esto lo
            >> fui , tal vez, en mi vida anterior. Ahora soy  solo un activista…y te doy
            >> mis fuertes abrazos para el 2016...
            >> Roberto Savio
            >> utopie@...
            >>
            >>
            >>
            >> On 01/gen/2016, at 20:43, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
            >>
            >> *El buen amigo y gran periodista Roberto identifica algunos retos del
            >> 2016. Le respondo con el llamado a leer los signos de los tiempos con el
            >> pesimismo de la mente y el optimismo del corazón, en el sendero del PODER
            >> PUDIENDO de PODEMOS - ¿o nos quedamos contemplando a las espinas sin
            >> podarlas para que la rosa nos brinde sus efluvios? *
            >>
            >> *Malgrait tout, abrazotes por el año nuevo 2016 😊*
            >>
            >> Azril
            >>
            >> _______________________
            >>
            >> *POOR 2016, SO MANY HANDICAPS*
            >>
            >> *By Roberto Savio**
            >>
            >> San Salvador, Bahamas, December 31, 2015 - At this time, we all wish “ a
            >> very good year”. While the wish is always a positive thing, we should also
            >> realize that we cannot expect too much from the new born year. He is
            >> loaded by so  many handicaps, that we  should have lot of sympathy for
            >> him…He is part of a negative circle that started with the financial crisis
            >> of 2008, and that will probably conclude in 2017, a cathartic year in
            >> which   elections in several key countries and other crucial appointments
            >> could open a new cycle. Unless a  republican victory in the American
            >> Elections will anticipate a global crisis of governance faster…
            >>
            >> Here is a list of the major handicaps for 2016, which is of course a
            >> personal view: but supported  by many data…
            >>
            >> *Handicap 1:  Climate change.*
            >>
            >> After Paris conference on climate change, this year will be crucial to
            >> understand in which direction the wind of change is blowing. Of course, the
            >> process of saving our planet at its present level, is planned over a span
            >> going to 2050. Let us briefly recall  that the engagements taken in Paris
            >> are insufficient to reach the goal of not surpassing 2 Centigrade above the
            >> level that prevailed before the Industrial Revolution( we have already used
            >> 1 centigrade). As now, the Paris Pact  will at least reach 3.7 Centigrade,
            >> which means, among many things, 850 millions people displaced. In fact,
            >> there is a consensus that we should not  go beyond 1.5 Centigrades, to be
            >> really safe.
            >>
            >> Well, we will take just two examples, to show that the threat to the
            >> planet is a very concrete one, and that political subjection to the energy
            >> sector continues. The British Parliament has just approved legislation
            >> allowing use of the shale gas extraction technology , know has hydraulic
            >> fracking. This is also allowed beneath protected sites, including national
            >> parks.British government has announced that they will award new licenses
            >> for shale gas and oil exploration, including national parks.
            >>
            >> The other is an interview from Gian Luca Galletti, Italian minister for
            >> environment, back from Paris.He defends his new program of oil extraction
            >> in land and sea, by declaring: “One of the key themes of Paris is the
            >> equitable exploration of natural resources. We live in a country that is
            >> still uses petrol and gas, and I do not see why we should  use energies
            >> from others.”The Prime Minister Renzi has applauded the “green criteria”
            >> with which the new plan of drilling, for  2 billion euro. . Meanwhile in
            >> Gela, Sicily, one of the refining places, child cancer has gone to 159.2
            >> percent, Hodgkin to 72.4, stomach tumor 47.5 percent, versus the national
            >> norma.
            >>
            >> According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect
            >> subsidies to the fossil industries, coal and oil, amount to  5.3
            >> trillion dollars dollars per year. The subsidy requested in Paris for
            >> introducing green technologies, world wide, is 100 billion dollars. This
            >> data is sufficient to illustrate the gap between good intentions and vested
            >> interests.
            >>
            >> If this trend will continue in 2016, it is clear that the Paris climate
            >> agreement swill never reach its goals.
            >>
            >> *Handicap 2: ISIS and terrorism *
            >>
            >> While everybody keeps focusing on the war to the Caliphate in Siria, it
            >> is time to look more in long term.The war in Siria has become a proxy war
            >> by Saudi Arabia (which  is directly responsible for the diffusion of the
            >> radical islam imposed by ISIS, wahabism), Qatar, United Arab Emirates,
            >> Turkey, Russia, United States, France, Great Britain, and now with support
            >> from Germany and theoretically from the European Union. Now, all muslim
            >> countries worldwide are supposed to join Saudi Arabia.They are all ready to
            >> fight this war to the last syrian, but not to risk any man. As bombing
            >> has never been sufficient to win,  this is a war that in 2016 will go
            >> nowhere. But what we have to start to reflect  is that ISIS is  a local
            >> project, and  is becoming a global one. A Security Council  report
            >> estimates that 25.000 people from 100 countries have joined Al Qaida and
            >> ISIS. The number of foreign fighters went up by 71% in just ten months. And
            >> the massacres of Paris and San Bernardino were perpetuated by local people,
            >> who were not part of the ISIS structure.
            >>
            >> The main difference between Al Qaida and ISIS, according About Zeid, from
            >> the Carnegie  Center in Beirut, is that Al Qaida has as its main goal to
            >> fight against Western domination. But ISIS is especially interested to a
            >> depuration of  the muslim world, fighting  other branches of Islam, from
            >> Shia to Sufi to YAZIDI , ismaeliti etc, to eliminate them and oblige  Sunni
            >> to accept a strict wahabist practice, or suffer violence.
            >>
            >> It is in that light that ISIS messages to muslim living in the West is
            >> insistent and clear :Take side, or with the West as apostates, or with us
            >> as real Muslim.
            >>
            >> The problem is that mistrust of Muslims  the West is increasing. Hate
            >> crimes have tripled in the last month in US, spurred by the irresponsible
            >> Republican presidential candidates. The growing rightwing  xenophobic
            >> european parties, led by demagogues like Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in
            >> the Nederland, or Le Pen in France, are subjecting Muslim to harsh times.
            >> It obliges them to define more their allegiances, and this can push young
            >> and marginalized muslim into  the ISIS camp.
            >>
            >> Refugees from muslim countries, like Siria, are depicted  as infiltrated
            >> by ISIS.If this trend of radicalization continues, it will become a
            >> phenomena which will survive  ISIS. itself. Over 25.000 people from 100
            >> countries have joined the ISIS: a 715 increase of foreign fighters in just
            >> ten months. According to the Pew Institute, Islam is now at 1.6 billion
            >> people, but in 2050 will be close to the christians ( 1.8 billions), in
            >> 2075 will have the same consistency, and in 2.100 will be the largest
            >> religion in the world. By the way, is the religion who has the largest
            >> number of under 15.
            >>
            >> The long terms project of ISIS is a clash of civilization. A continues
            >> polarization, with the West as a clear enemy, is what ISIS legacy could be.
            >> It means to go global, from local.
            >>
            >> The year 2016 will be crucial to see if this polarization will increase
            >> or not. Will the West be able to understand the trap in which he is
            >> walking? Anyhow, our daily life is already under attack. To travel has
            >> become an aggravation. US is now tightening its visa policy for Europeans.
            >> Cots of security are  increasing  by 83 percent in Europe, according to an
            >> Interpol estimate. Fear is seeping more and more in the collective
            >> subconscious. If in 2016 there will be more massacres like Paris and San
            >> Bernardino, fear and polarization will take a trend may be irreversible.
            >>
            >> *Handicap 3: Refugees: *
            >>
            >> With media covering just events, , the refugee crisis has now passed to a
            >> second plan. Nothing has changed: people die like before, countries have
            >> erected walls and continue to adopt stricter measures, but with winter less
            >> people are ready to risk their life.But let us take a long term view.
            >> Europe, Australia, United States and other rich countries are simply not
            >> culturally prepared to accept two inescapable facts. The first, that the
            >> homogenous, white, christian world that we know, is not sustainable. Is a
            >> law of physics that an empty space attract overflow. In this moment the
            >> crisis is due entirely to irresponsible military actions taken to depose an
            >> unsavory dictator, without any planning for the after. In a short time,
            >> Saddam Hussein and Gheddafi were successfully deposed, leaving their
            >> countries in chaos and misery. The last attempt, Assad, become a proxy war
            >> , with Russia and the Shia ( Iran , Hezbollah), keeping him in place, in
            >> spite of the efforts of Europe and United States.  Only Siria has now four
            >> million refugees and just a fourth of them is trying to make a new life in
            >> Europe.
            >>
            >> At the same time, Europe has a significant  demographic decline.
            >> According to the UN, Europe needs at least 2 more millions of additional
            >> people to keep its pension system functioning, and the economy running, and
            >> will need at least 350.000 new immigrants every year, until the population
            >> will stabilize again, around 2080. Of course, there is no political
            >> campaign of education to this reality. The right wing parties present a
            >> dream: let us go back to the time that we were all white, with Christianity
            >> as our common bond, let us defend our identity and our history.
            >>
            >> But if we go beyond our present crisis, let us realize that demographic
            >> transformations are staggering. According to the last UN projections,
            >> the world in 2100 will not be 9 billion as thought ( we are now at 7.5
            >> billion), but 11.2 billions. Africa will be then 4.4 billion people, up
            >> from its present  billion. Ethiopia, to make a case, is now 100 million
            >> people: it will l be 243 millions in 2100. Africa will be then 39% of the
            >> world population, almost as much as Asia, and four times the share of
            >> Europe and North America put together. Africa is largely muslim..…
            >>
            >> Let us remind that now Europe and US are accepting ( US  symbolically)
            >> refugees, or those who have left their home because of a conflict. That
            >> leaves outside people who are afraid of mortal discrimination, like gays in
            >> Africa, Nigerian girls where Boko Haram bring them in slavery, religious
            >> groups like Christians in the middle east, or rohinyás in Myanmar…and this
            >> excludes economic migrants, or people who have left their home because it
            >> does not feed them, and escape hunger, not war…and  we will have to add the
            >> new category of climate refugees, which does not even exist in the present
            >> debate.
            >>
            >> According to the United Nations High Commission for Refuges, in 50 years,
            >> according on how we implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, we
            >> could go with 3  degrees to 250 millions displaced people, and with 4.5 to
            >> 1.000 million people. According the International Organization for
            >> Migrations, “ in the last 30 years droughts and inundations have tripled”
            >> and climate changes have created more displaced people than wars. The
            >> security Council has released a report which depicts how more than one
            >> million Syrian farmers, ruined by the drought between 2007 and 2010, took
            >> refuge in unprepared and fragile towns, and their desperation  plaid a key
            >> role in the Arab Spring insurrection against Assad.
            >>
            >> So it is time to realize that the West is facing an historical change,
            >> with dramatic consequences in lifestyle, customs, and  daily practices. This
            >> could be achieved by accepting gradually newcomers to the club, in harmony
            >> and coexistence  of the Western values, or by showing them a fist, as
            >> Salvini and Trump do.  The 2016 will be very crucial to see how this will
            >> go, especially after American Elections.
            >>
            >> *Handicap 4: Decline of democracy*
            >>
            >> It is time to realize that political disaffection is not only increasing
            >> xenophobic and right wing parties   since the economic crisis of 2009, but
            >> also sapping the prestige of democracy as an undisputed modern value. We
            >> have now the Hungarian Prime Minister, who openly advocates an “illiberal
            >> democracy”, and look to Putin as a  model. Poland is following the same
            >> direction, and all over Eastern Europe there is  a clear shift to the
            >> right, marked by pressing request to Nato and United States to enhance
            >> military barriers to Russia. ( And Nato poking Putin paranoia, by offering
            >> Montenegro, with 2.000 soldiers, to join).All those countries have refused
            >> European agreements on receiving  refugees, as well as any other burden
            >> from Brussels ( money of  course is accepted and requested). Putin has set
            >> up an informal alliance with the right wing parties , as a leader in the
            >> defense of identity and religion. He has even given  a 5 million euro loan
            >> to Le Pen.
            >>
            >> In time of crisis, people are more interested in their security and work,
            >> than who is in power. Many classical voters for the left, like workers
            >> and unemployed, now vote for the right wing parties, and believe their
            >> promises of going back to the golden past. They are not interested any
            >> longer by ideologies or political visions. They think that right and left
            >> does not exist any more. They are disillusioned with the classical party
            >> system, and they are ready to try anything new and which is not part of the
            >> establishment. This is the reason of Le Pen success in France, of the
            >> disconcerting support for Trump in United States ( and even more puzzling
            >> the success of  Bernie Sanders , a declared socialist, a term which is
            >> close to anathema  in US).
            >>
            >> Of course, right wing xenophobic parties are not very useful for
            >> international cooperation and dialogue with others. But the real problem
            >> is that we are in a crisis of  political vision.When ideologies are
            >> discarded as relics, and the following step is to adopt pragmatism as a
            >> solution, in fact you are making of politics a number of ad hoc solutions,
            >> without any final view of the society.  Each action is chosen as the most
            >> useful for that specific issue. That is not pragmatism, is utilitarism,
            >> which downgrade policy to administrative, and this does not attract
            >> people’s participation, especially young people. And the administrative
            >> level of politics, without any vision,  is prone to corruption, which is
            >> clearly growing in the western democracies.
            >>
            >> Fear is strengthening  the right, not the left. Today fear is creeping
            >> into our daily lives, according to different polls. A survey from The World
            >> Value System, found out that today only one  fifth of Americans consider
            >> democracy as a fundamental principle.  The same is happening in Europe,
            >> according to the same survey. In other words, nazism and stalinism are
            >> faded memories. And the Chinese model, where decision can be taken in a
            >> short time, bolstering productivity and action., is becoming popular.
            >>
            >> We  are, of course, not yet in the Weimar climate. But we are getting in
            >> place many of the ingredients which brought an obscure demagogue to run
            >> the most advanced country of the time.
            >>
            >> It will be important to see  how in this year demagogy will continue its
            >> growth, or will abate. But what would be important is that we all start to
            >> put democracy under observation, not  longer a  value over the fray. It is
            >> under attack, not only from ISIS and terrorism, but from leaders elected by
            >> their citizens, be  Orban or Putin, and whit a phenomenal approval rate. So
            >> it is time we take into account that a growing segment of the population in
            >> the West is finding refuge in the dreams of the past, with political en
            >> economic agendas which are out of reality. Democracy, sadly, is on the wane.
            >>
            >> *Handicap 5: The decline  of Europe. *
            >>
            >> In 2016 probably Cameron will call a referendum on leaving the European
            >> Union or not.  This is    trap in which the British PM put himself, by
            >> promising to renegotiate Britain permanence in the EU, or  having several
            >> benefits or quitting. It is clear now that with empty hands, he would loose
            >> the referendum ( he is supposed to want to remain). Negotiations with
            >> Europe will go ahed in the first months of the year. Germany considers a
            >> catastrophe if Britain leaves, so it will help Cameron. Whatever the EU
            >> will concede to Britain, will be immediately requested by all East European
            >> countries.This will mark the  end  of european integration. The 2016 could
            >> be the year when  this will happen.
            >>
            >> *Handicap 6 : Nationalism in Asia.  *
            >>
            >> It is a worrying reality that for the first time since the end of the
            >> last war, the major Asian countries, China, India and Japan, are run at the
            >> same time by nationalist leaders. While obviously different in their
            >> reality and style (nothing like the twins Putin-Erdogan), they are
            >> revamping the glorious past and the humiliations that they did suffer in
            >> the World War 2, to stir citizens to their support.
            >>
            >> President Xi has launched “the Chinese dream”,  which is rooted in
            >> bringing back the ancient glories of the Empire of the Middle, and revenge
            >> the humiliations of the european occupation, Japanese occupation, and the
            >> oppium war. Two years ago mobs destroyed Japanese shops and properties,
            >> without initially any police intervention.China has embarked in a plan of
            >> influences to counter United Sates, by financing several grandiose
            >> projects: the creation of a Bank alternative to the World Bank, under
            >> Washington control. On Xi invitation, 45 countries did join the bank, who
            >> will have a total of 200 billion dollars, in spite of Washington
            >> opposition.It is also planning to recreate the ancient “Silk Road”, by
            >> investing over 50 billion dollars. And it is planning  to finance the
            >> “twin Ocean Railroad connection, a planned 5.000 km railway from the Peru
            >> coast to Brasil.
            >>
            >> It has given to Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, loans for over 80 billion
            >> dollars, sending a message to the  traditional “backyard” of United States:
            >> wane yourself from Washington, I have more resources ( China reserves are
            >> 3.8 trillion dollars). It has been intervening heavily in Africa, to the
            >> point that Zimbabwe is considering pegging its currency to the yuan. And it
            >> is expanding its maritime zone  in the sea, by building bases on some small
            >> rocks, which were claimed by several asian countries. China will  increased
            >> its military budget by 7% during  the new five year plan.
            >>
            >> Abe, the Japanese PM, has gone in the same direction. It has just
            >> increased the military budget by 7%, and more importantly he has made an
            >> interpretation of the constitution, that allows again the Japanese Defense
            >> Force to act abroad. He defends that change by saying that it is for
            >> limited cases. Yet, is like to give liquors filled chocolates to an ex
            >> alcoholic. Polls show a growing surge of the right and of the nostalgics,
            >> who feel the defeat in the second world war as an humiliation to erase. Abe
            >> has refused to apologize for the violence used against civilians by
            >> Japanese troops in China, and to recognize Japanese responsibilities in the
            >> forcible recruitment of over 60.000 Korean girls to be used as “sex help”,
            >> for the Japanese soldiers.
            >>
            >> Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, is also recalling the glorious
            >> past, tacitly condoning right wing and nationalist acts, and speaking of “
            >> a new indian glory" .In 2050, according the Un projections, India will
            >> overtake China as the largest population  of the world. The difference
            >> is that India has 41% of his population under 18;China by that time will
            >> have only 23% of young people, in a sea of old people, because of its one
            >> child policy.
            >>
            >> Modi has projected India at the forefront of the international scene, by
            >> using his leverage in the Paris Conference on climate change. He now speaks
            >> on behalf of the non industrialized country ( China attempt to do that in
            >> Paris went nowhere), and he is also increasing the military budget. He just
            >> bought armament from China for 12 b million dollars, an hefty amount for a
            >> country which needs dramatic injections in its social, educational and
            >> health system, beside of course infrastructures.
            >>
            >> In other words, if there is a place where a new world war could coming,
            >> is Asia. And its scale would be really unprecedented. What is worrying is
            >> that ALL asian  countries are increasing their defense budget, How much
            >> this will bring some significant events in 2016, is difficult to predict.
            >> But it would be important to loom at Asia as a place of concern for the
            >> world peace.
            >>
            >> *Handicap 7: Decline in Latin America*.
            >>
            >>  While this is more of a  regional problem, in an interconnected world
            >> everything  has relevance for everybody. Latin America has been for the
            >> last decade an active international actor, contributing to the world
            >> development. The decline of Chinese imports of raw material, and  the
            >> increase of interest rates from the Federal Reserve in Washington, ( which
            >> will shift investments from Latin America to the US market) are a two piece
            >> prong, that is affecting seriously the region.
            >>
            >> Some economists are already talking of a new negative cycle, that could
            >> last for some years. The low prices of commodities is affecting all the
            >> region, from copper in Chile to oil in Venezuela, Ecuador, and agricultural
            >> commodities in Argentina. in Venezuela, Maduro is still ignoring the new
            >> reality, and the World Bank predicts a decline of 10% in 2016. He could
            >> remain in power only solving problems, for which he has no funds.
            >>
            >>  The same is happening in Ecuador. Argentina has already changed
            >> direction, and is going back to the neoliberal policies of the past.Brazil
            >> is in the middle of a crisis  for corruption, which is hiding a very
            >> difficult economic situation. The Economic Commission for Latin America has
            >> published an alarmed report, in which it forecast a serious decline. In the
            >> report, it indicates that at the end of 2016 we will have a more clear
            >> picture, once is clear if the Chinese locomotor is in a temporary loss of
            >> speed, or in  a more durable process.
            >>
            >> *Handicap 8:  Armament increase.*
            >>
            >>  According to the projections of the Swedish Institute for Peace, the
            >> 2016 will see increase in armament costs close to 3%. That increase  is the
            >> equivalent of 600 billion dollars, an amount which could have solved the
            >> ambitious goals of the  Millennium Development goals established by the
            >> UN,;the amount requested in Paris by the non industrialized countries to
            >> give them clean technology,( an unresolved problem yet ). But the debate
            >> on reduction of armaments  ignores a stunning reality: the five Permanent
            >> Members of the Security Council of the UN ( in charge  with securing
            >> peace), make  82% of the global arm’s sale. And with China entering
            >> massively into weapons manufacturing, that percentage is bound to grow.
            >>
            >> United Nations started to authorize  “humanitarian intervention”, in
            >> Somalia(December 5, 1992 - May 4, 1993). The scope of the american led
            >> invasion was to bring humanitarian aid in a rogue country, where
            >> conflicting militia were starving the population. The balance of that
            >> operation ( with a quick exit of US, after several of his soldiers were
            >> drawn as corpses in the main street of Mogadishu), was a total cost of the
            >> military operations of 900 million dollars.
            >>
            >>  The value of the food and other supplies distributed was 90 million
            >> dollars. That proportion has been kept in every case. Except that it is
            >> always much more easy to find resources for military operations, than for
            >> humanitarian ones. The massive wave of refugees for all the local wars in
            >> Africa and Middle East, is a consequence of that priority. Europe has
            >> accepted to give 3 billions dollars to Turkey, and eliminate visas, so to
            >> keep Syrian refugees there. It is now spending for refugees  an amount
            >> which is  not yet quantifiable, but that certainly goes in billion of
            >> dollars. If that money would have been spent for assisting populations in
            >> the conflict zone, certainly the number of refugees pounding on the doors
            >> would have been considerably smaller.
            >>
            >> Unfortunately, 2016 is going in that direction. Armaments costs will
            >> increase, while development assistance is being curtailed everywhere. The
            >> budget for aid is now being used to finance the incoming refugees, and
            >> probably to finance the commitments of Paris. Therefore, the amount of aid
            >> reaching poor populations, is decreasing. The last Un Conference for
            >> pledging resources, held on Nov. 10th in NewYork, saw a “ dramatic decline”
            >> in donors contributions, from 560 million dollars in 2014, to 77 million
            >> dollars, ,largely covering 2015. Of course, this is going to increase
            >> economic migrants.
            >>
            >> *Handicap 9: increase of inequality *
            >>
            >> The Economist itself has been noting” that the rich are becoming richer
            >> and  the richest are getting richer faster, is beyond doubt”. A research
            >> by the University of California found out that the share of  American
            >> wealth held the 0.1 percent of the richest households rose from 7% in 1979,
            >> to 22% in 2012. And  that of the richest 0.01 per cent ( about 16.000
            >> household), jumped from 2% to 11%. Of course, they do not get money printed
            >> especially for them. They suck the money from the total monetary
            >> circulation, which means that some people are surrendering their wealth. An
            >> other study has documented that since 2008, the american middle class has
            >> shrunk by 10 million families.
            >>
            >> This is a worldwide trend. In Spain, rich people have increased by 40%
            >> since 2008. In 2014, the number of millionaires did increase worldwide by
            >> 920.000 individual. There are now in the world , according the Bank of
            >> Canada 14.6 millions who owns more than million dollars in cash beside the
            >> primary house, cars and different goods. The gap between managers and
            >> employees and  workers is growing yearly, with little protest.  The CEO  of
            >> the 500 Fortune Companies (the most successful) had a median income of 17.5
            >> million dollars, with some of course over 200 millions.
            >>
            >> A number of economists, among them from the World Bank and the IMF, have
            >> been warning that inequality has not only social and political
            >> implications, but also economic, as it reduces buying power from the poor,
            >> eliminates small shops and companies, and erodes the middle class, which is
            >> the basis for social stability. The famous book “Capital in the
            >> Twenty-First
            >>
            >> Century”, by Thomas Piketty, makes this point central: as wealth
            >> concentrates, democratic societies lose faith in the fairness of
            >> governments, which are seen as allied to the big capital. Le Pen
            >> campaign against “plutocrats” is reminiscent of the language used by
            >> Mussolini and Hitler: all right wing parties denounce bankers as enemies,
            >> and that stirs with those who see their lifestyle decline, or their sons
            >> without a job, why a few are obscenely rich.
            >>
            >> What is disconcerting in this unprecedented explosion of inequality (
            >> according Oxfam in 2025 England will have the same level   of the time of
            >> Queen Victoria),  that the banner has been generally taken more by the
            >> right wing parties, than from those on the left. And inequality has not
            >> become a big political issue. If it were not for Sanders, it would be
            >> totally absent in the american elections.
            >>
            >> And now, two researchers, the Russian economist Vladimir Gimpelson ad the
            >> American political scientist Daniel Treisman have come up with an
            >> illuminating study. They looked at a collection of survey from 40
            >> countries, both rich and poor. The  conclusion is that people’s guess about
            >> the distribution of incomes and where they  are  is as wrong as it could
            >> be. Those who were relatively poor people tended to depict them as middle
            >> class. In Italy, more than half of the needy though they were at the middle
            >> of the income scales. In France and Sweden, the proportion was more than
            >> one third. In contrast, those who are better off tend to think that they
            >> have not yet made it. In France, Italy and Britain, 40 percent or more of
            >> the people who owned second homes put themselves in the bottom half.
            >>
            >> This, in Marxists  terms, means that people have lost a sense of class,
            >> and therefore they do not resent inequality as it was done before. And
            >> this means that the political class does not feel inequality as a crucial
            >> issue.It is not by chance that the term “social justice” has disappeared
            >> from the political debate. But how long this will last?
            >>
            >> The 2016 will see this trend to continue. It is difficult for people to
            >> realize how this concentration process is becoming extreme. Let us take two
            >> noble examples, to illustrate it. Mark Zuckeberg, the founder of Facebook,
            >> has announced that he will donate 99% of his shares, valued at 45 billion
            >> dollars, to philanthropy. It is an amount that competes with China project
            >> for its railroad spanning from Beijing to Europe, so is an extreme act  of
            >> philanthropy. But let us keep in mind that the 1% left to him is 450
            >> million dollars: 400 times the lifetime income of a collage graduate.
            >>
            >>  And that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation,a very important
            >> institution,  which is supported by 44 billions, has given away 5 billion
            >> in 2014: this was anyhow less than the 7.4 billion it accumulated thanks to
            >> new contributions, investment income and rising value assets.In other
            >> words, money brings so much money, when  you have plenty of it, that it
            >> will be always there ( unless you waste it…but billionaires usually do not
            >> do..when  Zuckeberg  was in Rome in honeymoon, in the jewish quarter,
            >> he did not leave any tip to the astonished waiter)
            >>
            >> *Handicap  10: your personal commitment.  *
            >>
            >> This list of handicaps is highly subjective, and leaves outside several
            >> issues which are very important, like gender, human rights, development
            >> assistance, finance control, migrants, etc. If you have reached this
            >> point of my paper, it means that you  are committed to a  better world, and
            >> you are an unusual reader.  According to a study from Unesco, only 3% of
            >> the world population can read 5.000 words of abstract material, without
            >> giving up.It also means that you have some commitment probably to issues
            >> that I have left out. It would be the most positive result to this
            >> writing,  if you could make an effort and  think how they will fare in
            >> 2016: if the Newborn  year looks positive for your commitments. The purpose
            >> of Othernews is to stimulate thinking and awareness. Let us this  be the
            >> New Year wishes from the publisher to all of you!
            >>
            >> **Italian-Argentine journalist. Co-founder and former
            >> Director General of Inter Press Service (IPS). In recent years he also
            >> founded Other News, a service that
            >> provides "information markets eliminate". Other News. In Spanish: http://www.other-news.info/noticias/
            >> <http://www.other-news.info/noticias/> In
            >> English: http://www.other-net.info/ <http://www.other-net.info/>*
            >>
            >>
            >>
            >>
            >>
            >>  Roberto Savio
            >> utopie@...
            >>
            >>
            >>
            >>
            >>
            >> --
            >> Archive: http://openfsm.net/[…]/1451684319143
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            • Re: Re: [Communication commission discussion] Re: [Communication commission discussion] Re: Re: Fwd: [Communication commission discussion] une très bonne and, mais en suivant les problèmesà

              from Roberto Savio on Jan 11, 2016 07:45 PM
              Azril, 
              sobre este tema doy una conferencia en la International University of Miami. Voy a pedir si en la reunion podemos entre todos financiar lo de Montreal. A lo mejor alguien o varios se animan…es el día 9 de febrero, y de la vuelo a roma y te escribo…roberto
              
              
              Roberto Savio
              utopie@...
              
              
              
              On 11/gen/2016, at 13:32, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
              
              Gracias Roberto, amigo querido, por la confianza otorgada a mi persona!
              Me llevará hasta fines de febrero terminar mi artículo a mi gusto. Te advierto que el artículo en cuestión peca de jerga sociológica, para lograr publicarlo en un "journal" académico, a pesar de mis esfuerzos por minimizarlo al máximo. Una vez listo, te lo envío con gusto, abierto a tus críticas y comentarios.
              Abrazotes
              Azril
              PD: Te cuento que estamos probando en Uppsala una estrategia de educación popular política denominada "positive anti-racism", bajo el paraguas de "EXPO", la organización creada por Stieg Larsson para investigar y luchar contra la extrema derecha sueca. En mi caso, hago un programa de cine-foro con un documental que espero puedas ver algún día, en sueco con subtítulos en inglés.
              
              Si tuviera fondos,que no tengo, se podría organizar una sesión en el FSM de Montreal. Ya probé la estrategia un par de veces en Uppsala, con muy buenos resultados, aunque me temo, que por ahora con los "ya conversos" al anti-rasismo. A fines de Enero, haremos una tercera prueba en Gottsunda, un barrio fuertemente segregado y asociado con los inmigrantes y refugiados - y por ello, más progresista. El reto real será hacerlo a partir de febrero en las zonas periféricas, donde medran los lobos...
              
              Frente a la crisis del periodismo en nuestros tiempos, y que tu analizas tan bien, creo que el cine-foro (y el radio-foro) pueden ser estrategias efectivas en la trinchera gramsciana. Un tema para conversarlo en su momento. Otro fuerte abrazo. Azril
              
              On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 12:46 PM, Roberto Savio <utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>> wrote:
              Azril, you can use me in whatever manner! Roberto espero el articulo
              Roberto Savio
              utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>
              
              
              
              On 11/gen/2016, at 06:30, Azril Bacal <bazril1@... <mailto:bazril1@...>> wrote:
              
              Dear Roberto,
              Am I allowed to quote you in a sociological article intended for publication?
              My article deals with social movements and ethnic identity - and I would certainly send you a copy if you wished to read it.
              Gracias y un fuerte abrazo.
              Azril
              
              On Sat, Jan 2, 2016 at 3:03 AM, Roberto Savio <utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>> wrote:
              Azril, yo escribo solo con la idea de ayudar  a reflexionar.No hay nada mas aburrido escribir cosas que uno ya sabe.  Lo que espero es que la gente,concientizada por hechos que la prensa comercial no da, se activen, y se ocupen en lugar de preocuparse…yo  no soy un gran periodista, esto lo fui , tal vez, en mi vida anterior. Ahora soy  solo un activista…y te doy mis fuertes abrazos para el 2016... 
              Roberto Savio
              utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>
              
              
              
              On 01/gen/2016, at 20:43, Azril Bacal <bazril1@... <mailto:bazril1@...>> wrote:
              
              El buen amigo y gran periodista Roberto identifica algunos retos del 2016. Le respondo con el llamado a leer los signos de los tiempos con el pesimismo de la mente y el optimismo del corazón, en el sendero del PODER PUDIENDO de PODEMOS - ¿o nos quedamos contemplando a las espinas sin podarlas para que la rosa nos brinde sus efluvios? 
              
              Malgrait tout, abrazotes por el año nuevo 2016 😊
              
              Azril
              
              _______________________
              
              POOR 2016, SO MANY HANDICAPS
              
              By Roberto Savio*
              
              San Salvador, Bahamas, December 31, 2015 - At this time, we all wish “ a very good year”. While the wish is always a positive thing, we should also realize that we cannot expect too much from the new born year. He is loaded by so  many handicaps, that we  should have lot of sympathy for him…He is part of a negative circle that started with the financial crisis of 2008, and that will probably conclude in 2017, a cathartic year in which   elections in several key countries and other crucial appointments could open a new cycle. Unless a  republican victory in the American Elections will anticipate a global crisis of governance faster…
              
              Here is a list of the major handicaps for 2016, which is of course a personal view: but supported  by many data…
              
              Handicap 1:  Climate change.
              
              After Paris conference on climate change, this year will be crucial to understand in which direction the wind of change is blowing. Of course, the process of saving our planet at its present level, is planned over a span going to 2050. Let us briefly recall  that the engagements taken in Paris are insufficient to reach the goal of not surpassing 2 Centigrade above the level that prevailed before the Industrial Revolution( we have already used 1 centigrade). As now, the Paris Pact  will at least reach 3.7 Centigrade, which means, among many things, 850 millions people displaced. In fact, there is a consensus that we should not  go beyond 1.5 Centigrades, to be really safe. 
              
              Well, we will take just two examples, to show that the threat to the planet is a very concrete one, and that political subjection to the energy sector continues. The British Parliament has just approved legislation allowing use of the shale gas extraction technology , know has hydraulic fracking. This is also allowed beneath protected sites, including national parks.British government has announced that they will award new licenses for shale gas and oil exploration, including national parks.
              
              The other is an interview from Gian Luca Galletti, Italian minister for environment, back from Paris.He defends his new program of oil extraction in land and sea, by declaring: “One of the key themes of Paris is the equitable exploration of natural resources. We live in a country that is still uses petrol and gas, and I do not see why we should  use energies from others.”The Prime Minister Renzi has applauded the “green criteria”  with which the new plan of drilling, for  2 billion euro. . Meanwhile in Gela, Sicily, one of the refining places, child cancer has gone to 159.2 percent, Hodgkin to 72.4, stomach tumor 47.5 percent, versus the national norma.
              
              According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect subsidies to the fossil industries, coal and oil, amount to  5.3 trillion dollars dollars per year. The subsidy requested in Paris for introducing green technologies, world wide, is 100 billion dollars. This data is sufficient to illustrate the gap between good intentions and vested interests.
              
              If this trend will continue in 2016, it is clear that the Paris climate agreement swill never reach its goals. 
              
              Handicap 2: ISIS and terrorism 
              
              While everybody keeps focusing on the war to the Caliphate in Siria, it is time to look more in long term.The war in Siria has become a proxy war by Saudi Arabia (which  is directly responsible for the diffusion of the radical islam imposed by ISIS, wahabism), Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Russia, United States, France, Great Britain, and now with support from Germany and theoretically from the European Union. Now, all muslim countries worldwide are supposed to join Saudi Arabia.They are all ready to fight this war to the last syrian, but not to risk any man. As bombing has never been sufficient to win,  this is a war that in 2016 will go nowhere. But what we have to start to reflect  is that ISIS is  a local project, and  is becoming a global one. A Security Council  report  estimates that 25.000 people from 100 countries have joined Al Qaida and ISIS. The number of foreign fighters went up by 71% in just ten months. And the massacres of Paris and San Bernardino were perpetuated by local people, who were not part of the ISIS structure.
              
              The main difference between Al Qaida and ISIS, according About Zeid, from the Carnegie  Center in Beirut, is that Al Qaida has as its main goal to fight against Western domination. But ISIS is especially interested to a depuration of  the muslim world, fighting  other branches of Islam, from Shia to Sufi to YAZIDI , ismaeliti etc, to eliminate them and oblige  Sunni to accept a strict wahabist practice, or suffer violence.
              
              It is in that light that ISIS messages to muslim living in the West is insistent and clear :Take side, or with the West as apostates, or with us as real Muslim.
              
              The problem is that mistrust of Muslims  the West is increasing. Hate crimes have tripled in the last month in US, spurred by the irresponsible Republican presidential candidates. The growing rightwing  xenophobic european parties, led by demagogues like Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in the Nederland, or Le Pen in France, are subjecting Muslim to harsh times. It obliges them to define more their allegiances, and this can push young and marginalized muslim into  the ISIS camp.
              
              Refugees from muslim countries, like Siria, are depicted  as infiltrated by ISIS.If this trend of radicalization continues, it will become a phenomena which will survive  ISIS. itself. Over 25.000 people from 100  countries have joined the ISIS: a 715 increase of foreign fighters in just ten months. According to the Pew Institute, Islam is now at 1.6 billion people, but in 2050 will be close to the christians ( 1.8 billions), in 2075 will have the same consistency, and in 2.100 will be the largest religion in the world. By the way, is the religion who has the largest number of under 15.
              
              The long terms project of ISIS is a clash of civilization. A continues polarization, with the West as a clear enemy, is what ISIS legacy could be. It means to go global, from local.
              
              The year 2016 will be crucial to see if this polarization will increase or not. Will the West be able to understand the trap in which he is walking? Anyhow, our daily life is already under attack. To travel has become an aggravation. US is now tightening its visa policy for Europeans. Cots of security are  increasing  by 83 percent in Europe, according to an Interpol estimate. Fear is seeping more and more in the collective subconscious. If in 2016 there will be more massacres like Paris and San Bernardino, fear and polarization will take a trend may be irreversible.
              
              Handicap 3: Refugees: 
              
              With media covering just events, , the refugee crisis has now passed to a second plan. Nothing has changed: people die like before, countries have erected walls and continue to adopt stricter measures, but with winter less people are ready to risk their life.But let us take a long term view. Europe, Australia, United States and other rich countries are simply not culturally prepared to accept two inescapable facts. The first, that the homogenous, white, christian world that we know, is not sustainable. Is a law of physics that an empty space attract overflow. In this moment the crisis is due entirely to irresponsible military actions taken to depose an unsavory dictator, without any planning for the after. In a short time, Saddam Hussein and Gheddafi were successfully deposed, leaving their countries in chaos and misery. The last attempt, Assad, become a proxy war , with Russia and the Shia ( Iran , Hezbollah), keeping him in place, in spite of the efforts of Europe and United States.  Only Siria has now four million refugees and just a fourth of them is trying to make a new life in Europe. 
              
              At the same time, Europe has a significant  demographic decline. According to the UN, Europe needs at least 2 more millions of additional people to keep its pension system functioning, and the economy running, and will need at least 350.000 new immigrants every year, until the population will stabilize again, around 2080. Of course, there is no political campaign of education to this reality. The right wing parties present a dream: let us go back to the time that we were all white, with Christianity as our common bond, let us defend our identity and our history. 
              
              But if we go beyond our present crisis, let us realize that demographic transformations are staggering. According to the last UN projections, the world in 2100 will not be 9 billion as thought ( we are now at 7.5 billion), but 11.2 billions. Africa will be then 4.4 billion people, up from its present  billion. Ethiopia, to make a case, is now 100 million people: it will l be 243 millions in 2100. Africa will be then 39% of the world population, almost as much as Asia, and four times the share of Europe and North America put together. Africa is largely muslim..… 
              
              Let us remind that now Europe and US are accepting ( US  symbolically)  refugees, or those who have left their home because of a conflict. That leaves outside people who are afraid of mortal discrimination, like gays in Africa, Nigerian girls where Boko Haram bring them in slavery, religious groups like Christians in the middle east, or rohinyás in Myanmar…and this excludes economic migrants, or people who have left their home because it does not feed them, and escape hunger, not war…and  we will have to add the new category of climate refugees, which does not even exist in the present debate.
              
              According to the United Nations High Commission for Refuges, in 50 years, according on how we implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, we could go with 3  degrees to 250 millions displaced people, and with 4.5 to 1.000 million people. According the International Organization for Migrations, “ in the last 30 years droughts and inundations have tripled” and climate changes have created more displaced people than wars. The security Council has released a report which depicts how more than one million Syrian farmers, ruined by the drought between 2007 and 2010, took refuge in unprepared and fragile towns, and their desperation  plaid a key role in the Arab Spring insurrection against Assad.
              
              So it is time to realize that the West is facing an historical change, with dramatic consequences in lifestyle, customs, and  daily practices. This could be achieved by accepting gradually newcomers to the club, in harmony and coexistence  of the Western values, or by showing them a fist, as Salvini and Trump do.  The 2016 will be very crucial to see how this will go, especially after American Elections.
              
              Handicap 4: Decline of democracy
              
              It is time to realize that political disaffection is not only increasing xenophobic and right wing parties   since the economic crisis of 2009, but also sapping the prestige of democracy as an undisputed modern value. We have now the Hungarian Prime Minister, who openly advocates an “illiberal democracy”, and look to Putin as a  model. Poland is following the same direction, and all over Eastern Europe there is  a clear shift to the right, marked by pressing request to Nato and United States to enhance military barriers to Russia. ( And Nato poking Putin paranoia, by offering Montenegro, with 2.000 soldiers, to join).All those countries have refused European agreements on receiving  refugees, as well as any other burden from Brussels ( money of  course is accepted and requested). Putin has set up an informal alliance with the right wing parties , as a leader in the defense of identity and religion. He has even given  a 5 million euro loan to Le Pen.
              
              In time of crisis, people are more interested in their security and work, than who is in power. Many classical voters for the left, like workers and unemployed, now vote for the right wing parties, and believe their promises of going back to the golden past. They are not interested any longer by ideologies or political visions. They think that right and left does not exist any more. They are disillusioned with the classical party system, and they are ready to try anything new and which is not part of the establishment. This is the reason of Le Pen success in France, of the disconcerting support for Trump in United States ( and even more puzzling the success of  Bernie Sanders , a declared socialist, a term which is close to anathema  in US).
              
              Of course, right wing xenophobic parties are not very useful for international cooperation and dialogue with others. But the real problem is that we are in a crisis of  political vision.When ideologies are discarded as relics, and the following step is to adopt pragmatism as a solution, in fact you are making of politics a number of ad hoc solutions, without any final view of the society.  Each action is chosen as the most useful for that specific issue. That is not pragmatism, is utilitarism, which downgrade policy to administrative, and this does not attract people’s participation, especially young people. And the administrative  level of politics, without any vision,  is prone to corruption, which is clearly growing in the western democracies.
              
              Fear is strengthening  the right, not the left. Today fear is creeping into our daily lives, according to different polls. A survey from The World Value System, found out that today only one  fifth of Americans consider democracy as a fundamental principle.  The same is happening in Europe, according to the same survey. In other words, nazism and stalinism are faded memories. And the Chinese model, where decision can be taken in a short time, bolstering productivity and action., is becoming popular.
              
              We  are, of course, not yet in the Weimar climate. But we are getting in place many of the ingredients which brought an obscure demagogue to run  the most advanced country of the time.
              
              It will be important to see  how in this year demagogy will continue its growth, or will abate. But what would be important is that we all start to put democracy under observation, not  longer a  value over the fray. It is under attack, not only from ISIS and terrorism, but from leaders elected by their citizens, be  Orban or Putin, and whit a phenomenal approval rate. So it is time we take into account that a growing segment of the population in the West is finding refuge in the dreams of the past, with political en economic agendas which are out of reality. Democracy, sadly, is on the wane.
              
              Handicap 5: The decline  of Europe. 
              
              In 2016 probably Cameron will call a referendum on leaving the European Union or not.  This is    trap in which the British PM put himself, by promising to renegotiate Britain permanence in the EU, or  having several benefits or quitting. It is clear now that with empty hands, he would loose the referendum ( he is supposed to want to remain). Negotiations with Europe will go ahed in the first months of the year. Germany considers a catastrophe if Britain leaves, so it will help Cameron. Whatever the EU will concede to Britain, will be immediately requested by all East European countries.This will mark the  end  of european integration. The 2016 could  be the year when  this will happen.
              
              Handicap 6 : Nationalism in Asia.  
              
              It is a worrying reality that for the first time since the end of the last war, the major Asian countries, China, India and Japan, are run at the same time by nationalist leaders. While obviously different in their reality and style (nothing like the twins Putin-Erdogan), they are revamping the glorious past and the humiliations that they did suffer in the World War 2, to stir citizens to their support.  
              
              President Xi has launched “the Chinese dream”,  which is rooted in bringing back the ancient glories of the Empire of the Middle, and revenge the humiliations of the european occupation, Japanese occupation, and the oppium war. Two years ago mobs destroyed Japanese shops and properties, without initially any police intervention.China has embarked in a plan of influences to counter United Sates, by financing several grandiose projects: the creation of a Bank alternative to the World Bank, under Washington control. On Xi invitation, 45 countries did join the bank, who will have a total of 200 billion dollars, in spite of Washington opposition.It is also planning to recreate the ancient “Silk Road”, by investing over 50 billion dollars. And it is planning  to finance the “twin Ocean Railroad connection, a planned 5.000 km railway from the Peru coast to Brasil. 
              
              It has given to Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, loans for over 80 billion dollars, sending a message to the  traditional “backyard” of United States: wane yourself from Washington, I have more resources ( China reserves are  3.8 trillion dollars). It has been intervening heavily in Africa, to the point that Zimbabwe is considering pegging its currency to the yuan. And it is expanding its maritime zone  in the sea, by building bases on some small rocks, which were claimed by several asian countries. China will  increased its military budget by 7% during  the new five year plan.
              
              Abe, the Japanese PM, has gone in the same direction. It has just increased the military budget by 7%, and more importantly he has made an interpretation of the constitution, that allows again the Japanese Defense Force to act abroad. He defends that change by saying that it is for limited cases. Yet, is like to give liquors filled chocolates to an ex alcoholic. Polls show a growing surge of the right and of the nostalgics, who feel the defeat in the second world war as an humiliation to erase. Abe has refused to apologize for the violence used against civilians by Japanese troops in China, and to recognize Japanese responsibilities in the forcible recruitment of over 60.000 Korean girls to be used as “sex help”, for the Japanese soldiers.
              
              Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, is also recalling the glorious past, tacitly condoning right wing and nationalist acts, and speaking of “ a new indian glory" .In 2050, according the Un projections, India will overtake China as the largest population  of the world. The difference is that India has 41% of his population under 18;China by that time will have only 23% of young people, in a sea of old people, because of its one child policy. 
              
              Modi has projected India at the forefront of the international scene, by using his leverage in the Paris Conference on climate change. He now speaks on behalf of the non industrialized country ( China attempt to do that in Paris went nowhere), and he is also increasing the military budget. He just bought armament from China for 12 b million dollars, an hefty amount for a country which needs dramatic injections in its social, educational and health system, beside of course infrastructures.
              
              In other words, if there is a place where a new world war could coming, is Asia. And its scale would be really unprecedented. What is worrying is that ALL asian  countries are increasing their defense budget, How much this will bring some significant events in 2016, is difficult to predict. But it would be important to loom at Asia as a place of concern for the world peace.
              
              Handicap 7: Decline in Latin America. 
              
               While this is more of a  regional problem, in an interconnected world everything  has relevance for everybody. Latin America has been for the last decade an active international actor, contributing to the world development. The decline of Chinese imports of raw material, and  the increase of interest rates from the Federal Reserve in Washington, ( which will shift investments from Latin America to the US market) are a two piece prong, that is affecting seriously the region. 
              
              Some economists are already talking of a new negative cycle, that could  last for some years. The low prices of commodities is affecting all the region, from copper in Chile to oil in Venezuela, Ecuador, and agricultural commodities in Argentina. in Venezuela, Maduro is still ignoring the new reality, and the World Bank predicts a decline of 10% in 2016. He could remain in power only solving problems, for which he has no funds.
              
               The same is happening in Ecuador. Argentina has already changed direction, and is going back to the neoliberal policies of the past.Brazil is in the middle of a crisis  for corruption, which is hiding a very difficult economic situation. The Economic Commission for Latin America has published an alarmed report, in which it forecast a serious decline. In the report, it indicates that at the end of 2016 we will have a more clear picture, once is clear if the Chinese locomotor is in a temporary loss of speed, or in  a more durable process.
              
              Handicap 8:  Armament increase.
              
               According to the projections of the Swedish Institute for Peace, the 2016 will see increase in armament costs close to 3%. That increase  is the equivalent of 600 billion dollars, an amount which could have solved the ambitious goals of the  Millennium Development goals established by the  UN,;the amount requested in Paris by the non industrialized countries to give them clean technology,( an unresolved problem yet ). But the debate on reduction of armaments  ignores a stunning reality: the five Permanent Members of the Security Council of the UN ( in charge  with securing peace), make  82% of the global arm’s sale. And with China entering massively into weapons manufacturing, that percentage is bound to grow. 
              
              United Nations started to authorize  “humanitarian intervention”, in Somalia(December 5, 1992 - May 4, 1993). The scope of the american led invasion was to bring humanitarian aid in a rogue country, where conflicting militia were starving the population. The balance of that operation ( with a quick exit of US, after several of his soldiers were drawn as corpses in the main street of Mogadishu), was a total cost of the military operations of 900 million dollars.
              
               The value of the food and other supplies distributed was 90 million dollars. That proportion has been kept in every case. Except that it is always much more easy to find resources for military operations, than for humanitarian ones. The massive wave of refugees for all the local wars in Africa and Middle East, is a consequence of that priority. Europe has accepted to give 3 billions dollars to Turkey, and eliminate visas, so to keep Syrian refugees there. It is now spending for refugees  an amount which is  not yet quantifiable, but that certainly goes in billion of dollars. If that money would have been spent for assisting populations in the conflict zone, certainly the number of refugees pounding on the doors would have been considerably smaller.
              
              Unfortunately, 2016 is going in that direction. Armaments costs will increase, while development assistance is being curtailed everywhere. The budget for aid is now being used to finance the incoming refugees, and probably to finance the commitments of Paris. Therefore, the amount of aid reaching poor populations, is decreasing. The last Un Conference for pledging resources, held on Nov. 10th in NewYork, saw a “ dramatic decline” in donors contributions, from 560 million dollars in 2014, to 77 million dollars, ,largely covering 2015. Of course, this is going to increase economic migrants.
              
              Handicap 9: increase of inequality 
              
              The Economist itself has been noting” that the rich are becoming richer and  the richest are getting richer faster, is beyond doubt”. A research by the University of California found out that the share of  American wealth held the 0.1 percent of the richest households rose from 7% in 1979, to 22% in 2012. And  that of the richest 0.01 per cent ( about 16.000 household), jumped from 2% to 11%. Of course, they do not get money printed especially for them. They suck the money from the total monetary circulation, which means that some people are surrendering their wealth. An other study has documented that since 2008, the american middle class has shrunk by 10 million families.
              
              This is a worldwide trend. In Spain, rich people have increased by 40% since 2008. In 2014, the number of millionaires did increase worldwide by 920.000 individual. There are now in the world , according the Bank of Canada 14.6 millions who owns more than million dollars in cash beside the primary house, cars and different goods. The gap between managers and employees and  workers is growing yearly, with little protest.  The CEO  of the 500 Fortune Companies (the most successful) had a median income of 17.5 million dollars, with some of course over 200 millions.
              
              A number of economists, among them from the World Bank and the IMF, have been warning that inequality has not only social and political implications, but also economic, as it reduces buying power from the poor, eliminates small shops and companies, and erodes the middle class, which is the basis for social stability. The famous book “Capital in the Twenty-First 
              
              Century”, by Thomas Piketty, makes this point central: as wealth concentrates, democratic societies lose faith in the fairness of governments, which are seen as allied to the big capital. Le Pen campaign against “plutocrats” is reminiscent of the language used by Mussolini and Hitler: all right wing parties denounce bankers as enemies, and that stirs with those who see their lifestyle decline, or their sons without a job, why a few are obscenely rich. 
              
              What is disconcerting in this unprecedented explosion of inequality ( according Oxfam in 2025 England will have the same level   of the time of Queen Victoria),  that the banner has been generally taken more by the right wing parties, than from those on the left. And inequality has not become a big political issue. If it were not for Sanders, it would be totally absent in the american elections. 
              
              And now, two researchers, the Russian economist Vladimir Gimpelson ad the American political scientist Daniel Treisman have come up with an illuminating study. They looked at a collection of survey from 40 countries, both rich and poor. The  conclusion is that people’s guess about the distribution of incomes and where they  are  is as wrong as it could be. Those who were relatively poor people tended to depict them as middle class. In Italy, more than half of the needy though they were at the middle of the income scales. In France and Sweden, the proportion was more than one third. In contrast, those who are better off tend to think that they have not yet made it. In France, Italy and Britain, 40 percent or more of the people who owned second homes put themselves in the bottom half.
              
              This, in Marxists  terms, means that people have lost a sense of class, and therefore they do not resent inequality as it was done before. And this means that the political class does not feel inequality as a crucial issue.It is not by chance that the term “social justice” has disappeared from the political debate. But how long this will last?
              
              The 2016 will see this trend to continue. It is difficult for people to realize how this concentration process is becoming extreme. Let us take two noble examples, to illustrate it. Mark Zuckeberg, the founder of Facebook, has announced that he will donate 99% of his shares, valued at 45 billion dollars, to philanthropy. It is an amount that competes with China project for its railroad spanning from Beijing to Europe, so is an extreme act  of philanthropy. But let us keep in mind that the 1% left to him is 450 million dollars: 400 times the lifetime income of a collage graduate.
              
               And that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation,a very important institution,  which is supported by 44 billions, has given away 5 billion in 2014: this was anyhow less than the 7.4 billion it accumulated thanks to new contributions, investment income and rising value assets.In other words, money brings so much money, when  you have plenty of it, that it will be always there ( unless you waste it…but billionaires usually do not do..when  Zuckeberg  was in Rome in honeymoon, in the jewish quarter,  he did not leave any tip to the astonished waiter)
              
              Handicap  10: your personal commitment.  
              
              This list of handicaps is highly subjective, and leaves outside several issues which are very important, like gender, human rights, development assistance, finance control, migrants, etc. If you have reached this point of my paper, it means that you  are committed to a  better world, and you are an unusual reader.  According to a study from Unesco, only 3% of the world population can read 5.000 words of abstract material, without  giving up.It also means that you have some commitment probably to issues that I have left out. It would be the most positive result to this writing,  if you could make an effort and  think how they will fare in  2016: if the Newborn  year looks positive for your commitments. The purpose of Othernews is to stimulate thinking and awareness. Let us this  be the New Year wishes from the publisher to all of you!
              
              *Italian-Argentine journalist. Co-founder and former Director General of Inter Press Service (IPS). In recent years he also founded Other News, a service that provides "information markets eliminate". Other News. In Spanish: http://www.other-news.info/noticias/ <http://www.other-news.info/noticias/> In English:  <>http://www.other-net.info/ <http://www.other-net.info/>
               
              
              
              
              
               Roberto Savio
              utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>
              
              
              
              
              
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              • Re: Re: [Communication commission discussion] Re: [Communication commission discussion] Re: Re: Re: [Communication commission discussion] Fwd: [Communication commission discussion] une très bonne and, mais en suivant les problèmesà

                from Azril Bacal on Jan 12, 2016 12:46 AM
                Vale, Roberto, gracias!
                Me gustaría leer tu ponencia en Miami.
                Seguimos en contacto...
                Abrazo
                Azril
                
                On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 2:18 PM, Roberto Savio <utopie@...> wrote:
                
                > Azril,
                > sobre este tema doy una conferencia en la International University of
                > Miami. Voy a pedir si en la reunion podemos entre todos financiar lo de
                > Montreal. A lo mejor alguien o varios se animan…es el día 9 de febrero, y
                > de la vuelo a roma y te escribo…roberto
                >
                >
                > Roberto Savio
                > utopie@...
                >
                >
                >
                > On 11/gen/2016, at 13:32, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
                >
                > Gracias Roberto, amigo querido, por la confianza otorgada a mi persona!
                > Me llevará hasta fines de febrero terminar mi artículo a mi gusto. Te
                > advierto que el artículo en cuestión peca de jerga sociológica, para lograr
                > publicarlo en un "journal" académico, a pesar de mis esfuerzos por
                > minimizarlo al máximo. Una vez listo, te lo envío con gusto, abierto a tus
                > críticas y comentarios.
                > Abrazotes
                > Azril
                > PD: Te cuento que estamos probando en Uppsala una estrategia de educación
                > popular política denominada "positive anti-racism", bajo el paraguas de
                > "EXPO", la organización creada por Stieg Larsson para investigar y luchar
                > contra la extrema derecha sueca. En mi caso, hago un programa de cine-foro
                > con un documental que espero puedas ver algún día, en sueco con subtítulos
                > en inglés.
                >
                > Si tuviera fondos,que no tengo, se podría organizar una sesión en el FSM
                > de Montreal. Ya probé la estrategia un par de veces en Uppsala, con muy
                > buenos resultados, aunque me temo, que por ahora con los "ya conversos" al
                > anti-rasismo. A fines de Enero, haremos una tercera prueba en Gottsunda, un
                > barrio fuertemente segregado y asociado con los inmigrantes y refugiados -
                > y por ello, más progresista. El reto real será hacerlo a partir de febrero
                > en las zonas periféricas, donde medran los lobos...
                >
                > Frente a la crisis del periodismo en nuestros tiempos, y que tu analizas
                > tan bien, creo que el cine-foro (y el radio-foro) pueden ser estrategias
                > efectivas en la trinchera gramsciana. Un tema para conversarlo en su
                > momento. Otro fuerte abrazo. Azril
                >
                > On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 12:46 PM, Roberto Savio <utopie@...> wrote:
                >
                >> Azril, you can use me in whatever manner! Roberto espero el articulo
                >> Roberto Savio
                >> utopie@...
                >>
                >>
                >>
                >> On 11/gen/2016, at 06:30, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
                >>
                >> Dear Roberto,
                >> Am I allowed to quote you in a sociological article intended for
                >> publication?
                >> My article deals with social movements and ethnic identity - and I would
                >> certainly send you a copy if you wished to read it.
                >> Gracias y un fuerte abrazo.
                >> Azril
                >>
                >> On Sat, Jan 2, 2016 at 3:03 AM, Roberto Savio <utopie@...> wrote:
                >>
                >>> Azril, yo escribo solo con la idea de ayudar  a reflexionar.No hay nada
                >>> mas aburrido escribir cosas que uno ya sabe.  Lo que espero es que la
                >>> gente,concientizada por hechos que la prensa comercial no da, se activen, y
                >>> se ocupen en lugar de preocuparse…yo  no soy un gran periodista, esto lo
                >>> fui , tal vez, en mi vida anterior. Ahora soy  solo un activista…y te doy
                >>> mis fuertes abrazos para el 2016...
                >>> Roberto Savio
                >>> utopie@...
                >>>
                >>>
                >>>
                >>> On 01/gen/2016, at 20:43, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
                >>>
                >>> *El buen amigo y gran periodista Roberto identifica algunos retos del
                >>> 2016. Le respondo con el llamado a leer los signos de los tiempos con el
                >>> pesimismo de la mente y el optimismo del corazón, en el sendero del PODER
                >>> PUDIENDO de PODEMOS - ¿o nos quedamos contemplando a las espinas sin
                >>> podarlas para que la rosa nos brinde sus efluvios? *
                >>>
                >>> *Malgrait tout, abrazotes por el año nuevo 2016 😊*
                >>>
                >>> Azril
                >>>
                >>> _______________________
                >>>
                >>> *POOR 2016, SO MANY HANDICAPS*
                >>>
                >>> *By Roberto Savio**
                >>>
                >>> San Salvador, Bahamas, December 31, 2015 - At this time, we all wish “
                >>> a very good year”. While the wish is always a positive thing, we should
                >>> also realize that we cannot expect too much from the new born year. He
                >>> is loaded by so  many handicaps, that we  should have lot of sympathy for
                >>> him…He is part of a negative circle that started with the financial crisis
                >>> of 2008, and that will probably conclude in 2017, a cathartic year in
                >>> which   elections in several key countries and other crucial appointments
                >>> could open a new cycle. Unless a  republican victory in the American
                >>> Elections will anticipate a global crisis of governance faster…
                >>>
                >>> Here is a list of the major handicaps for 2016, which is of course a
                >>> personal view: but supported  by many data…
                >>>
                >>> *Handicap 1:  Climate change.*
                >>>
                >>> After Paris conference on climate change, this year will be crucial to
                >>> understand in which direction the wind of change is blowing. Of course, the
                >>> process of saving our planet at its present level, is planned over a span
                >>> going to 2050. Let us briefly recall  that the engagements taken in Paris
                >>> are insufficient to reach the goal of not surpassing 2 Centigrade above the
                >>> level that prevailed before the Industrial Revolution( we have already used
                >>> 1 centigrade). As now, the Paris Pact  will at least reach 3.7 Centigrade,
                >>> which means, among many things, 850 millions people displaced. In fact,
                >>> there is a consensus that we should not  go beyond 1.5 Centigrades, to be
                >>> really safe.
                >>>
                >>> Well, we will take just two examples, to show that the threat to the
                >>> planet is a very concrete one, and that political subjection to the energy
                >>> sector continues. The British Parliament has just approved legislation
                >>> allowing use of the shale gas extraction technology , know has hydraulic
                >>> fracking. This is also allowed beneath protected sites, including national
                >>> parks.British government has announced that they will award new licenses
                >>> for shale gas and oil exploration, including national parks.
                >>>
                >>> The other is an interview from Gian Luca Galletti, Italian minister for
                >>> environment, back from Paris.He defends his new program of oil extraction
                >>> in land and sea, by declaring: “One of the key themes of Paris is the
                >>> equitable exploration of natural resources. We live in a country that is
                >>> still uses petrol and gas, and I do not see why we should  use energies
                >>> from others.”The Prime Minister Renzi has applauded the “green criteria”
                >>> with which the new plan of drilling, for  2 billion euro. . Meanwhile in
                >>> Gela, Sicily, one of the refining places, child cancer has gone to 159.2
                >>> percent, Hodgkin to 72.4, stomach tumor 47.5 percent, versus the national
                >>> norma.
                >>>
                >>> According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect
                >>> subsidies to the fossil industries, coal and oil, amount to  5.3
                >>> trillion dollars dollars per year. The subsidy requested in Paris for
                >>> introducing green technologies, world wide, is 100 billion dollars. This
                >>> data is sufficient to illustrate the gap between good intentions and vested
                >>> interests.
                >>>
                >>> If this trend will continue in 2016, it is clear that the Paris climate
                >>> agreement swill never reach its goals.
                >>>
                >>> *Handicap 2: ISIS and terrorism *
                >>>
                >>> While everybody keeps focusing on the war to the Caliphate in Siria, it
                >>> is time to look more in long term.The war in Siria has become a proxy war
                >>> by Saudi Arabia (which  is directly responsible for the diffusion of the
                >>> radical islam imposed by ISIS, wahabism), Qatar, United Arab Emirates,
                >>> Turkey, Russia, United States, France, Great Britain, and now with support
                >>> from Germany and theoretically from the European Union. Now, all muslim
                >>> countries worldwide are supposed to join Saudi Arabia.They are all ready to
                >>> fight this war to the last syrian, but not to risk any man. As bombing
                >>> has never been sufficient to win,  this is a war that in 2016 will go
                >>> nowhere. But what we have to start to reflect  is that ISIS is  a local
                >>> project, and  is becoming a global one. A Security Council  report
                >>> estimates that 25.000 people from 100 countries have joined Al Qaida and
                >>> ISIS. The number of foreign fighters went up by 71% in just ten months. And
                >>> the massacres of Paris and San Bernardino were perpetuated by local people,
                >>> who were not part of the ISIS structure.
                >>>
                >>> The main difference between Al Qaida and ISIS, according About Zeid,
                >>> from the Carnegie  Center in Beirut, is that Al Qaida has as its main goal
                >>> to fight against Western domination. But ISIS is especially interested to a
                >>> depuration of  the muslim world, fighting  other branches of Islam, from
                >>> Shia to Sufi to YAZIDI , ismaeliti etc, to eliminate them and oblige  Sunni
                >>> to accept a strict wahabist practice, or suffer violence.
                >>>
                >>> It is in that light that ISIS messages to muslim living in the West is
                >>> insistent and clear :Take side, or with the West as apostates, or with us
                >>> as real Muslim.
                >>>
                >>> The problem is that mistrust of Muslims  the West is increasing. Hate
                >>> crimes have tripled in the last month in US, spurred by the irresponsible
                >>> Republican presidential candidates. The growing rightwing  xenophobic
                >>> european parties, led by demagogues like Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in
                >>> the Nederland, or Le Pen in France, are subjecting Muslim to harsh times.
                >>> It obliges them to define more their allegiances, and this can push young
                >>> and marginalized muslim into  the ISIS camp.
                >>>
                >>> Refugees from muslim countries, like Siria, are depicted  as infiltrated
                >>> by ISIS.If this trend of radicalization continues, it will become a
                >>> phenomena which will survive  ISIS. itself. Over 25.000 people from 100
                >>> countries have joined the ISIS: a 715 increase of foreign fighters in just
                >>> ten months. According to the Pew Institute, Islam is now at 1.6 billion
                >>> people, but in 2050 will be close to the christians ( 1.8 billions), in
                >>> 2075 will have the same consistency, and in 2.100 will be the largest
                >>> religion in the world. By the way, is the religion who has the largest
                >>> number of under 15.
                >>>
                >>> The long terms project of ISIS is a clash of civilization. A continues
                >>> polarization, with the West as a clear enemy, is what ISIS legacy could be.
                >>> It means to go global, from local.
                >>>
                >>> The year 2016 will be crucial to see if this polarization will increase
                >>> or not. Will the West be able to understand the trap in which he is
                >>> walking? Anyhow, our daily life is already under attack. To travel has
                >>> become an aggravation. US is now tightening its visa policy for Europeans.
                >>> Cots of security are  increasing  by 83 percent in Europe, according to an
                >>> Interpol estimate. Fear is seeping more and more in the collective
                >>> subconscious. If in 2016 there will be more massacres like Paris and San
                >>> Bernardino, fear and polarization will take a trend may be irreversible.
                >>>
                >>> *Handicap 3: Refugees: *
                >>>
                >>> With media covering just events, , the refugee crisis has now passed to
                >>> a second plan. Nothing has changed: people die like before, countries have
                >>> erected walls and continue to adopt stricter measures, but with winter less
                >>> people are ready to risk their life.But let us take a long term view.
                >>> Europe, Australia, United States and other rich countries are simply not
                >>> culturally prepared to accept two inescapable facts. The first, that the
                >>> homogenous, white, christian world that we know, is not sustainable. Is a
                >>> law of physics that an empty space attract overflow. In this moment the
                >>> crisis is due entirely to irresponsible military actions taken to depose an
                >>> unsavory dictator, without any planning for the after. In a short time,
                >>> Saddam Hussein and Gheddafi were successfully deposed, leaving their
                >>> countries in chaos and misery. The last attempt, Assad, become a proxy war
                >>> , with Russia and the Shia ( Iran , Hezbollah), keeping him in place, in
                >>> spite of the efforts of Europe and United States.  Only Siria has now four
                >>> million refugees and just a fourth of them is trying to make a new life in
                >>> Europe.
                >>>
                >>> At the same time, Europe has a significant  demographic decline.
                >>> According to the UN, Europe needs at least 2 more millions of additional
                >>> people to keep its pension system functioning, and the economy running, and
                >>> will need at least 350.000 new immigrants every year, until the population
                >>> will stabilize again, around 2080. Of course, there is no political
                >>> campaign of education to this reality. The right wing parties present a
                >>> dream: let us go back to the time that we were all white, with Christianity
                >>> as our common bond, let us defend our identity and our history.
                >>>
                >>> But if we go beyond our present crisis, let us realize that demographic
                >>> transformations are staggering. According to the last UN projections,
                >>> the world in 2100 will not be 9 billion as thought ( we are now at 7.5
                >>> billion), but 11.2 billions. Africa will be then 4.4 billion people, up
                >>> from its present  billion. Ethiopia, to make a case, is now 100 million
                >>> people: it will l be 243 millions in 2100. Africa will be then 39% of the
                >>> world population, almost as much as Asia, and four times the share of
                >>> Europe and North America put together. Africa is largely muslim..…
                >>>
                >>> Let us remind that now Europe and US are accepting ( US  symbolically)
                >>> refugees, or those who have left their home because of a conflict. That
                >>> leaves outside people who are afraid of mortal discrimination, like gays in
                >>> Africa, Nigerian girls where Boko Haram bring them in slavery, religious
                >>> groups like Christians in the middle east, or rohinyás in Myanmar…and this
                >>> excludes economic migrants, or people who have left their home because it
                >>> does not feed them, and escape hunger, not war…and  we will have to add the
                >>> new category of climate refugees, which does not even exist in the present
                >>> debate.
                >>>
                >>> According to the United Nations High Commission for Refuges, in 50
                >>> years, according on how we implement the Paris Agreement on climate change,
                >>> we could go with 3  degrees to 250 millions displaced people, and with 4.5
                >>> to 1.000 million people. According the International Organization for
                >>> Migrations, “ in the last 30 years droughts and inundations have tripled”
                >>> and climate changes have created more displaced people than wars. The
                >>> security Council has released a report which depicts how more than one
                >>> million Syrian farmers, ruined by the drought between 2007 and 2010, took
                >>> refuge in unprepared and fragile towns, and their desperation  plaid a key
                >>> role in the Arab Spring insurrection against Assad.
                >>>
                >>> So it is time to realize that the West is facing an historical change,
                >>> with dramatic consequences in lifestyle, customs, and  daily practices. This
                >>> could be achieved by accepting gradually newcomers to the club, in harmony
                >>> and coexistence  of the Western values, or by showing them a fist, as
                >>> Salvini and Trump do.  The 2016 will be very crucial to see how this will
                >>> go, especially after American Elections.
                >>>
                >>> *Handicap 4: Decline of democracy*
                >>>
                >>> It is time to realize that political disaffection is not only increasing
                >>> xenophobic and right wing parties   since the economic crisis of 2009, but
                >>> also sapping the prestige of democracy as an undisputed modern value. We
                >>> have now the Hungarian Prime Minister, who openly advocates an “illiberal
                >>> democracy”, and look to Putin as a  model. Poland is following the same
                >>> direction, and all over Eastern Europe there is  a clear shift to the
                >>> right, marked by pressing request to Nato and United States to enhance
                >>> military barriers to Russia. ( And Nato poking Putin paranoia, by offering
                >>> Montenegro, with 2.000 soldiers, to join).All those countries have refused
                >>> European agreements on receiving  refugees, as well as any other burden
                >>> from Brussels ( money of  course is accepted and requested). Putin has set
                >>> up an informal alliance with the right wing parties , as a leader in the
                >>> defense of identity and religion. He has even given  a 5 million euro loan
                >>> to Le Pen.
                >>>
                >>> In time of crisis, people are more interested in their security and
                >>> work, than who is in power. Many classical voters for the left, like
                >>> workers and unemployed, now vote for the right wing parties, and believe
                >>> their promises of going back to the golden past. They are not interested
                >>> any longer by ideologies or political visions. They think that right and
                >>> left does not exist any more. They are disillusioned with the classical
                >>> party system, and they are ready to try anything new and which is not part
                >>> of the establishment. This is the reason of Le Pen success in France,
                >>> of the disconcerting support for Trump in United States ( and even more
                >>> puzzling the success of  Bernie Sanders , a declared socialist, a term
                >>> which is close to anathema  in US).
                >>>
                >>> Of course, right wing xenophobic parties are not very useful for
                >>> international cooperation and dialogue with others. But the real
                >>> problem is that we are in a crisis of  political vision.When ideologies are
                >>> discarded as relics, and the following step is to adopt pragmatism as a
                >>> solution, in fact you are making of politics a number of ad hoc solutions,
                >>> without any final view of the society.  Each action is chosen as the most
                >>> useful for that specific issue. That is not pragmatism, is utilitarism,
                >>> which downgrade policy to administrative, and this does not attract
                >>> people’s participation, especially young people. And the administrative
                >>> level of politics, without any vision,  is prone to corruption, which is
                >>> clearly growing in the western democracies.
                >>>
                >>> Fear is strengthening  the right, not the left. Today fear is creeping
                >>> into our daily lives, according to different polls. A survey from The World
                >>> Value System, found out that today only one  fifth of Americans consider
                >>> democracy as a fundamental principle.  The same is happening in Europe,
                >>> according to the same survey. In other words, nazism and stalinism are
                >>> faded memories. And the Chinese model, where decision can be taken in a
                >>> short time, bolstering productivity and action., is becoming popular.
                >>>
                >>> We  are, of course, not yet in the Weimar climate. But we are getting
                >>> in place many of the ingredients which brought an obscure demagogue to run
                >>> the most advanced country of the time.
                >>>
                >>> It will be important to see  how in this year demagogy will continue its
                >>> growth, or will abate. But what would be important is that we all start to
                >>> put democracy under observation, not  longer a  value over the fray. It is
                >>> under attack, not only from ISIS and terrorism, but from leaders elected by
                >>> their citizens, be  Orban or Putin, and whit a phenomenal approval rate. So
                >>> it is time we take into account that a growing segment of the population in
                >>> the West is finding refuge in the dreams of the past, with political en
                >>> economic agendas which are out of reality. Democracy, sadly, is on the wane.
                >>>
                >>> *Handicap 5: The decline  of Europe. *
                >>>
                >>> In 2016 probably Cameron will call a referendum on leaving the European
                >>> Union or not.  This is    trap in which the British PM put himself, by
                >>> promising to renegotiate Britain permanence in the EU, or  having several
                >>> benefits or quitting. It is clear now that with empty hands, he would loose
                >>> the referendum ( he is supposed to want to remain). Negotiations with
                >>> Europe will go ahed in the first months of the year. Germany considers a
                >>> catastrophe if Britain leaves, so it will help Cameron. Whatever the EU
                >>> will concede to Britain, will be immediately requested by all East European
                >>> countries.This will mark the  end  of european integration. The 2016 could
                >>> be the year when  this will happen.
                >>>
                >>> *Handicap 6 : Nationalism in Asia.  *
                >>>
                >>> It is a worrying reality that for the first time since the end of the
                >>> last war, the major Asian countries, China, India and Japan, are run at the
                >>> same time by nationalist leaders. While obviously different in their
                >>> reality and style (nothing like the twins Putin-Erdogan), they are
                >>> revamping the glorious past and the humiliations that they did suffer in
                >>> the World War 2, to stir citizens to their support.
                >>>
                >>> President Xi has launched “the Chinese dream”,  which is rooted in
                >>> bringing back the ancient glories of the Empire of the Middle, and revenge
                >>> the humiliations of the european occupation, Japanese occupation, and the
                >>> oppium war. Two years ago mobs destroyed Japanese shops and properties,
                >>> without initially any police intervention.China has embarked in a plan of
                >>> influences to counter United Sates, by financing several grandiose
                >>> projects: the creation of a Bank alternative to the World Bank, under
                >>> Washington control. On Xi invitation, 45 countries did join the bank, who
                >>> will have a total of 200 billion dollars, in spite of Washington
                >>> opposition.It is also planning to recreate the ancient “Silk Road”, by
                >>> investing over 50 billion dollars. And it is planning  to finance the
                >>> “twin Ocean Railroad connection, a planned 5.000 km railway from the Peru
                >>> coast to Brasil.
                >>>
                >>> It has given to Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, loans for over 80 billion
                >>> dollars, sending a message to the  traditional “backyard” of United States:
                >>> wane yourself from Washington, I have more resources ( China reserves are
                >>> 3.8 trillion dollars). It has been intervening heavily in Africa, to
                >>> the point that Zimbabwe is considering pegging its currency to the yuan.
                >>> And it is expanding its maritime zone  in the sea, by building bases on
                >>> some small rocks, which were claimed by several asian countries. China
                >>> will  increased its military budget by 7% during  the new five year plan.
                >>>
                >>> Abe, the Japanese PM, has gone in the same direction. It has just
                >>> increased the military budget by 7%, and more importantly he has made an
                >>> interpretation of the constitution, that allows again the Japanese Defense
                >>> Force to act abroad. He defends that change by saying that it is for
                >>> limited cases. Yet, is like to give liquors filled chocolates to an ex
                >>> alcoholic. Polls show a growing surge of the right and of the nostalgics,
                >>> who feel the defeat in the second world war as an humiliation to erase. Abe
                >>> has refused to apologize for the violence used against civilians by
                >>> Japanese troops in China, and to recognize Japanese responsibilities in the
                >>> forcible recruitment of over 60.000 Korean girls to be used as “sex help”,
                >>> for the Japanese soldiers.
                >>>
                >>> Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, is also recalling the
                >>> glorious past, tacitly condoning right wing and nationalist acts, and
                >>> speaking of “ a new indian glory" .In 2050, according the Un projections,
                >>> India will overtake China as the largest population  of the world. The
                >>> difference is that India has 41% of his population under 18;China by that
                >>> time will have only 23% of young people, in a sea of old people, because of
                >>> its one child policy.
                >>>
                >>> Modi has projected India at the forefront of the international scene, by
                >>> using his leverage in the Paris Conference on climate change. He now speaks
                >>> on behalf of the non industrialized country ( China attempt to do that in
                >>> Paris went nowhere), and he is also increasing the military budget. He just
                >>> bought armament from China for 12 b million dollars, an hefty amount for a
                >>> country which needs dramatic injections in its social, educational and
                >>> health system, beside of course infrastructures.
                >>>
                >>> In other words, if there is a place where a new world war could coming,
                >>> is Asia. And its scale would be really unprecedented. What is worrying is
                >>> that ALL asian  countries are increasing their defense budget, How much
                >>> this will bring some significant events in 2016, is difficult to predict.
                >>> But it would be important to loom at Asia as a place of concern for the
                >>> world peace.
                >>>
                >>> *Handicap 7: Decline in Latin America*.
                >>>
                >>>  While this is more of a  regional problem, in an interconnected world
                >>> everything  has relevance for everybody. Latin America has been for the
                >>> last decade an active international actor, contributing to the world
                >>> development. The decline of Chinese imports of raw material, and  the
                >>> increase of interest rates from the Federal Reserve in Washington, ( which
                >>> will shift investments from Latin America to the US market) are a two piece
                >>> prong, that is affecting seriously the region.
                >>>
                >>> Some economists are already talking of a new negative cycle, that could
                >>> last for some years. The low prices of commodities is affecting all the
                >>> region, from copper in Chile to oil in Venezuela, Ecuador, and agricultural
                >>> commodities in Argentina. in Venezuela, Maduro is still ignoring the new
                >>> reality, and the World Bank predicts a decline of 10% in 2016. He could
                >>> remain in power only solving problems, for which he has no funds.
                >>>
                >>>  The same is happening in Ecuador. Argentina has already changed
                >>> direction, and is going back to the neoliberal policies of the past.Brazil
                >>> is in the middle of a crisis  for corruption, which is hiding a very
                >>> difficult economic situation. The Economic Commission for Latin America has
                >>> published an alarmed report, in which it forecast a serious decline. In the
                >>> report, it indicates that at the end of 2016 we will have a more clear
                >>> picture, once is clear if the Chinese locomotor is in a temporary loss of
                >>> speed, or in  a more durable process.
                >>>
                >>> *Handicap 8:  Armament increase.*
                >>>
                >>>  According to the projections of the Swedish Institute for Peace, the
                >>> 2016 will see increase in armament costs close to 3%. That increase  is the
                >>> equivalent of 600 billion dollars, an amount which could have solved the
                >>> ambitious goals of the  Millennium Development goals established by the
                >>> UN,;the amount requested in Paris by the non industrialized countries to
                >>> give them clean technology,( an unresolved problem yet ). But the
                >>> debate on reduction of armaments  ignores a stunning reality: the five
                >>> Permanent Members of the Security Council of the UN ( in charge  with
                >>> securing peace), make  82% of the global arm’s sale. And with China
                >>> entering massively into weapons manufacturing, that percentage is bound to
                >>> grow.
                >>>
                >>> United Nations started to authorize  “humanitarian intervention”, in
                >>> Somalia(December 5, 1992 - May 4, 1993). The scope of the american led
                >>> invasion was to bring humanitarian aid in a rogue country, where
                >>> conflicting militia were starving the population. The balance of that
                >>> operation ( with a quick exit of US, after several of his soldiers were
                >>> drawn as corpses in the main street of Mogadishu), was a total cost of the
                >>> military operations of 900 million dollars.
                >>>
                >>>  The value of the food and other supplies distributed was 90 million
                >>> dollars. That proportion has been kept in every case. Except that it is
                >>> always much more easy to find resources for military operations, than for
                >>> humanitarian ones. The massive wave of refugees for all the local wars in
                >>> Africa and Middle East, is a consequence of that priority. Europe has
                >>> accepted to give 3 billions dollars to Turkey, and eliminate visas, so to
                >>> keep Syrian refugees there. It is now spending for refugees  an amount
                >>> which is  not yet quantifiable, but that certainly goes in billion of
                >>> dollars. If that money would have been spent for assisting populations in
                >>> the conflict zone, certainly the number of refugees pounding on the doors
                >>> would have been considerably smaller.
                >>>
                >>> Unfortunately, 2016 is going in that direction. Armaments costs will
                >>> increase, while development assistance is being curtailed everywhere. The
                >>> budget for aid is now being used to finance the incoming refugees, and
                >>> probably to finance the commitments of Paris. Therefore, the amount of aid
                >>> reaching poor populations, is decreasing. The last Un Conference for
                >>> pledging resources, held on Nov. 10th in NewYork, saw a “ dramatic decline”
                >>> in donors contributions, from 560 million dollars in 2014, to 77 million
                >>> dollars, ,largely covering 2015. Of course, this is going to increase
                >>> economic migrants.
                >>>
                >>> *Handicap 9: increase of inequality *
                >>>
                >>> The Economist itself has been noting” that the rich are becoming richer
                >>> and  the richest are getting richer faster, is beyond doubt”. A
                >>> research by the University of California found out that the share of
                >>> American wealth held the 0.1 percent of the richest households rose from 7%
                >>> in 1979, to 22% in 2012. And  that of the richest 0.01 per cent ( about
                >>> 16.000 household), jumped from 2% to 11%. Of course, they do not get money
                >>> printed especially for them. They suck the money from the total monetary
                >>> circulation, which means that some people are surrendering their wealth. An
                >>> other study has documented that since 2008, the american middle class has
                >>> shrunk by 10 million families.
                >>>
                >>> This is a worldwide trend. In Spain, rich people have increased by 40%
                >>> since 2008. In 2014, the number of millionaires did increase worldwide by
                >>> 920.000 individual. There are now in the world , according the Bank of
                >>> Canada 14.6 millions who owns more than million dollars in cash beside the
                >>> primary house, cars and different goods. The gap between managers and
                >>> employees and  workers is growing yearly, with little protest.  The CEO  of
                >>> the 500 Fortune Companies (the most successful) had a median income of 17.5
                >>> million dollars, with some of course over 200 millions.
                >>>
                >>> A number of economists, among them from the World Bank and the IMF, have
                >>> been warning that inequality has not only social and political
                >>> implications, but also economic, as it reduces buying power from the poor,
                >>> eliminates small shops and companies, and erodes the middle class, which is
                >>> the basis for social stability. The famous book “Capital in the
                >>> Twenty-First
                >>>
                >>> Century”, by Thomas Piketty, makes this point central: as wealth
                >>> concentrates, democratic societies lose faith in the fairness of
                >>> governments, which are seen as allied to the big capital. Le Pen
                >>> campaign against “plutocrats” is reminiscent of the language used by
                >>> Mussolini and Hitler: all right wing parties denounce bankers as enemies,
                >>> and that stirs with those who see their lifestyle decline, or their sons
                >>> without a job, why a few are obscenely rich.
                >>>
                >>> What is disconcerting in this unprecedented explosion of inequality (
                >>> according Oxfam in 2025 England will have the same level   of the time of
                >>> Queen Victoria),  that the banner has been generally taken more by the
                >>> right wing parties, than from those on the left. And inequality has not
                >>> become a big political issue. If it were not for Sanders, it would be
                >>> totally absent in the american elections.
                >>>
                >>> And now, two researchers, the Russian economist Vladimir Gimpelson ad
                >>> the American political scientist Daniel Treisman have come up with an
                >>> illuminating study. They looked at a collection of survey from 40
                >>> countries, both rich and poor. The  conclusion is that people’s guess about
                >>> the distribution of incomes and where they  are  is as wrong as it could
                >>> be. Those who were relatively poor people tended to depict them as middle
                >>> class. In Italy, more than half of the needy though they were at the middle
                >>> of the income scales. In France and Sweden, the proportion was more than
                >>> one third. In contrast, those who are better off tend to think that they
                >>> have not yet made it. In France, Italy and Britain, 40 percent or more of
                >>> the people who owned second homes put themselves in the bottom half.
                >>>
                >>> This, in Marxists  terms, means that people have lost a sense of class,
                >>> and therefore they do not resent inequality as it was done before. And
                >>> this means that the political class does not feel inequality as a crucial
                >>> issue.It is not by chance that the term “social justice” has disappeared
                >>> from the political debate. But how long this will last?
                >>>
                >>> The 2016 will see this trend to continue. It is difficult for people to
                >>> realize how this concentration process is becoming extreme. Let us take two
                >>> noble examples, to illustrate it. Mark Zuckeberg, the founder of Facebook,
                >>> has announced that he will donate 99% of his shares, valued at 45 billion
                >>> dollars, to philanthropy. It is an amount that competes with China project
                >>> for its railroad spanning from Beijing to Europe, so is an extreme act  of
                >>> philanthropy. But let us keep in mind that the 1% left to him is 450
                >>> million dollars: 400 times the lifetime income of a collage graduate.
                >>>
                >>>  And that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation,a very important
                >>> institution,  which is supported by 44 billions, has given away 5 billion
                >>> in 2014: this was anyhow less than the 7.4 billion it accumulated thanks to
                >>> new contributions, investment income and rising value assets.In other
                >>> words, money brings so much money, when  you have plenty of it, that it
                >>> will be always there ( unless you waste it…but billionaires usually do not
                >>> do..when  Zuckeberg  was in Rome in honeymoon, in the jewish quarter,
                >>> he did not leave any tip to the astonished waiter)
                >>>
                >>> *Handicap  10: your personal commitment.  *
                >>>
                >>> This list of handicaps is highly subjective, and leaves outside several
                >>> issues which are very important, like gender, human rights, development
                >>> assistance, finance control, migrants, etc. If you have reached this
                >>> point of my paper, it means that you  are committed to a  better world, and
                >>> you are an unusual reader.  According to a study from Unesco, only 3% of
                >>> the world population can read 5.000 words of abstract material, without
                >>> giving up.It also means that you have some commitment probably to issues
                >>> that I have left out. It would be the most positive result to this
                >>> writing,  if you could make an effort and  think how they will fare in
                >>> 2016: if the Newborn  year looks positive for your commitments. The purpose
                >>> of Othernews is to stimulate thinking and awareness. Let us this  be
                >>> the New Year wishes from the publisher to all of you!
                >>>
                >>> **Italian-Argentine journalist. Co-founder and former
                >>> Director General of Inter Press Service (IPS). In recent years he also
                >>> founded Other News, a service that
                >>> provides "information markets eliminate". Other News. In Spanish: http://www.other-news.info/noticias/
                >>> <http://www.other-news.info/noticias/> In
                >>> English: http://www.other-net.info/ <http://www.other-net.info/>*
                >>>
                >>>
                >>>
                >>>
                >>>
                >>>  Roberto Savio
                >>> utopie@...
                >>>
                >>>
                >>>
                >>>
                >>>
                >>> --
                >>> Archive: http://openfsm.net/[…]/1451684319143
                >>> <http://openfsm.net/projects/communication-commission/lists/communication-commission-discussion/archive/2016/01/1451684319143>
                >>> To unsubscribe send an email with subject "unsubscribe" to
                >>> communication-commission-discussion@.... Please contact
                >>> communication-commission-discussion-manager@... for
                >>> questions.
                >>>
                >>>
                >>>
                >>> --
                >>> Archive: http://openfsm.net/[…]/1451700598023
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                >>>
                >>>
                >>>
                >>> --
                >>> Archive: http://openfsm.net/[…]/1451701780192
                >>> <http://openfsm.net/projects/communication-commission/lists/communication-commission-discussion/archive/2016/01/1451701780192>
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                >>>
                >>
                >>
                >>
                >> --
                >> Archive: http://openfsm.net/[…]/1452513383591
                >> <http://openfsm.net/projects/communication-commission/lists/communication-commission-discussion/archive/2016/01/1452513383591>
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                >> Archive: http://openfsm.net/[…]/1452535943821
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      • Re: Re: [Communication commission discussion] Fwd: [Communication commission discussion] une très bonne and, mais en suivant les problèmesà

        from Azril Bacal on Jan 02, 2016 03:53 AM
        Querido Roberto,
        
        Estamos en lo mismo y esperanzados al hacerlo, ¿verdad amigo querido?
        Por mi lado, te sigo considerando uno de los grandes periodistas y
        analistas del mundo, sin pretender ser 100% objetivo - ya que los amigos no
        solemos serlo 😉
        
        Seguimos tocando el tamborcito de la resistencia, mientras que Trump sigue
        haciendo el juego desfachatado que favorece a los intereses "ocultos"
        detrás de los Clintons (en forma consciente o inadvertida - algo dudoso en
        una persona de los medios comunicacionales y payaso millonario...una
        hipótesis no del todo descabellada de una colega africana que lo conoce de
        Nueva York  ¿verdad?).
        
        Hace bien recordar a Theilard de Chardin, en estos momentos turbulentos que
        evocan a la crisis de refugiados del siglo pasado y a los años previos a la
        segunda guerra mundial.
        
        Otros fuertes abrazos por el 2016!!!
        Azril
        
        ______________
        
        On Fri, Jan 1, 2016 at 9:03 PM, Roberto Savio <utopie@...> wrote:
        
        > Azril, yo escribo solo con la idea de ayudar  a reflexionar.No hay nada
        > mas aburrido escribir cosas que uno ya sabe.  Lo que espero es que la
        > gente,concientizada por hechos que la prensa comercial no da, se activen, y
        > se ocupen en lugar de preocuparse…yo  no soy un gran periodista, esto lo
        > fui , tal vez, en mi vida anterior. Ahora soy  solo un activista…y te doy
        > mis fuertes abrazos para el 2016...
        > Roberto Savio
        > utopie@...
        >
        >
        >
        > On 01/gen/2016, at 20:43, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
        >
        > *El buen amigo y gran periodista Roberto identifica algunos retos del
        > 2016. Le respondo con el llamado a leer los signos de los tiempos con el
        > pesimismo de la mente y el optimismo del corazón, en el sendero del PODER
        > PUDIENDO de PODEMOS - ¿o nos quedamos contemplando a las espinas sin
        > podarlas para que la rosa nos brinde sus efluvios? *
        >
        > *Malgrait tout, abrazotes por el año nuevo 2016 😊*
        >
        > Azril
        >
        > _______________________
        >
        > *POOR 2016, SO MANY HANDICAPS*
        >
        > *By Roberto Savio**
        >
        > San Salvador, Bahamas, December 31, 2015 - At this time, we all wish “ a
        > very good year”. While the wish is always a positive thing, we should also
        > realize that we cannot expect too much from the new born year. He is
        > loaded by so  many handicaps, that we  should have lot of sympathy for
        > him…He is part of a negative circle that started with the financial crisis
        > of 2008, and that will probably conclude in 2017, a cathartic year in
        > which   elections in several key countries and other crucial appointments
        > could open a new cycle. Unless a  republican victory in the American
        > Elections will anticipate a global crisis of governance faster…
        >
        > Here is a list of the major handicaps for 2016, which is of course a
        > personal view: but supported  by many data…
        >
        > *Handicap 1:  Climate change.*
        >
        > After Paris conference on climate change, this year will be crucial to
        > understand in which direction the wind of change is blowing. Of course, the
        > process of saving our planet at its present level, is planned over a span
        > going to 2050. Let us briefly recall  that the engagements taken in Paris
        > are insufficient to reach the goal of not surpassing 2 Centigrade above the
        > level that prevailed before the Industrial Revolution( we have already used
        > 1 centigrade). As now, the Paris Pact  will at least reach 3.7 Centigrade,
        > which means, among many things, 850 millions people displaced. In fact,
        > there is a consensus that we should not  go beyond 1.5 Centigrades, to be
        > really safe.
        >
        > Well, we will take just two examples, to show that the threat to the
        > planet is a very concrete one, and that political subjection to the energy
        > sector continues. The British Parliament has just approved legislation
        > allowing use of the shale gas extraction technology , know has hydraulic
        > fracking. This is also allowed beneath protected sites, including national
        > parks.British government has announced that they will award new licenses
        > for shale gas and oil exploration, including national parks.
        >
        > The other is an interview from Gian Luca Galletti, Italian minister for
        > environment, back from Paris.He defends his new program of oil extraction
        > in land and sea, by declaring: “One of the key themes of Paris is the
        > equitable exploration of natural resources. We live in a country that is
        > still uses petrol and gas, and I do not see why we should  use energies
        > from others.”The Prime Minister Renzi has applauded the “green criteria”
        > with which the new plan of drilling, for  2 billion euro. . Meanwhile in
        > Gela, Sicily, one of the refining places, child cancer has gone to 159.2
        > percent, Hodgkin to 72.4, stomach tumor 47.5 percent, versus the national
        > norma.
        >
        > According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect
        > subsidies to the fossil industries, coal and oil, amount to  5.3 trillion
        > dollars dollars per year. The subsidy requested in Paris for introducing
        > green technologies, world wide, is 100 billion dollars. This data is
        > sufficient to illustrate the gap between good intentions and vested
        > interests.
        >
        > If this trend will continue in 2016, it is clear that the Paris climate
        > agreement swill never reach its goals.
        >
        > *Handicap 2: ISIS and terrorism *
        >
        > While everybody keeps focusing on the war to the Caliphate in Siria, it is
        > time to look more in long term.The war in Siria has become a proxy war by
        > Saudi Arabia (which  is directly responsible for the diffusion of the
        > radical islam imposed by ISIS, wahabism), Qatar, United Arab Emirates,
        > Turkey, Russia, United States, France, Great Britain, and now with support
        > from Germany and theoretically from the European Union. Now, all muslim
        > countries worldwide are supposed to join Saudi Arabia.They are all ready to
        > fight this war to the last syrian, but not to risk any man. As bombing
        > has never been sufficient to win,  this is a war that in 2016 will go
        > nowhere. But what we have to start to reflect  is that ISIS is  a local
        > project, and  is becoming a global one. A Security Council  report
        > estimates that 25.000 people from 100 countries have joined Al Qaida and
        > ISIS. The number of foreign fighters went up by 71% in just ten months. And
        > the massacres of Paris and San Bernardino were perpetuated by local people,
        > who were not part of the ISIS structure.
        >
        > The main difference between Al Qaida and ISIS, according About Zeid, from
        > the Carnegie  Center in Beirut, is that Al Qaida has as its main goal to
        > fight against Western domination. But ISIS is especially interested to a
        > depuration of  the muslim world, fighting  other branches of Islam, from
        > Shia to Sufi to YAZIDI , ismaeliti etc, to eliminate them and oblige  Sunni
        > to accept a strict wahabist practice, or suffer violence.
        >
        > It is in that light that ISIS messages to muslim living in the West is
        > insistent and clear :Take side, or with the West as apostates, or with us
        > as real Muslim.
        >
        > The problem is that mistrust of Muslims  the West is increasing. Hate
        > crimes have tripled in the last month in US, spurred by the irresponsible
        > Republican presidential candidates. The growing rightwing  xenophobic
        > european parties, led by demagogues like Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in
        > the Nederland, or Le Pen in France, are subjecting Muslim to harsh times.
        > It obliges them to define more their allegiances, and this can push young
        > and marginalized muslim into  the ISIS camp.
        >
        > Refugees from muslim countries, like Siria, are depicted  as infiltrated
        > by ISIS.If this trend of radicalization continues, it will become a
        > phenomena which will survive  ISIS. itself. Over 25.000 people from 100
        > countries have joined the ISIS: a 715 increase of foreign fighters in just
        > ten months. According to the Pew Institute, Islam is now at 1.6 billion
        > people, but in 2050 will be close to the christians ( 1.8 billions), in
        > 2075 will have the same consistency, and in 2.100 will be the largest
        > religion in the world. By the way, is the religion who has the largest
        > number of under 15.
        >
        > The long terms project of ISIS is a clash of civilization. A continues
        > polarization, with the West as a clear enemy, is what ISIS legacy could be.
        > It means to go global, from local.
        >
        > The year 2016 will be crucial to see if this polarization will increase or
        > not. Will the West be able to understand the trap in which he is walking? Anyhow,
        > our daily life is already under attack. To travel has become an
        > aggravation. US is now tightening its visa policy for Europeans. Cots of
        > security are  increasing  by 83 percent in Europe, according to an Interpol
        > estimate. Fear is seeping more and more in the collective subconscious. If
        > in 2016 there will be more massacres like Paris and San Bernardino, fear
        > and polarization will take a trend may be irreversible.
        >
        > *Handicap 3: Refugees: *
        >
        > With media covering just events, , the refugee crisis has now passed to a
        > second plan. Nothing has changed: people die like before, countries have
        > erected walls and continue to adopt stricter measures, but with winter less
        > people are ready to risk their life.But let us take a long term view.
        > Europe, Australia, United States and other rich countries are simply not
        > culturally prepared to accept two inescapable facts. The first, that the
        > homogenous, white, christian world that we know, is not sustainable. Is a
        > law of physics that an empty space attract overflow. In this moment the
        > crisis is due entirely to irresponsible military actions taken to depose an
        > unsavory dictator, without any planning for the after. In a short time,
        > Saddam Hussein and Gheddafi were successfully deposed, leaving their
        > countries in chaos and misery. The last attempt, Assad, become a proxy war
        > , with Russia and the Shia ( Iran , Hezbollah), keeping him in place, in
        > spite of the efforts of Europe and United States.  Only Siria has now four
        > million refugees and just a fourth of them is trying to make a new life in
        > Europe.
        >
        > At the same time, Europe has a significant  demographic decline. According
        > to the UN, Europe needs at least 2 more millions of additional people to
        > keep its pension system functioning, and the economy running, and will need
        > at least 350.000 new immigrants every year, until the population will
        > stabilize again, around 2080. Of course, there is no political campaign of
        > education to this reality. The right wing parties present a dream: let us
        > go back to the time that we were all white, with Christianity as our common
        > bond, let us defend our identity and our history.
        >
        > But if we go beyond our present crisis, let us realize that demographic
        > transformations are staggering. According to the last UN projections, the
        > world in 2100 will not be 9 billion as thought ( we are now at 7.5
        > billion), but 11.2 billions. Africa will be then 4.4 billion people, up
        > from its present  billion. Ethiopia, to make a case, is now 100 million
        > people: it will l be 243 millions in 2100. Africa will be then 39% of the
        > world population, almost as much as Asia, and four times the share of
        > Europe and North America put together. Africa is largely muslim..…
        >
        > Let us remind that now Europe and US are accepting ( US  symbolically)
        > refugees, or those who have left their home because of a conflict. That
        > leaves outside people who are afraid of mortal discrimination, like gays in
        > Africa, Nigerian girls where Boko Haram bring them in slavery, religious
        > groups like Christians in the middle east, or rohinyás in Myanmar…and this
        > excludes economic migrants, or people who have left their home because it
        > does not feed them, and escape hunger, not war…and  we will have to add the
        > new category of climate refugees, which does not even exist in the present
        > debate.
        >
        > According to the United Nations High Commission for Refuges, in 50 years,
        > according on how we implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, we
        > could go with 3  degrees to 250 millions displaced people, and with 4.5 to
        > 1.000 million people. According the International Organization for
        > Migrations, “ in the last 30 years droughts and inundations have tripled”
        > and climate changes have created more displaced people than wars. The
        > security Council has released a report which depicts how more than one
        > million Syrian farmers, ruined by the drought between 2007 and 2010, took
        > refuge in unprepared and fragile towns, and their desperation  plaid a key
        > role in the Arab Spring insurrection against Assad.
        >
        > So it is time to realize that the West is facing an historical change,
        > with dramatic consequences in lifestyle, customs, and  daily practices. This
        > could be achieved by accepting gradually newcomers to the club, in harmony
        > and coexistence  of the Western values, or by showing them a fist, as
        > Salvini and Trump do.  The 2016 will be very crucial to see how this will
        > go, especially after American Elections.
        >
        > *Handicap 4: Decline of democracy*
        >
        > It is time to realize that political disaffection is not only increasing
        > xenophobic and right wing parties   since the economic crisis of 2009, but
        > also sapping the prestige of democracy as an undisputed modern value. We
        > have now the Hungarian Prime Minister, who openly advocates an “illiberal
        > democracy”, and look to Putin as a  model. Poland is following the same
        > direction, and all over Eastern Europe there is  a clear shift to the
        > right, marked by pressing request to Nato and United States to enhance
        > military barriers to Russia. ( And Nato poking Putin paranoia, by offering
        > Montenegro, with 2.000 soldiers, to join).All those countries have refused
        > European agreements on receiving  refugees, as well as any other burden
        > from Brussels ( money of  course is accepted and requested). Putin has set
        > up an informal alliance with the right wing parties , as a leader in the
        > defense of identity and religion. He has even given  a 5 million euro loan
        > to Le Pen.
        >
        > In time of crisis, people are more interested in their security and work,
        > than who is in power. Many classical voters for the left, like workers
        > and unemployed, now vote for the right wing parties, and believe their
        > promises of going back to the golden past. They are not interested any
        > longer by ideologies or political visions. They think that right and left
        > does not exist any more. They are disillusioned with the classical party
        > system, and they are ready to try anything new and which is not part of the
        > establishment. This is the reason of Le Pen success in France, of the
        > disconcerting support for Trump in United States ( and even more puzzling
        > the success of  Bernie Sanders , a declared socialist, a term which is
        > close to anathema  in US).
        >
        > Of course, right wing xenophobic parties are not very useful for
        > international cooperation and dialogue with others. But the real problem
        > is that we are in a crisis of  political vision.When ideologies are
        > discarded as relics, and the following step is to adopt pragmatism as a
        > solution, in fact you are making of politics a number of ad hoc solutions,
        > without any final view of the society.  Each action is chosen as the most
        > useful for that specific issue. That is not pragmatism, is utilitarism,
        > which downgrade policy to administrative, and this does not attract
        > people’s participation, especially young people. And the administrative
        > level of politics, without any vision,  is prone to corruption, which is
        > clearly growing in the western democracies.
        >
        > Fear is strengthening  the right, not the left. Today fear is creeping
        > into our daily lives, according to different polls. A survey from The World
        > Value System, found out that today only one  fifth of Americans consider
        > democracy as a fundamental principle.  The same is happening in Europe,
        > according to the same survey. In other words, nazism and stalinism are
        > faded memories. And the Chinese model, where decision can be taken in a
        > short time, bolstering productivity and action., is becoming popular.
        >
        > We  are, of course, not yet in the Weimar climate. But we are getting in
        > place many of the ingredients which brought an obscure demagogue to run
        > the most advanced country of the time.
        >
        > It will be important to see  how in this year demagogy will continue its
        > growth, or will abate. But what would be important is that we all start to
        > put democracy under observation, not  longer a  value over the fray. It is
        > under attack, not only from ISIS and terrorism, but from leaders elected by
        > their citizens, be  Orban or Putin, and whit a phenomenal approval rate. So
        > it is time we take into account that a growing segment of the population in
        > the West is finding refuge in the dreams of the past, with political en
        > economic agendas which are out of reality. Democracy, sadly, is on the wane.
        >
        > *Handicap 5: The decline  of Europe. *
        >
        > In 2016 probably Cameron will call a referendum on leaving the European
        > Union or not.  This is    trap in which the British PM put himself, by
        > promising to renegotiate Britain permanence in the EU, or  having several
        > benefits or quitting. It is clear now that with empty hands, he would loose
        > the referendum ( he is supposed to want to remain). Negotiations with
        > Europe will go ahed in the first months of the year. Germany considers a
        > catastrophe if Britain leaves, so it will help Cameron. Whatever the EU
        > will concede to Britain, will be immediately requested by all East European
        > countries.This will mark the  end  of european integration. The 2016 could
        > be the year when  this will happen.
        >
        > *Handicap 6 : Nationalism in Asia.  *
        >
        > It is a worrying reality that for the first time since the end of the last
        > war, the major Asian countries, China, India and Japan, are run at the same
        > time by nationalist leaders. While obviously different in their reality and
        > style (nothing like the twins Putin-Erdogan), they are revamping the
        > glorious past and the humiliations that they did suffer in the World War 2,
        > to stir citizens to their support.
        >
        > President Xi has launched “the Chinese dream”,  which is rooted in
        > bringing back the ancient glories of the Empire of the Middle, and revenge
        > the humiliations of the european occupation, Japanese occupation, and the
        > oppium war. Two years ago mobs destroyed Japanese shops and properties,
        > without initially any police intervention.China has embarked in a plan of
        > influences to counter United Sates, by financing several grandiose
        > projects: the creation of a Bank alternative to the World Bank, under
        > Washington control. On Xi invitation, 45 countries did join the bank, who
        > will have a total of 200 billion dollars, in spite of Washington
        > opposition.It is also planning to recreate the ancient “Silk Road”, by
        > investing over 50 billion dollars. And it is planning  to finance the
        > “twin Ocean Railroad connection, a planned 5.000 km railway from the Peru
        > coast to Brasil.
        >
        > It has given to Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, loans for over 80 billion
        > dollars, sending a message to the  traditional “backyard” of United States:
        > wane yourself from Washington, I have more resources ( China reserves are
        > 3.8 trillion dollars). It has been intervening heavily in Africa, to the
        > point that Zimbabwe is considering pegging its currency to the yuan. And it
        > is expanding its maritime zone  in the sea, by building bases on some small
        > rocks, which were claimed by several asian countries. China will  increased
        > its military budget by 7% during  the new five year plan.
        >
        > Abe, the Japanese PM, has gone in the same direction. It has just
        > increased the military budget by 7%, and more importantly he has made an
        > interpretation of the constitution, that allows again the Japanese Defense
        > Force to act abroad. He defends that change by saying that it is for
        > limited cases. Yet, is like to give liquors filled chocolates to an ex
        > alcoholic. Polls show a growing surge of the right and of the nostalgics,
        > who feel the defeat in the second world war as an humiliation to erase. Abe
        > has refused to apologize for the violence used against civilians by
        > Japanese troops in China, and to recognize Japanese responsibilities in the
        > forcible recruitment of over 60.000 Korean girls to be used as “sex help”,
        > for the Japanese soldiers.
        >
        > Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, is also recalling the glorious
        > past, tacitly condoning right wing and nationalist acts, and speaking of “
        > a new indian glory" .In 2050, according the Un projections, India will
        > overtake China as the largest population  of the world. The difference is
        > that India has 41% of his population under 18;China by that time will have
        > only 23% of young people, in a sea of old people, because of its one child
        > policy.
        >
        > Modi has projected India at the forefront of the international scene, by
        > using his leverage in the Paris Conference on climate change. He now speaks
        > on behalf of the non industrialized country ( China attempt to do that in
        > Paris went nowhere), and he is also increasing the military budget. He just
        > bought armament from China for 12 b million dollars, an hefty amount for a
        > country which needs dramatic injections in its social, educational and
        > health system, beside of course infrastructures.
        >
        > In other words, if there is a place where a new world war could coming, is
        > Asia. And its scale would be really unprecedented. What is worrying is that
        > ALL asian  countries are increasing their defense budget, How much this
        > will bring some significant events in 2016, is difficult to predict. But it
        > would be important to loom at Asia as a place of concern for the world
        > peace.
        >
        > *Handicap 7: Decline in Latin America*.
        >
        >  While this is more of a  regional problem, in an interconnected world
        > everything  has relevance for everybody. Latin America has been for the
        > last decade an active international actor, contributing to the world
        > development. The decline of Chinese imports of raw material, and  the
        > increase of interest rates from the Federal Reserve in Washington, ( which
        > will shift investments from Latin America to the US market) are a two piece
        > prong, that is affecting seriously the region.
        >
        > Some economists are already talking of a new negative cycle, that could
        > last for some years. The low prices of commodities is affecting all the
        > region, from copper in Chile to oil in Venezuela, Ecuador, and agricultural
        > commodities in Argentina. in Venezuela, Maduro is still ignoring the new
        > reality, and the World Bank predicts a decline of 10% in 2016. He could
        > remain in power only solving problems, for which he has no funds.
        >
        >  The same is happening in Ecuador. Argentina has already changed
        > direction, and is going back to the neoliberal policies of the past.Brazil
        > is in the middle of a crisis  for corruption, which is hiding a very
        > difficult economic situation. The Economic Commission for Latin America has
        > published an alarmed report, in which it forecast a serious decline. In the
        > report, it indicates that at the end of 2016 we will have a more clear
        > picture, once is clear if the Chinese locomotor is in a temporary loss of
        > speed, or in  a more durable process.
        >
        > *Handicap 8:  Armament increase.*
        >
        >  According to the projections of the Swedish Institute for Peace, the
        > 2016 will see increase in armament costs close to 3%. That increase  is the
        > equivalent of 600 billion dollars, an amount which could have solved the
        > ambitious goals of the  Millennium Development goals established by the
        > UN,;the amount requested in Paris by the non industrialized countries to
        > give them clean technology,( an unresolved problem yet ). But the debate
        > on reduction of armaments  ignores a stunning reality: the five Permanent
        > Members of the Security Council of the UN ( in charge  with securing
        > peace), make  82% of the global arm’s sale. And with China entering
        > massively into weapons manufacturing, that percentage is bound to grow.
        >
        > United Nations started to authorize  “humanitarian intervention”, in
        > Somalia(December 5, 1992 - May 4, 1993). The scope of the american led
        > invasion was to bring humanitarian aid in a rogue country, where
        > conflicting militia were starving the population. The balance of that
        > operation ( with a quick exit of US, after several of his soldiers were
        > drawn as corpses in the main street of Mogadishu), was a total cost of the
        > military operations of 900 million dollars.
        >
        >  The value of the food and other supplies distributed was 90 million
        > dollars. That proportion has been kept in every case. Except that it is
        > always much more easy to find resources for military operations, than for
        > humanitarian ones. The massive wave of refugees for all the local wars in
        > Africa and Middle East, is a consequence of that priority. Europe has
        > accepted to give 3 billions dollars to Turkey, and eliminate visas, so to
        > keep Syrian refugees there. It is now spending for refugees  an amount
        > which is  not yet quantifiable, but that certainly goes in billion of
        > dollars. If that money would have been spent for assisting populations in
        > the conflict zone, certainly the number of refugees pounding on the doors
        > would have been considerably smaller.
        >
        > Unfortunately, 2016 is going in that direction. Armaments costs will
        > increase, while development assistance is being curtailed everywhere. The
        > budget for aid is now being used to finance the incoming refugees, and
        > probably to finance the commitments of Paris. Therefore, the amount of aid
        > reaching poor populations, is decreasing. The last Un Conference for
        > pledging resources, held on Nov. 10th in NewYork, saw a “ dramatic decline”
        > in donors contributions, from 560 million dollars in 2014, to 77 million
        > dollars, ,largely covering 2015. Of course, this is going to increase
        > economic migrants.
        >
        > *Handicap 9: increase of inequality *
        >
        > The Economist itself has been noting” that the rich are becoming richer
        > and  the richest are getting richer faster, is beyond doubt”. A research
        > by the University of California found out that the share of  American
        > wealth held the 0.1 percent of the richest households rose from 7% in 1979,
        > to 22% in 2012. And  that of the richest 0.01 per cent ( about 16.000
        > household), jumped from 2% to 11%. Of course, they do not get money printed
        > especially for them. They suck the money from the total monetary
        > circulation, which means that some people are surrendering their wealth. An
        > other study has documented that since 2008, the american middle class has
        > shrunk by 10 million families.
        >
        > This is a worldwide trend. In Spain, rich people have increased by 40%
        > since 2008. In 2014, the number of millionaires did increase worldwide by
        > 920.000 individual. There are now in the world , according the Bank of
        > Canada 14.6 millions who owns more than million dollars in cash beside the
        > primary house, cars and different goods. The gap between managers and
        > employees and  workers is growing yearly, with little protest.  The CEO  of
        > the 500 Fortune Companies (the most successful) had a median income of 17.5
        > million dollars, with some of course over 200 millions.
        >
        > A number of economists, among them from the World Bank and the IMF, have
        > been warning that inequality has not only social and political
        > implications, but also economic, as it reduces buying power from the poor,
        > eliminates small shops and companies, and erodes the middle class, which is
        > the basis for social stability. The famous book “Capital in the
        > Twenty-First
        >
        > Century”, by Thomas Piketty, makes this point central: as wealth
        > concentrates, democratic societies lose faith in the fairness of
        > governments, which are seen as allied to the big capital. Le Pen campaign
        > against “plutocrats” is reminiscent of the language used by Mussolini and
        > Hitler: all right wing parties denounce bankers as enemies, and that stirs
        > with those who see their lifestyle decline, or their sons without a job,
        > why a few are obscenely rich.
        >
        > What is disconcerting in this unprecedented explosion of inequality (
        > according Oxfam in 2025 England will have the same level   of the time of
        > Queen Victoria),  that the banner has been generally taken more by the
        > right wing parties, than from those on the left. And inequality has not
        > become a big political issue. If it were not for Sanders, it would be
        > totally absent in the american elections.
        >
        > And now, two researchers, the Russian economist Vladimir Gimpelson ad the
        > American political scientist Daniel Treisman have come up with an
        > illuminating study. They looked at a collection of survey from 40
        > countries, both rich and poor. The  conclusion is that people’s guess about
        > the distribution of incomes and where they  are  is as wrong as it could
        > be. Those who were relatively poor people tended to depict them as middle
        > class. In Italy, more than half of the needy though they were at the middle
        > of the income scales. In France and Sweden, the proportion was more than
        > one third. In contrast, those who are better off tend to think that they
        > have not yet made it. In France, Italy and Britain, 40 percent or more of
        > the people who owned second homes put themselves in the bottom half.
        >
        > This, in Marxists  terms, means that people have lost a sense of class,
        > and therefore they do not resent inequality as it was done before. And
        > this means that the political class does not feel inequality as a crucial
        > issue.It is not by chance that the term “social justice” has disappeared
        > from the political debate. But how long this will last?
        >
        > The 2016 will see this trend to continue. It is difficult for people to
        > realize how this concentration process is becoming extreme. Let us take two
        > noble examples, to illustrate it. Mark Zuckeberg, the founder of Facebook,
        > has announced that he will donate 99% of his shares, valued at 45 billion
        > dollars, to philanthropy. It is an amount that competes with China project
        > for its railroad spanning from Beijing to Europe, so is an extreme act  of
        > philanthropy. But let us keep in mind that the 1% left to him is 450
        > million dollars: 400 times the lifetime income of a collage graduate.
        >
        >  And that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation,a very important
        > institution,  which is supported by 44 billions, has given away 5 billion
        > in 2014: this was anyhow less than the 7.4 billion it accumulated thanks to
        > new contributions, investment income and rising value assets.In other
        > words, money brings so much money, when  you have plenty of it, that it
        > will be always there ( unless you waste it…but billionaires usually do not
        > do..when  Zuckeberg  was in Rome in honeymoon, in the jewish quarter,  he
        > did not leave any tip to the astonished waiter)
        >
        > *Handicap  10: your personal commitment.  *
        >
        > This list of handicaps is highly subjective, and leaves outside several
        > issues which are very important, like gender, human rights, development
        > assistance, finance control, migrants, etc. If you have reached this
        > point of my paper, it means that you  are committed to a  better world, and
        > you are an unusual reader.  According to a study from Unesco, only 3% of
        > the world population can read 5.000 words of abstract material, without
        > giving up.It also means that you have some commitment probably to issues
        > that I have left out. It would be the most positive result to this
        > writing,  if you could make an effort and  think how they will fare in
        > 2016: if the Newborn  year looks positive for your commitments. The purpose
        > of Othernews is to stimulate thinking and awareness. Let us this  be the
        > New Year wishes from the publisher to all of you!
        >
        > **Italian-Argentine journalist. Co-founder and former
        > Director General of Inter Press Service (IPS). In recent years he also
        > founded Other News, a service that
        > provides "information markets eliminate". Other News. In Spanish: http://www.other-news.info/noticias/
        > <http://www.other-news.info/noticias/> In
        > English: http://www.other-net.info/ <http://www.other-net.info/>*
        >
        >
        >
        >
        >
        >  Roberto Savio
        > utopie@...
        >
        >
        >
        >
        >
        > --
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        • Re: Re: [Communication commission discussion] Re: [Communication commission discussion] Fwd: une très bonne and, mais en suivant les problèmesà

          from Roberto Savio on Jan 02, 2016 03:47 PM
          Azril, hoy el periodismo ya no existe, como concepción original. Basta que te diga que los diarios no aceptan mas de 850 palabras. El texto de las agencias ha bajado a 500 palabras. Es obvio que con esto  no se puede no solo hacer análisis, sino tampoco poner un acontecimiento en su contexto. Los editores dicen que tweet ha reducido la capacidad de la gente de leer.Pero tweet sirve par movilización, no para analysis. Y en  un mundo en el cual todos se dirigen a acontecimientos, y nadie sigue los procesos, la gente deja de ver de manera holistica. Y esto es el sueno del sistema. Que la gente no pueda poner mas una conexión entre Trump y Le Pen, entre Putin  y Erdogan, fuera de  mirar las características personales. Nadie se fija en la financiación  de Le Pen por Putin. Y en la sociedad civil estamos todos empeñados en una tarea especifica, derechos humanos, generos, indigenas, clima, etc. Por lo tanto, todo el mundo anda muy ocupado, metido en su batalla, y el sistema gana la guerra….
          yo no me reconozco en este periodismo. Pero, sigo dando mis batallas para que la gente reflexione…a mi me encanta cuando la gente me escribe diciendo que estoy equivocado. Quieres decir que han tenido que reflexionar…Othernews ahora va a 20.000 personas, y tengo tantas reacciones...
          Un abrazo, roberto
          
          
          Roberto Savio
          utopie@...
          
          
          
          On 01/gen/2016, at 22:27, Azril Bacal <bazril1@...> wrote:
          
          Querido Roberto,
          
          Estamos en lo mismo y esperanzados al hacerlo, ¿verdad amigo querido?
          Por mi lado, te sigo considerando uno de los grandes periodistas y analistas del mundo, sin pretender ser 100% objetivo - ya que los amigos no solemos serlo 😉
          
          Seguimos tocando el tamborcito de la resistencia, mientras que Trump sigue haciendo el juego desfachatado que favorece a los intereses "ocultos" detrás de los Clintons (en forma consciente o inadvertida - algo dudoso en una persona de los medios comunicacionales y payaso millonario...una hipótesis no del todo descabellada de una colega africana que lo conoce de Nueva York  ¿verdad?).
          
          Hace bien recordar a Theilard de Chardin, en estos momentos turbulentos que evocan a la crisis de refugiados del siglo pasado y a los años previos a la segunda guerra mundial.
          
          Otros fuertes abrazos por el 2016!!!
          Azril
          
          ______________
          
          On Fri, Jan 1, 2016 at 9:03 PM, Roberto Savio <utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>> wrote:
          Azril, yo escribo solo con la idea de ayudar  a reflexionar.No hay nada mas aburrido escribir cosas que uno ya sabe.  Lo que espero es que la gente,concientizada por hechos que la prensa comercial no da, se activen, y se ocupen en lugar de preocuparse…yo  no soy un gran periodista, esto lo fui , tal vez, en mi vida anterior. Ahora soy  solo un activista…y te doy mis fuertes abrazos para el 2016... 
          Roberto Savio
          utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>
          
          
          
          On 01/gen/2016, at 20:43, Azril Bacal <bazril1@... <mailto:bazril1@...>> wrote:
          
          El buen amigo y gran periodista Roberto identifica algunos retos del 2016. Le respondo con el llamado a leer los signos de los tiempos con el pesimismo de la mente y el optimismo del corazón, en el sendero del PODER PUDIENDO de PODEMOS - ¿o nos quedamos contemplando a las espinas sin podarlas para que la rosa nos brinde sus efluvios? 
          
          Malgrait tout, abrazotes por el año nuevo 2016 😊
          
          Azril
          
          _______________________
          
          POOR 2016, SO MANY HANDICAPS
          
          By Roberto Savio*
          
          San Salvador, Bahamas, December 31, 2015 - At this time, we all wish “ a very good year”. While the wish is always a positive thing, we should also realize that we cannot expect too much from the new born year. He is loaded by so  many handicaps, that we  should have lot of sympathy for him…He is part of a negative circle that started with the financial crisis of 2008, and that will probably conclude in 2017, a cathartic year in which   elections in several key countries and other crucial appointments could open a new cycle. Unless a  republican victory in the American Elections will anticipate a global crisis of governance faster…
          
          Here is a list of the major handicaps for 2016, which is of course a personal view: but supported  by many data…
          
          Handicap 1:  Climate change.
          
          After Paris conference on climate change, this year will be crucial to understand in which direction the wind of change is blowing. Of course, the process of saving our planet at its present level, is planned over a span going to 2050. Let us briefly recall  that the engagements taken in Paris are insufficient to reach the goal of not surpassing 2 Centigrade above the level that prevailed before the Industrial Revolution( we have already used 1 centigrade). As now, the Paris Pact  will at least reach 3.7 Centigrade, which means, among many things, 850 millions people displaced. In fact, there is a consensus that we should not  go beyond 1.5 Centigrades, to be really safe. 
          
          Well, we will take just two examples, to show that the threat to the planet is a very concrete one, and that political subjection to the energy sector continues. The British Parliament has just approved legislation allowing use of the shale gas extraction technology , know has hydraulic fracking. This is also allowed beneath protected sites, including national parks.British government has announced that they will award new licenses for shale gas and oil exploration, including national parks.
          
          The other is an interview from Gian Luca Galletti, Italian minister for environment, back from Paris.He defends his new program of oil extraction in land and sea, by declaring: “One of the key themes of Paris is the equitable exploration of natural resources. We live in a country that is still uses petrol and gas, and I do not see why we should  use energies from others.”The Prime Minister Renzi has applauded the “green criteria”  with which the new plan of drilling, for  2 billion euro. . Meanwhile in Gela, Sicily, one of the refining places, child cancer has gone to 159.2 percent, Hodgkin to 72.4, stomach tumor 47.5 percent, versus the national norma.
          
          According to the International Energy Agency, direct and indirect subsidies to the fossil industries, coal and oil, amount to  5.3 trillion dollars dollars per year. The subsidy requested in Paris for introducing green technologies, world wide, is 100 billion dollars. This data is sufficient to illustrate the gap between good intentions and vested interests.
          
          If this trend will continue in 2016, it is clear that the Paris climate agreement swill never reach its goals. 
          
          Handicap 2: ISIS and terrorism 
          
          While everybody keeps focusing on the war to the Caliphate in Siria, it is time to look more in long term.The war in Siria has become a proxy war by Saudi Arabia (which  is directly responsible for the diffusion of the radical islam imposed by ISIS, wahabism), Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Russia, United States, France, Great Britain, and now with support from Germany and theoretically from the European Union. Now, all muslim countries worldwide are supposed to join Saudi Arabia.They are all ready to fight this war to the last syrian, but not to risk any man. As bombing has never been sufficient to win,  this is a war that in 2016 will go nowhere. But what we have to start to reflect  is that ISIS is  a local project, and  is becoming a global one. A Security Council  report  estimates that 25.000 people from 100 countries have joined Al Qaida and ISIS. The number of foreign fighters went up by 71% in just ten months. And the massacres of Paris and San Bernardino were perpetuated by local people, who were not part of the ISIS structure.
          
          The main difference between Al Qaida and ISIS, according About Zeid, from the Carnegie  Center in Beirut, is that Al Qaida has as its main goal to fight against Western domination. But ISIS is especially interested to a depuration of  the muslim world, fighting  other branches of Islam, from Shia to Sufi to YAZIDI , ismaeliti etc, to eliminate them and oblige  Sunni to accept a strict wahabist practice, or suffer violence.
          
          It is in that light that ISIS messages to muslim living in the West is insistent and clear :Take side, or with the West as apostates, or with us as real Muslim.
          
          The problem is that mistrust of Muslims  the West is increasing. Hate crimes have tripled in the last month in US, spurred by the irresponsible Republican presidential candidates. The growing rightwing  xenophobic european parties, led by demagogues like Salvini in Italy, Geert Wilders in the Nederland, or Le Pen in France, are subjecting Muslim to harsh times. It obliges them to define more their allegiances, and this can push young and marginalized muslim into  the ISIS camp.
          
          Refugees from muslim countries, like Siria, are depicted  as infiltrated by ISIS.If this trend of radicalization continues, it will become a phenomena which will survive  ISIS. itself. Over 25.000 people from 100  countries have joined the ISIS: a 715 increase of foreign fighters in just ten months. According to the Pew Institute, Islam is now at 1.6 billion people, but in 2050 will be close to the christians ( 1.8 billions), in 2075 will have the same consistency, and in 2.100 will be the largest religion in the world. By the way, is the religion who has the largest number of under 15.
          
          The long terms project of ISIS is a clash of civilization. A continues polarization, with the West as a clear enemy, is what ISIS legacy could be. It means to go global, from local.
          
          The year 2016 will be crucial to see if this polarization will increase or not. Will the West be able to understand the trap in which he is walking? Anyhow, our daily life is already under attack. To travel has become an aggravation. US is now tightening its visa policy for Europeans. Cots of security are  increasing  by 83 percent in Europe, according to an Interpol estimate. Fear is seeping more and more in the collective subconscious. If in 2016 there will be more massacres like Paris and San Bernardino, fear and polarization will take a trend may be irreversible.
          
          Handicap 3: Refugees: 
          
          With media covering just events, , the refugee crisis has now passed to a second plan. Nothing has changed: people die like before, countries have erected walls and continue to adopt stricter measures, but with winter less people are ready to risk their life.But let us take a long term view. Europe, Australia, United States and other rich countries are simply not culturally prepared to accept two inescapable facts. The first, that the homogenous, white, christian world that we know, is not sustainable. Is a law of physics that an empty space attract overflow. In this moment the crisis is due entirely to irresponsible military actions taken to depose an unsavory dictator, without any planning for the after. In a short time, Saddam Hussein and Gheddafi were successfully deposed, leaving their countries in chaos and misery. The last attempt, Assad, become a proxy war , with Russia and the Shia ( Iran , Hezbollah), keeping him in place, in spite of the efforts of Europe and United States.  Only Siria has now four million refugees and just a fourth of them is trying to make a new life in Europe. 
          
          At the same time, Europe has a significant  demographic decline. According to the UN, Europe needs at least 2 more millions of additional people to keep its pension system functioning, and the economy running, and will need at least 350.000 new immigrants every year, until the population will stabilize again, around 2080. Of course, there is no political campaign of education to this reality. The right wing parties present a dream: let us go back to the time that we were all white, with Christianity as our common bond, let us defend our identity and our history. 
          
          But if we go beyond our present crisis, let us realize that demographic transformations are staggering. According to the last UN projections, the world in 2100 will not be 9 billion as thought ( we are now at 7.5 billion), but 11.2 billions. Africa will be then 4.4 billion people, up from its present  billion. Ethiopia, to make a case, is now 100 million people: it will l be 243 millions in 2100. Africa will be then 39% of the world population, almost as much as Asia, and four times the share of Europe and North America put together. Africa is largely muslim..… 
          
          Let us remind that now Europe and US are accepting ( US  symbolically)  refugees, or those who have left their home because of a conflict. That leaves outside people who are afraid of mortal discrimination, like gays in Africa, Nigerian girls where Boko Haram bring them in slavery, religious groups like Christians in the middle east, or rohinyás in Myanmar…and this excludes economic migrants, or people who have left their home because it does not feed them, and escape hunger, not war…and  we will have to add the new category of climate refugees, which does not even exist in the present debate.
          
          According to the United Nations High Commission for Refuges, in 50 years, according on how we implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, we could go with 3  degrees to 250 millions displaced people, and with 4.5 to 1.000 million people. According the International Organization for Migrations, “ in the last 30 years droughts and inundations have tripled” and climate changes have created more displaced people than wars. The security Council has released a report which depicts how more than one million Syrian farmers, ruined by the drought between 2007 and 2010, took refuge in unprepared and fragile towns, and their desperation  plaid a key role in the Arab Spring insurrection against Assad.
          
          So it is time to realize that the West is facing an historical change, with dramatic consequences in lifestyle, customs, and  daily practices. This could be achieved by accepting gradually newcomers to the club, in harmony and coexistence  of the Western values, or by showing them a fist, as Salvini and Trump do.  The 2016 will be very crucial to see how this will go, especially after American Elections.
          
          Handicap 4: Decline of democracy
          
          It is time to realize that political disaffection is not only increasing xenophobic and right wing parties   since the economic crisis of 2009, but also sapping the prestige of democracy as an undisputed modern value. We have now the Hungarian Prime Minister, who openly advocates an “illiberal democracy”, and look to Putin as a  model. Poland is following the same direction, and all over Eastern Europe there is  a clear shift to the right, marked by pressing request to Nato and United States to enhance military barriers to Russia. ( And Nato poking Putin paranoia, by offering Montenegro, with 2.000 soldiers, to join).All those countries have refused European agreements on receiving  refugees, as well as any other burden from Brussels ( money of  course is accepted and requested). Putin has set up an informal alliance with the right wing parties , as a leader in the defense of identity and religion. He has even given  a 5 million euro loan to Le Pen.
          
          In time of crisis, people are more interested in their security and work, than who is in power. Many classical voters for the left, like workers and unemployed, now vote for the right wing parties, and believe their promises of going back to the golden past. They are not interested any longer by ideologies or political visions. They think that right and left does not exist any more. They are disillusioned with the classical party system, and they are ready to try anything new and which is not part of the establishment. This is the reason of Le Pen success in France, of the disconcerting support for Trump in United States ( and even more puzzling the success of  Bernie Sanders , a declared socialist, a term which is close to anathema  in US).
          
          Of course, right wing xenophobic parties are not very useful for international cooperation and dialogue with others. But the real problem is that we are in a crisis of  political vision.When ideologies are discarded as relics, and the following step is to adopt pragmatism as a solution, in fact you are making of politics a number of ad hoc solutions, without any final view of the society.  Each action is chosen as the most useful for that specific issue. That is not pragmatism, is utilitarism, which downgrade policy to administrative, and this does not attract people’s participation, especially young people. And the administrative  level of politics, without any vision,  is prone to corruption, which is clearly growing in the western democracies.
          
          Fear is strengthening  the right, not the left. Today fear is creeping into our daily lives, according to different polls. A survey from The World Value System, found out that today only one  fifth of Americans consider democracy as a fundamental principle.  The same is happening in Europe, according to the same survey. In other words, nazism and stalinism are faded memories. And the Chinese model, where decision can be taken in a short time, bolstering productivity and action., is becoming popular.
          
          We  are, of course, not yet in the Weimar climate. But we are getting in place many of the ingredients which brought an obscure demagogue to run  the most advanced country of the time.
          
          It will be important to see  how in this year demagogy will continue its growth, or will abate. But what would be important is that we all start to put democracy under observation, not  longer a  value over the fray. It is under attack, not only from ISIS and terrorism, but from leaders elected by their citizens, be  Orban or Putin, and whit a phenomenal approval rate. So it is time we take into account that a growing segment of the population in the West is finding refuge in the dreams of the past, with political en economic agendas which are out of reality. Democracy, sadly, is on the wane.
          
          Handicap 5: The decline  of Europe. 
          
          In 2016 probably Cameron will call a referendum on leaving the European Union or not.  This is    trap in which the British PM put himself, by promising to renegotiate Britain permanence in the EU, or  having several benefits or quitting. It is clear now that with empty hands, he would loose the referendum ( he is supposed to want to remain). Negotiations with Europe will go ahed in the first months of the year. Germany considers a catastrophe if Britain leaves, so it will help Cameron. Whatever the EU will concede to Britain, will be immediately requested by all East European countries.This will mark the  end  of european integration. The 2016 could  be the year when  this will happen.
          
          Handicap 6 : Nationalism in Asia.  
          
          It is a worrying reality that for the first time since the end of the last war, the major Asian countries, China, India and Japan, are run at the same time by nationalist leaders. While obviously different in their reality and style (nothing like the twins Putin-Erdogan), they are revamping the glorious past and the humiliations that they did suffer in the World War 2, to stir citizens to their support.  
          
          President Xi has launched “the Chinese dream”,  which is rooted in bringing back the ancient glories of the Empire of the Middle, and revenge the humiliations of the european occupation, Japanese occupation, and the oppium war. Two years ago mobs destroyed Japanese shops and properties, without initially any police intervention.China has embarked in a plan of influences to counter United Sates, by financing several grandiose projects: the creation of a Bank alternative to the World Bank, under Washington control. On Xi invitation, 45 countries did join the bank, who will have a total of 200 billion dollars, in spite of Washington opposition.It is also planning to recreate the ancient “Silk Road”, by investing over 50 billion dollars. And it is planning  to finance the “twin Ocean Railroad connection, a planned 5.000 km railway from the Peru coast to Brasil. 
          
          It has given to Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, loans for over 80 billion dollars, sending a message to the  traditional “backyard” of United States: wane yourself from Washington, I have more resources ( China reserves are  3.8 trillion dollars). It has been intervening heavily in Africa, to the point that Zimbabwe is considering pegging its currency to the yuan. And it is expanding its maritime zone  in the sea, by building bases on some small rocks, which were claimed by several asian countries. China will  increased its military budget by 7% during  the new five year plan.
          
          Abe, the Japanese PM, has gone in the same direction. It has just increased the military budget by 7%, and more importantly he has made an interpretation of the constitution, that allows again the Japanese Defense Force to act abroad. He defends that change by saying that it is for limited cases. Yet, is like to give liquors filled chocolates to an ex alcoholic. Polls show a growing surge of the right and of the nostalgics, who feel the defeat in the second world war as an humiliation to erase. Abe has refused to apologize for the violence used against civilians by Japanese troops in China, and to recognize Japanese responsibilities in the forcible recruitment of over 60.000 Korean girls to be used as “sex help”, for the Japanese soldiers.
          
          Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, is also recalling the glorious past, tacitly condoning right wing and nationalist acts, and speaking of “ a new indian glory" .In 2050, according the Un projections, India will overtake China as the largest population  of the world. The difference is that India has 41% of his population under 18;China by that time will have only 23% of young people, in a sea of old people, because of its one child policy. 
          
          Modi has projected India at the forefront of the international scene, by using his leverage in the Paris Conference on climate change. He now speaks on behalf of the non industrialized country ( China attempt to do that in Paris went nowhere), and he is also increasing the military budget. He just bought armament from China for 12 b million dollars, an hefty amount for a country which needs dramatic injections in its social, educational and health system, beside of course infrastructures.
          
          In other words, if there is a place where a new world war could coming, is Asia. And its scale would be really unprecedented. What is worrying is that ALL asian  countries are increasing their defense budget, How much this will bring some significant events in 2016, is difficult to predict. But it would be important to loom at Asia as a place of concern for the world peace.
          
          Handicap 7: Decline in Latin America. 
          
           While this is more of a  regional problem, in an interconnected world everything  has relevance for everybody. Latin America has been for the last decade an active international actor, contributing to the world development. The decline of Chinese imports of raw material, and  the increase of interest rates from the Federal Reserve in Washington, ( which will shift investments from Latin America to the US market) are a two piece prong, that is affecting seriously the region. 
          
          Some economists are already talking of a new negative cycle, that could  last for some years. The low prices of commodities is affecting all the region, from copper in Chile to oil in Venezuela, Ecuador, and agricultural commodities in Argentina. in Venezuela, Maduro is still ignoring the new reality, and the World Bank predicts a decline of 10% in 2016. He could remain in power only solving problems, for which he has no funds.
          
           The same is happening in Ecuador. Argentina has already changed direction, and is going back to the neoliberal policies of the past.Brazil is in the middle of a crisis  for corruption, which is hiding a very difficult economic situation. The Economic Commission for Latin America has published an alarmed report, in which it forecast a serious decline. In the report, it indicates that at the end of 2016 we will have a more clear picture, once is clear if the Chinese locomotor is in a temporary loss of speed, or in  a more durable process.
          
          Handicap 8:  Armament increase.
          
           According to the projections of the Swedish Institute for Peace, the 2016 will see increase in armament costs close to 3%. That increase  is the equivalent of 600 billion dollars, an amount which could have solved the ambitious goals of the  Millennium Development goals established by the  UN,;the amount requested in Paris by the non industrialized countries to give them clean technology,( an unresolved problem yet ). But the debate on reduction of armaments  ignores a stunning reality: the five Permanent Members of the Security Council of the UN ( in charge  with securing peace), make  82% of the global arm’s sale. And with China entering massively into weapons manufacturing, that percentage is bound to grow. 
          
          United Nations started to authorize  “humanitarian intervention”, in Somalia(December 5, 1992 - May 4, 1993). The scope of the american led invasion was to bring humanitarian aid in a rogue country, where conflicting militia were starving the population. The balance of that operation ( with a quick exit of US, after several of his soldiers were drawn as corpses in the main street of Mogadishu), was a total cost of the military operations of 900 million dollars.
          
           The value of the food and other supplies distributed was 90 million dollars. That proportion has been kept in every case. Except that it is always much more easy to find resources for military operations, than for humanitarian ones. The massive wave of refugees for all the local wars in Africa and Middle East, is a consequence of that priority. Europe has accepted to give 3 billions dollars to Turkey, and eliminate visas, so to keep Syrian refugees there. It is now spending for refugees  an amount which is  not yet quantifiable, but that certainly goes in billion of dollars. If that money would have been spent for assisting populations in the conflict zone, certainly the number of refugees pounding on the doors would have been considerably smaller.
          
          Unfortunately, 2016 is going in that direction. Armaments costs will increase, while development assistance is being curtailed everywhere. The budget for aid is now being used to finance the incoming refugees, and probably to finance the commitments of Paris. Therefore, the amount of aid reaching poor populations, is decreasing. The last Un Conference for pledging resources, held on Nov. 10th in NewYork, saw a “ dramatic decline” in donors contributions, from 560 million dollars in 2014, to 77 million dollars, ,largely covering 2015. Of course, this is going to increase economic migrants.
          
          Handicap 9: increase of inequality 
          
          The Economist itself has been noting” that the rich are becoming richer and  the richest are getting richer faster, is beyond doubt”. A research by the University of California found out that the share of  American wealth held the 0.1 percent of the richest households rose from 7% in 1979, to 22% in 2012. And  that of the richest 0.01 per cent ( about 16.000 household), jumped from 2% to 11%. Of course, they do not get money printed especially for them. They suck the money from the total monetary circulation, which means that some people are surrendering their wealth. An other study has documented that since 2008, the american middle class has shrunk by 10 million families.
          
          This is a worldwide trend. In Spain, rich people have increased by 40% since 2008. In 2014, the number of millionaires did increase worldwide by 920.000 individual. There are now in the world , according the Bank of Canada 14.6 millions who owns more than million dollars in cash beside the primary house, cars and different goods. The gap between managers and employees and  workers is growing yearly, with little protest.  The CEO  of the 500 Fortune Companies (the most successful) had a median income of 17.5 million dollars, with some of course over 200 millions.
          
          A number of economists, among them from the World Bank and the IMF, have been warning that inequality has not only social and political implications, but also economic, as it reduces buying power from the poor, eliminates small shops and companies, and erodes the middle class, which is the basis for social stability. The famous book “Capital in the Twenty-First 
          
          Century”, by Thomas Piketty, makes this point central: as wealth concentrates, democratic societies lose faith in the fairness of governments, which are seen as allied to the big capital. Le Pen campaign against “plutocrats” is reminiscent of the language used by Mussolini and Hitler: all right wing parties denounce bankers as enemies, and that stirs with those who see their lifestyle decline, or their sons without a job, why a few are obscenely rich. 
          
          What is disconcerting in this unprecedented explosion of inequality ( according Oxfam in 2025 England will have the same level   of the time of Queen Victoria),  that the banner has been generally taken more by the right wing parties, than from those on the left. And inequality has not become a big political issue. If it were not for Sanders, it would be totally absent in the american elections. 
          
          And now, two researchers, the Russian economist Vladimir Gimpelson ad the American political scientist Daniel Treisman have come up with an illuminating study. They looked at a collection of survey from 40 countries, both rich and poor. The  conclusion is that people’s guess about the distribution of incomes and where they  are  is as wrong as it could be. Those who were relatively poor people tended to depict them as middle class. In Italy, more than half of the needy though they were at the middle of the income scales. In France and Sweden, the proportion was more than one third. In contrast, those who are better off tend to think that they have not yet made it. In France, Italy and Britain, 40 percent or more of the people who owned second homes put themselves in the bottom half.
          
          This, in Marxists  terms, means that people have lost a sense of class, and therefore they do not resent inequality as it was done before. And this means that the political class does not feel inequality as a crucial issue.It is not by chance that the term “social justice” has disappeared from the political debate. But how long this will last?
          
          The 2016 will see this trend to continue. It is difficult for people to realize how this concentration process is becoming extreme. Let us take two noble examples, to illustrate it. Mark Zuckeberg, the founder of Facebook, has announced that he will donate 99% of his shares, valued at 45 billion dollars, to philanthropy. It is an amount that competes with China project for its railroad spanning from Beijing to Europe, so is an extreme act  of philanthropy. But let us keep in mind that the 1% left to him is 450 million dollars: 400 times the lifetime income of a collage graduate.
          
           And that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation,a very important institution,  which is supported by 44 billions, has given away 5 billion in 2014: this was anyhow less than the 7.4 billion it accumulated thanks to new contributions, investment income and rising value assets.In other words, money brings so much money, when  you have plenty of it, that it will be always there ( unless you waste it…but billionaires usually do not do..when  Zuckeberg  was in Rome in honeymoon, in the jewish quarter,  he did not leave any tip to the astonished waiter)
          
          Handicap  10: your personal commitment.  
          
          This list of handicaps is highly subjective, and leaves outside several issues which are very important, like gender, human rights, development assistance, finance control, migrants, etc. If you have reached this point of my paper, it means that you  are committed to a  better world, and you are an unusual reader.  According to a study from Unesco, only 3% of the world population can read 5.000 words of abstract material, without  giving up.It also means that you have some commitment probably to issues that I have left out. It would be the most positive result to this writing,  if you could make an effort and  think how they will fare in  2016: if the Newborn  year looks positive for your commitments. The purpose of Othernews is to stimulate thinking and awareness. Let us this  be the New Year wishes from the publisher to all of you!
          
          *Italian-Argentine journalist. Co-founder and former Director General of Inter Press Service (IPS). In recent years he also founded Other News, a service that provides "information markets eliminate". Other News. In Spanish: http://www.other-news.info/noticias/ <http://www.other-news.info/noticias/> In English:  <>http://www.other-net.info/ <http://www.other-net.info/>
           
          
          
          
          
           Roberto Savio
          utopie@... <mailto:utopie@...>
          
          
          
          
          
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