CPIは0.5%下落、コア(エネルギーと食品を除く)CPIは0.1%上昇 The consumer price index decreased by a seasonally adjusted 0.5% a second straight month, the Labor Department said Thursday. Excluding food and energy, consumer prices rose 0.1%, after rising 0.2% in each of the prior three months.
市場の予測は0.3%の下落、コアCPIで0.2%の上昇 The median forecasts of 23 economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires were a 0.3% decrease in consumer prices overall and a 0.2% increase in the core index.
エネルギー価格は7.0%下落、ガソリン価格は11.1%下落、電力料金は0.2%下落 Energy prices last month fell 7.0%, after sliding by 7.2% in September. Gasoline prices last month dropped by a seasonally adjusted 11.1%. Natural gas decreased 7.7%. Electricity prices dipped 0.2%. Food prices increased 0.3%.
別の発表で、インフレ調整済み週間賃金は1.3%上昇、時間当たり賃金は0.4%上昇 In a separate report, the Labor Department said the average weekly earnings of U.S. workers, adjusted for inflation, increased 1.3% in October. Average hourly earnings rose 0.4%. Average weekly hours increased 0.3%.
産業産出は10月度に0.2%上昇、産業稼働率は0.1%上昇、これは1972-2005の平均を上回る Industrial production increased 0.2% in October, rising from an unrevised 0.6% decrease in September, the Federal Reserve said Thursday. Last month's industrial capacity utilization rose 0.1 percentage point to 82.2%. The September utilization rate was revised up 0.2 percentage point to 82.1% from 81.9%. October utilization rates remained above the 1972-2005 average.
11月11日の週の失業申請は2000減少して30.8万人 Initial jobless claims decreased by 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 308,000 in the week ending Nov. 11, the Labor Department said Thursday. New claims for the previous week, ending Nov. 4, were revised up to 310,000 from a previously reported 308,000.
ウオール街はCPI下落のニュースを歓迎、インフレ懸念減衰でFED政策に期待 Wall Street cheered a report showing consumers paid less than expected for goods and services last month, indicating that the Federal Reserve's rate-boosting campaign to curb inflation is starting to take hold.
エコノミストも歓迎、しかしこの傾向が今後も継続するかを注目 "This is obviously good news," said Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist at Global Insight. "But I wouldn't want to declare victory based on one month's reading. If the Fed is going to get to 2% inflation, we'll need to see numbers like this every few months."
シティグループが$3.1Bで広東開発銀行の85.6%の株式を取得することが承認された Citigroup Inc. to buy control of the bank for $3.1 billion, a breakthrough in one of China's biggest-ever corporate takeover battles. The bank, known as GDB, said in a statement that it has picked New York-based Citigroup as the preferred buyer for 85.6% of its stock. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー この買収は政治的な懸案になっていたもので、前スレ>>341のAWSJ社説でも取り上げて いたように、政府による許可が遅らされてきた。
Citigroup's bid to buy a majority stake in a bankrupt southern lender has also fizzled. New merger and acquisition laws give Beijing power to block deals, if it's in the "national interest." Various licensing procedures for financial services areas are opaque and fee structures unclear. ttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB116354210477723050.html?mod=opinion_main_europe_asia
Democrats offered a mixture of economic populism (blaming middle-class insecurity on rich Americans) and economic nationalism (blaming middle-class insecurity on poor foreigners). 民主党は、経済ポピュリズム(富裕層に比べて中間階層が経済的に危うくされているとする) と、経済ナショナリズム(貧しい外国への雇用輸出で中間層の経済基盤が危うくされている と主張する)の混合物を提示している。
The existing system of tax breaks for savings, homeownership and health care favors the wealthy while draining billions from the government. Restructuring these tax breaks could shrink the deficit while freeing money for Democratic spending plans. Moreover, the Bush administration is on record as supporting tax reform. Here is an opportunity to make bipartisan progress: in a word, to govern ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ナンシー・ペロシなどが石油資本や薬品会社の非難を、ジム・ウェッブなどがグローバリ ゼーションによる労働者の経済的被害を主張してきた経過があるので、WaPoはこの問 題が余りナンセンシカルなイデオロギーのキャンペーンにならないように歯止めをかけた い意図があるような。WaPoの主張は民主党中道派の現実路線を主張するグループのそ れに近いようで、対決ではなく協調と成果を目指す。
MILTON FRIEDMAN was one of the towering figures of economics in the 20th century. A leading advocate of free markets, he championed monetarism, the notion that the inflation can be regulated by the Federal Reserve's control of the money supply. He wrote extensively on the Great Depression and was an advocate of libertarian ideas such as the decriminalization of drugs.
1912 ? Born in New York. 1932-1933 ? Receives bachelors degree from Rutgers University, masters degree from the University of Chicago. 1937 ? Becomes a member of the research staff of the National Bureau of Economic Research, a post he would maintain until 1981. 1945 ? With coauthor Simon Kuznets, publishes "Income From Independent Professional Practice," his doctoral thesis. 1946 ? Receives doctorate from Columbia University and is hired to teach at the University of Chicago, where he serves as a professor of economics until 1976. Friedman would come to be seen as the leader of the Chicago School of monetary economics, which stresses the importance of the money supply as an instrument of policy and a determinant of the business cycle. 1951 ? Wins the John Bates Clark Medal, which honors top economists under the age of 40. 1956 ? "Studies in the Quantity Theory of Money" is published. In it, Friedman argues that increased monetary growth over the long run raises prices but has no effect on output. In the short term, increased money supply boost hiring and output. 1957 ? "A Theory of Consumption Function" is published. Considered a landmark study, it tackles the notion, associated with John Maynard Keynes, that consumers adjust their spending to reflect current income, arguing instead that people's annual consumption is a function of what they expect to earn over the course of their lifetime. 1962 ? "Capitalism and Freedom" is published. Friedman's key text on free markets, it argues in favor of floating currency exchange rates, an all-volunteer military, a negative income tax and education vouchers. 1963 ? "A Monetary History of the United States, 1867-1960", co-authored with Anna J. Schwartz, is published. In a work that would become hugely influential in the field of monetary economics, Friedman and Schwartz used historical narrative and reams of supporting data to argue that steady control of the money supply is crucial in steering the economy. The book famously critiqued the Federal Reserve's performance during the Great Depression and the central bank launched a lengthy internal review of its policy-making after receiving a prepublication draft of the book. The Fed commissioned Elmus R. Wicker to write a rejoinder in hopes of deflecting some of Friedman's arguments.
1964 ? Serves informally as an economic adviser to Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. Later, Friedman served as an economic adviser to Richard Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign, and to Ronald Reagan's 1980 campaign. 1967 ? Serves as president of the American Economic Association. 1975 ? Friedman makes a controversial trip to Chile, along with several other University of Chicago professors, where he meets with dictator Gen.August Pinochet. 1976 ?Is awarded the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel in economics for his work in the fields of "consumption analysis, monetary theory and history and for his demonstration of the complexitity of stabilization policy." 1977 ? Becomes a senior research fellow at the libertarian Hoover Institution at Stanford University. 1980 ? PBS airs the 10-part "Free to Choose," which is made into a bestselling book co-authored with his wife, Rose Friedman. The series and book were a robust defense of the couple's free-market economic beliefs. 1981 ? Serves as a member of Reagan's Economic Policy Advisory Board. 1988 ? Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom and National Medal of Science. 2002 ? President Bush speaks at a ceremony honoring Friedman, celebrating his 90th birthday and recognizing his contributions to the study of economics.
Nov. 16, 2006 ? Friedman dies of heart failure at a hospital near his home in San Francisco. He was 94.
Yet the differences between them exceed the similarities. Germany is embedded in multinational alliances: the European Union and Nato. It is surrounded by friendly countries and has no obvious adversary. On the other hand, Japan’s only bulwark against hostile or suspicious neighbours is its bilateral alliance with the US. ( bulwark【名】 防塁、塁壁)
いずれにせよ日本もドイツも、政治的課題は尽きない・・ It emphasises also that further extending the reach and effectiveness of Germany’s armed forces will be fraught with domestic political difficulties ? as will efforts to persuade the anti-militaristic population of Japan that it needs a more assertive military.
The sloughing off of the inhibitions that emerged from the second world war are often said to be signs that Japan and Germany are becoming more “normal” countries. But the road to full “normality” appears unlikely to be smooth.
Milton Friedman, the grandmaster of conservative economic theory in the postwar era and a prime force in the movement of nations toward lesser government and greater reliance on free markets and individual responsibility, died today at He was 94 years old.
Flying the flag of economic conservatism, Mr. Friedman led the postwar challenge to the hallowed theories of Lord Keynes, the British economist who maintained that governments had a duty to help capitalistic economies through periods of recession and to prevent boom times from exploding into high inflation.
“Most economics departments are like country clubs,” said James J. Heckman, a Chicago faculty member and Nobel laureate who earned his doctorate at Princeton. “But at Chicago you are only as good as your last paper.”
"According to our knowledge, the report in the Washington Times is not in line with fact," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Thursday at a news conference. She gave no other details.
Apparel from the four unsafe brands were: Ming-Langdike skirts (size 11), made by the Guangzhou Disheng company; Pusheng blouses (155/80A), made by Shanghai Pusheng; Jeanberger trousers (170/80A), made by Shenzhen Zhonghang; and Hafulu trousers (size 23), made by the Guangdong Hafulu.
Nancy Pelosi, soon to become the first woman to head the U.S. House of Representatives, failed on Thursday to convince fellow Democrats to approve a vocal anti-war foe as her top lieutenant. 近く下院議長になると見られる民主党のナンシー・ペロシ議員は彼女の同士で、発言の多い 反戦左派のマーサを下院民主党代表にすることに失敗。
Steny Hoyer, a moderate Maryland Democrat, easily defeated Pennsylvania's John Murtha, a leading proponent of a quick U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, to become the next House majority leader. メリーランド州の穏健派民主党議員、Steny Hoyerがジョン・マーサ議員を大差で破って下院 民主党代表となった。マーサ議員は早期のイラクからの米兵撤退を主張していることで知られる。
Oil prices sank over 4 percent Thursday, hitting a new low for 2006, as swelling inventories and the December contract's expiration on Friday forced traders out of the market. 石油価格は在庫増加と12月度の先物契約期日が金曜日に迫っていることから4%以上下落し 2006年の最低値をつけた。
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, December crude tumbled $2.50 to settle at $56.26 per barrel. Crude hit a low of $56.20 during trade, its lowest since November 2005. NYMEで取引される石油価格は$2.50下落し$56.26をつけた。取引時間チュの安値は $56.20で、2005年11月以来の安値である。(後略) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 今日の石油取引のチャートを見ると、値動きは些かドラマチックで ttp://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=CLZ06.NYM&t=1d $59.0あたりから急降下して$56.0に接近している・・
The Dow (up 54.43 to 12,306.14, Charts) added about 0.4 percent, according to early tallies, and ended at a record close for the 17th time since Oct. 3. Earlier in the afternoon, the blue-chip average touched a record trading high of 12,325.67 before pulling back slightly. ダウは12,306.14(+0.4%)で10月以降17番目の高値更新、取引時間中高値は12,325.67
In currency trading, the dollar gained versus the euro and the yen. COMEX gold fell $2.10 to $621.70 an ounce. ドルは円、ユーロに対して強くなり、金価格は$2.10下落して$621.7となった。
ttp://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/ WSJマーケット・ビート、11、16 Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index was up just 0.1% in October, and oil prices fell more than $2 a barrel to close at $56.26, the lowest closing price on crude since Nov. 18, 2005. It’s the biggest one-day dollar decline in crude since May 15 and the biggest percentage decline since Aug. 17, 2005. With crude oil off 7.8% year-to -date, and with other commodities prices declining, “all of these are perceived as positives,” Mr. Smith says. Gasoline futures are down 11% on the year, and natural gas is down 31%.
10月度の消費者物価指数が僅か0.1%の上昇に留まり、石油価格はバレルあたり$2以上下げて 終値で$56.26となり、2005年11月18日以来の安い値となった。5月15日以来の大きな一日の 下げ幅であり、2005年8月17日以来の大きなパーセンテージの下げである。石油価格は今年 7.8%下げて、そのほかノコモディティも下げている。これらは全てポジティブなサインと スミス投資会社の社長、スミス氏はいう。ガソリン先物価格は年間で11%下げて天然ガスは 31%下げている。 November 16, 2006, 4:25 pm Buy, Buy, Buy Posted by David Gaffen
Report Cites Troubling Trends for U.S. Economic and National Security Interests; Offers Numerous Recommendations for Congressional Action
? China’s proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and other weapons (including dual use technologies), and actions the United States might take to encourage China to stop proliferating ? The transfer of U.S. high technology, manufacturing, and research and development activities to China, and the impact of such transfers on U.S. national security including its economic security and the standard of living of its citizens ? The adequacy of United States export control laws ? China’s effect on world energy supplies and how the United States can influence China’s energy policy ? China’s access to and use of U.S. capital markets, and whether existing disclosure and transparency rules are adequate to identify Chinese companies engaged in activities injurious to U.S. interests ? The triangular economic relationship among the United States, Taiwan, and China ? China’s military modernization and force deployments aimed at Taiwan ? China’s national budget and fiscal strength in relation to its internal instability, and the likelihood that problems arising from such internal instability will be externalized ? China’s compliance with agreements on prison labor imports and intellectual property rights and U.S. actions to enforce those agreements ? China’s compliance with its accession agreement to the World Trade Organization ? The implications of China’s restrictions on access to information and free speech by its citizens for its economic and security relations with the United States.
・Contrast between strong corporate sector and weak household sector ・Oct-Dec economic conditions and outlook going forward
Patience Is a Virtue (Part II)
・The wage conundrum ・Stable prices on increased productivity ・Corporate earnings maintain double-digit growth ・Policy implications ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ちょっと気になった観測は Based on our global economics team’s projections for oil prices and the yen-dollar rate, we expect an improvement in the domestic demand deflator and a rapid decline in the import deflator to prompt the GDP deflator to turn positive in the April-June 2007 quarter and ultimately drive a stronger improvement than we had previously assumed. This timing for the turnaround in the GDP deflator is one quarter later than we had forecast before, but this is due purely to a technical factor as changes in the basis for CPI statistics prompted fairly significant downward revisions, particularly of the personal consumption deflator.
Premier Oil PLC said it successfully completed drilling of the Blackbird discovery well on Block 12E, its second test well in Vietnam this year, and discovered four oil bearing intervals in the main Middle Dua target. この石油試掘は、まだ詳細情報が公表されていなくて、今後の調査の後に発表になるという。
<石油先物市場について、ブルームバーグ、16日> ttp://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHJewOvVigGc&refer=home ``The Oil Movements report added uncertainty about OPEC's cuts back into the market,'' said John Kilduff, vice president of risk management at Fimat USA in New York. ``We saw a lot of fund liquidation after the report today. The surging stock market has attracted a lot of the dollars that would otherwise be moving into energy markets.'' (今日の報告のあと、多くのファンドが清算(liquidation)している。株式市場が好調 なので、それが無ければエネルギー市場に向かうような資金が株式に向かっている)
今回訪問期間、両国の海軍は11月19日に中国南シナ海海域で第2段階の海上を行って共同で探して演習を救う。今度が演習をするのは両国の元首を実行して両国の軍事の領域を強化して共通認識の1つの重要なふるまいを交流するのだ。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 《華盛頓時報》的有関報道不属実 を朝日は「報道は正確でない」としている >>31 のAP報道は「is not in line with fact」だから、「事実にあってい ない(=事実ではない)」とするほうが正しそうな。
MILTON FRIEDMAN HAS DIED. It's hard to say that someone has been plucked untimely at the age of 94, but it feels that way. His Free to Choose won over many people to the cause of liberty -- as did his Capitalism and Freedom. So, for that matter, did his Free to Choose documentary.
Here's a good Friedman interview by Tunku Varadarajan, from last summer. And there's a lot more over at The Corner and at Reason. He did a great interview on Charlie Rose less than a year ago, but I can't find it anywhere online.
UPDATE: Ah, here it is! Thanks to reader Tom Blumer for the pointer.
ANOTHER UPDATE: The interview is available on DVD, too.
And be sure to read Friedman on the "war on drugs."
YET ANOTHER UPDATE: Much, much more on Friedman here.
Virginia Postrel: "He was a great social scientist, a brilliant popularizer and polemicist, and a mensch. His intellectual influence, on both scholarly economics and the revival of classical liberalism, can hardly be overstated. And, more than any other single person, we can thank him for ending the scourges of the 1970s: inflation and the draft." ttp://www.dynamist.com/weblog/archives/002326.html ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー FTの記事、ミルトン・フリードマン逝去 ttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/cb74eef8-7599-11db-aea1-0000779e2340.html Milton Friedman, economist, dies aged 94 By Samuel Brittan Published: November 16 2006 17:58 これは、さすがにFTと思わせる記事で、よく出来ている。
As the crucial 51st vote that gives Democrats majority control of the Senate, Lieberman is able to hold the entire party hostage to his and Bush's crazy, right-wing, war-mongering and Constitution-shredding agenda. Absent any fighting spirit and any real principles, the Democratic Party leadership will give Lieberman everything he wants over the next two years, just to keep him on board and themselves in power.
実際にはフリードマン教授はいつも礼儀正しく、ウィットに富んでいた。彼の言葉でその 類のものは"Given our monstrous, overgrown government structure, any three letters chosen at random would probably designate an agency or part of a department that could be profitably abolished." そして、彼の流行させた "There is no such thing as a free lunch." がある。
It's said that the definition of "madness" is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. By that measure, President Roh Moo Hyun and his cabinet might want to consult a physician. 基地外の定義を、何か同じ事をしながら異なった結果を期待する人というが、その定義では ノムヒョン大統領と彼の内閣は医者に診てもらったほうが良いの鴨。
韓国政府はPSIの原則を支持するというのだがアメリカのイニシアティブでのアジアにおけ るWMD不拡散に参加を拒んでいる。韓国政府がアメリカの命に関わる脅威の対応に対して支 援しないと言うのであれば、どうしてアメリカは韓国を同盟国として守ることが出来よう? (If Seoul isn't willing to help the U.S. address this mortal threat, how can Washington defend South Korea as a treaty ally?)
"And now this great master has left us. No one who has been close to him both professionally and scientifically would be able to describe the feeling that lies heavy on all of us. No words can express what he has been to us, and few of us if any will have yet resigned ourselves to the realization that from now on there is to be an impenetrable wall separating us from him, from his advice, his encouragement, his critical guidance -- and that the road ahead will have to be traveled without him."
So wrote economist Joseph Schumpeter upon the death of his teacher, Eugen von Bohm-Bawerk in 1914. The words apply equally well to another great master who has left us, Milton Friedman.
・・・・ ・・・・ We mourn the passing of Milton Friedman, who died in San Francisco on Nov. 16 at age 94. But we also celebrate his life and accomplishments, which will continue to provide guidance and inspiration. The master may be gone, but his work lives on.
DA: In a time of war, how do we maintain our freedom? MF: We don’t. We invariably reduce our freedom. But that doesn’t mean it’s a permanent reduction. As long as we really keep in mind what we’re doing, that we keep it temporary, we need not destroy our freedom.
DA: Are you concerned that some of the measures we’re taking now to fight the war, like the Patriot Act, may be more than just temporary? MF: It’s not clear. The Patriot Act is a very complicated issue, and I’m not going to get involved in that. But I think that on the whole, this war is small enough relative to our economy that it is not going to be a serious impediment to our freedom. But the sooner we can get rid of it and out of it, the better.
DA: Do you agree with President Bush that the actions in Iraq were necessary as a part of our war on terrorism? MF: I think you can argue either side of that. Where I do feel strongly, is that having gone into it, whether we should have or not, we must see it through.
DA: Even if it costs some of our freedoms? MF: There’s no way to avoid a burden on your freedom. The costs themselves are a burden on your freedom. The restrictions that are necessary in order to get rid of the terrorists are a burden to your freedom. So there’s no way in the short run to avoid a restriction on your freedom. But if we’re going to avoid a permanent reduction in freedom, we have to see this war through.
DA: The last chapter of your book “Free to Choose” was called “The Tide is Turning.” Do you still think that things are getting better?
MF: Yes. If you look just at the United States, and take one simple measure?government spending as a fraction of income?from 1945 to 1980, we went from a situation where government was spending 25 percent of national income to one where government was spending 40 percent. You had galloping socialism. From 1980, that started going down with Reagan. Than it went up again during the first President Bush. Then it went down again slightly during the Clinton administration. Under the second Bush it’s again going up slightly. But the main thing to note is the historical trend?which is a dramatic slowdown in the growth of government. So if anything, you’ve had creeping socialism, which is a lot better than galloping socialism. That’s a turn of the tide.
And that’s been dramatically reinforced by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the liberalization of China and India and other parts of the world. So if you go away from the narrow perspective of the United States, for the world as a whole, there is no doubt that the tide has turned.
Then there’s the world of ideas. In the 1950s the overwhelming majority of intellectuals were socialists. The problem then was in changing people’s views.
エコノミストの事前予想の平均は新規住宅チャLLぷが5.6%の落ち込み Economists had expected a less-severe drop in October. The median estimate of 22 economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires was a 5.6% fall to a 1.672 million annual rate. The 14.6% decline was the largest since 16.1% in March 2005, and it carried starts to their lowest since 1.463 million in July 2000.
住宅産業低迷でQ3のGDPに-1.1%の効果、Q4にも影響が懸念される "The key point though," Mr. Shepherdson wrote in a note to clients, "is that housing is set to be a big drag on fourth-quarter gross domestic product, more than in the third quarter's -1.1%. It's not over."
Significantly weaker than expected report … A plunge in the key single-family category led the drop. … Single-family starts have probably now fallen enough that significant progress should start to be made in clearing elevated inventories, while multifamily starts should be a relative pocket of strength going forward given much the stronger fundamental backdrop in the apartment market. -- David Greenlaw and Ted Wieseman, Morgan Stanley Research 単独家庭住宅の住宅着工の落ち込みが大きい。複数家庭住宅の住宅着工は、それほど落ち込 みが大きくない。 * * *
The surprisingly low volume of starts is large enough to affect the gross domestic product growth forecasts for the fourth quarter and beyond. For instance, a quick calculation -- that pegs the fourth-quarter average of starts at the October level and permits -- cuts fourth-quarter growth by 0.5% and first-quarter 2007 growth by 1%. -- David Resler, Nomura Economics Research 住宅産業の急速な落ち込みから、ラフな試算をすれば、Q4のGDPで0.5%、来年Q1のGD Pで1%程度のマエナス要素になる * * *
[T]he homebuilder survey … is often misleading when it falls, as builders are generally more pessimistic in the survey than they are in building. Yet we also think that the declines in the survey are too large to ignore, and therefore that it is indeed telling us something about the state of housing, and not just about the state of mind of homebuilders. We think that the survey is therefore accurately reflecting builder intentions to slow housing (albeit probably not to the precise degree suggested by the survey index), and we have consequently been looking for a trend decline in starts this year and next. ? Joshua Shapiro, MFR Inc. 大変大きな落ち込みで状況が変わっているのだろう。この統計は時に不正確ではあるが。 数字の絶対値はともかくトレンドは明確である。今年のQ4と、来年の住宅市場の動向を 示唆しているのだろう。 ttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB116377424178526248.html?mod=home_whats_news_us
アジアの機関投資家、政府高官、企業のトップに聞くと彼らのコンセンサスはアメリカ経済 が来年も健全であろうというものであった。政治的な変化がアメリカ経済に影響を及ぼすと は考えていない。ローチ自身は民主党の支配する議会でアメリカの政治変化が米中関係など に影響を及ぼすと考えるが、今のところアジアにはそうした議論は起こっていない。 (With pro-labor Democrats clearly on the ascendancy and trade tensions likely to intensify as a result -- especially on the US-China front -- I suspect a year from now the mood in Asia will be very different than it is today. )
レスベラトロルは新陳代謝を活性化し筋肉などの動きを効率化する。マウスに多量に投 与された場合、そのマウスは2倍の速度で走ることが出来る。レスベラトロルの行なう遺 伝子的スイッチの作用が解析されてきて、新陳代謝を活性化するバイオロジカルな仕組み がわかってきた。12月15日発行の医学ジャーナル、CellでストラスブルグのInstitute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular BiologyのJohan Auwerxが、この物質の将来の応 用範囲について論じている。肥満や糖尿病の治療、老衰への支援、延命などが期待される という。しかし鼠の実験は人間の場合、一日あたり数百杯のワイングラスをあける量に相 当するものなので直接的にその手法を適用できない。それでも生理的メカニズムの解明は この分野の医学の進歩に朗報であるという
Additional experiments on the animals' cells indicate the substance works by increasing the activity of an enzyme known as SIRT1, boosting the number and activity of structures inside cells called mitochondria, the researchers said. Mitochondria are like power plants inside cells, burning fat and providing energy. They tend to get revved up by exercise, and deteriorate with age. この物質はSIRT1という酵素の働きを増加させ細胞内のミトコンドリアの活動を増加し 細胞内の脂肪の燃焼などを促進してエネルギーを作る。こうした作用は加齢によって 減衰し、運動などによって増加するとされる。加齢による体調不調は多くの場合筋肉 活動の弱化に関連している。酵素SIRT1の遺伝子的な働きが研究されていて、その医学 的応用が期待されている。
Democratic leaders are feuding over whether party Chairman Howard Dean deserves credit for victories last week that gave Democrats control of both houses of Congress and a majority of the country's 50 governorships. 中間選挙に勝利した民主党の指導者らは、民主党国民会議(DNC)議長のハワード・デ ィーンが選挙勝利に貢献したかについて議論している。
The dispute broke out this week after James Carville, a high-profile party strategist, was quoted Wednesday in The New York Times as saying Democrats could have done even better had the former Vermont governor put more party money into close congressional races around the country. 民主党のストラテジスト、James Carvilleは水曜日にNYTに語ってディーンがDNC議長 でなければ民主党はより大きな勝利を得られたとして批判した。
"He should be held accountable," Carville said, according to The New York Times report, later adding, "Do we want to go into '08 with a C-minus general at the DNC?" James CarvilleはNYT記者にデイーンが選挙戦術の失敗の責任を取るべきといい、さらに 「我々民主党は、C−の将軍をDNCにいただいて08大統領選挙に望むべきだろうか?」と 述べた。(後略) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 08大統領選挙を考えれば、民主党にとってハワード・ディーンのような極左・反戦派の指導 者は頭痛の種でしかないのだろうけれど、民主党内部の左派やMoveon.com や DailyKosに 集まっている草の根反戦派がどういうリアクションをするかちょっとだけ楽しみな。民主党 も、ネッド・ラモントのような反戦派をリーバーマンの変わりに上院議員候補に立てたりし てきたわけで、党内構想は結構激しそうな。
James Carvilleやヒラリー陣営の考えているのは、保守派の予想したシナリオのような運営 ではないかと思ふ。ディーンの民主党内の扱いがリトマス・テストのようなものになりそう だけれど、民主党主流派は、所詮は極左の反戦派を使い捨てにするのではないかと思ふ。 (国内のリベラル・メデイアではそういう分析は絶対に出てこないけれど)
ttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/lawrence-odonnell/a-permanent-majority_b_34114.html If Rove had been smart enough to make Alcee Hastings a household term during the campaign, the Democrats would not have won as many seats. If Pelosi makes Hastings a chairman, Rove won't miss the shot this time. The Democrats would instantly take over as the party of corruption. Voters would get a terrible more-of-the-same feeling right off the bat and their throw-the-bums-out attitude would not subside. The first woman Speaker could be a two-year story.
Next in line for the intelligence chair would be Rep. Alcee Hastings, a black Floridian who was elected in 1992. Some newspapers and magazines have editorialized against selecting Hastings because of his past impeachment as a federal judge.
Eighteen members of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of fiscally conservative Democratic lawmakers, urged Pelosi in a letter to stick with Harman for the sensitive post.
However that controversy plays out, African-Americans will have unprecedented clout on Capitol Hill starting in January. When the Democrats lost control of Congress in 1994, most black lawmakers had short tenures and lacked the seniority to chair committees or hold leadership positions. ttp://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/nation/16041050.htm
Where the Money Goes By DIANA FURCHTGOTT-ROTH November 17, 2006
This past election cycle, the AFL-CIO budgeted $40 million on get-out-the-vote operations, $5 million more than in 2004. In addition, spending on political action committees by the top 10 unions totaled over $16 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Political spending by the top 10 union "527 committees," issue advocacy groups with looser spending limits, exceeded $38 million. ttp://www.nysun.com/article/43735 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー アメリカの政治資金について詳しいデータを整理している便利なサイトがあって、この記事 でも参照している「Center for Responsive Politics」このサイトによれば、中間選挙の資 金のオーバービューは:
民主党内で自由貿易に反対するのは労組でAFL−CIOは1960年代以降、保護貿易 主義に傾いている。労組は大統領選挙や中間選挙に大きな影響力を発揮しており、先 の昼間選挙の四人に一人は労組に関わるひとである。(Union leaders invested heavily in this past election, and they are boasting about the exit polls showing that nearly one in four voters last week came from a union household.)
また会談で両首脳は、6か国協議を通じて北朝鮮の核計画廃棄を目指す方針を改めて確認し た。盧大統領は、「6か国協議の枠内での2国間協議」の重要性も表明し、米国が北朝鮮と の対話に柔軟に臨むよう間接的に求めた。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ttp://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6223476,00.html S. Korea Won't Back Bush on Inspections Saturday November 18, 2006 5:31 AM By TERENCE HUNT
AP:韓国はPSIでブッシュに協力せず
ブッシュ大統領はハノイでのノムヒョン大統領とも会談でPSIへの協力を要請した。
Roh said his country ``is not taking part in the full scope'' of the security initiative, but that it would ``support the principles and goals of the PSI,'' and would cooperate in preventing the transfer of materiel for weapons of mass destruction in northeast Asia. ノムヒョン大統領は「完全な参加は出来ない」とし「PSIの原則と目的を支援する」 としてWMD拡散防止に協力するとした。
The White House acknowledged that Roh faced political pressure back home not to anger North Korea. ホワイトハウスはノムヒョン大統領が韓国国内で北朝鮮を刺激しないようにとの政治的 圧力を受けていることを認めた。
米民主党のリード上院院内総務は17日、ラムズフェルド米国防長官更迭に伴い次期国防 長官に指名されたゲーツ元中央情報局(CIA)長官の指名承認審議について「国防長官 の交代をできるだけ早く実現することが我々の利益となる。彼は承認されるだろう」と述 べ、ゲーツ氏の早期承認に賛成する考えを示した。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/nation/4344337.html Nov. 17, 2006, 9:45PM Senate leaders lend support to nominee for defense chief (AP)
"The one thing he has going for him ... is that we want the change to take place very quickly," said Reid. "So it's to our interest to have this change at the head of the Defense Department as soon as possible."
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Thursday that a staff member for former Sen. John Edwards _ a vocal critic of the retailer _ asked his local Wal- Mart store for help in getting the potential 2008 presidential candidate a Sony PlayStation 3. Edwards said a volunteer did so by mistake.
Edwards told The Associated Press that the volunteer "feels terrible" about seeking the game unit at Wal-Mart a day after his boss criticized the company, saying it doesn't treat its employees fairly. "My wife, Elizabeth, wanted to get a Playstation3 for my young children. She mentioned it in front of one of my staff people," Edwards said. "That staff person mentioned it in front of a volunteer who said he would make an effort to get one. He was making an effort to go get one for himself.
Edwards said the volunteer was "a young kid" unaware of what he called flawed Wal-Mart policies. He called the Wal-Mart statement an effort to divert attention from its own problems.
"Elizabeth and I knew nothing about this. He feels terrible about this. He made a mistake, and he knows he should not have used my name," Edwards said. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー この記事は、そのまま翻訳しても解り難いので、テキトーに解説すれば:
I think this commercial nicely sums up the mainstream view of China in the West: the past 40 years simply did not take place. It is 1966. The Cultural Revolution is in full swing ? except in Shanghai, maybe. (私が思うに、このCMは西欧におけるメインストリームの中国観を示していて、それは 40年前の中国だ。1966年ごろの中国は文化大革命が吹き荒れていた、まあ上海は少し違 っていたかも知れないけど)
Milton Friedman was one of the very few intellectuals with both genius and common sense. He could express himself at the highest analytical levels to his fellow economists in academic publications and still write popular books such as "Capitalism and Freedom" and "Free to Choose" that could be understood by people who knew nothing about economics. Indeed, his television series, "Free to Choose," was readily understandable even by people who don’t read books.(後略) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 今日のWSJのOpEdに寄稿されたフリードマンのお弟子の一人の書いているもので 購読契約なしに無償で読めるOPJに転載されている。
これらの提案は、来月の6者会議に北朝鮮が出席し、核施設の一部を即時に廃棄するなど の行動を前提条件にしている。 (But the offers would hinge on the North’s coming to talks next month agreeing to begin immediately dismantling some of the equipment it is using to build an arsenal.)
非公開の各国との協議の中で、北朝鮮に向けて準備するパッケージが議論されていて、その 目的は次回の6者協議で北朝鮮を核廃棄に前向きにさせ、協議を成功させることにある。 (But for all the talk of regional economic cooperation and trade expansion that peppered the official agenda, the focal point of the behind-the-scenes huddles here was the package the United States was trying to put together to make sure that coming six-nation talks aimed at reining in North Korea’s nuclear ambitions would not fail.)
ブッシュ政権の高官はアメリカの日中韓露との話し合いで、北朝鮮に求める核廃棄のステップ について、合意に近い段階にあると述べた。 (A senior Bush administration official said the United States was close to agreement with Russia, China, South Korea and Japan on what steps to ask North Korea to take.)
北朝鮮が強く要求しているのは澳門のBDAの口座凍結解除であるが、アメリカの匿名の高官 はこれについて「交渉のテーブルに着けば解決の方法はある」と述べていいる。 (“Once we get to the table with them, of course there are ways to solve this,” one senior American official said.)(後略)
しかし、これを書いているのが国務省担当のベテラン記者で、今までにも多くのリークで スクープ的な記事を書いてきたDAVID E. SANGERであるので、この内容はある程度信頼でき そうに思える(DAVID E. SANGERなら付き合いの長い国務省が信頼してリーク情報を流して 観測気球にするといったことがあり得ると思ふ)
American officials have talked about signing a peace treaty that would officially end the Korean War. Now they are hinting at the prospect of a ceremony to commemorate the event, hoping to capitalize on the desire of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, for American recognition.
MR. SNOW: The President understands political constraints; we've just had an election. He also understands the commitment of the government of South Korea, and it's important to work with them to make it possible to move forward. 大統領は韓国と協力して北朝鮮の核問題解決を前に進めることで合意した。
One of the important things was, for instance, that may not been as well understood, that the United States is willing, upon proper resumption of the six-party talks, with the North Koreans renouncing and dismantling their nuclear program, that there are a whole series of steps that we're willing to take that I think the people of South Korea are going to find reassuring, especially in terms of declaring -- having a ceremony, declare an end to the Korean War, moving forward on matters that are going to make it possible to address concerns about what should happen with North Korea, how do you allay concerns about humanitarian crises or economic crises within North Korea. The President addressed those and President Roh was happy to hear about them. 大切な事のひとつは、北朝鮮が6者協議で核廃棄を宣言するなら、韓国政府は朝鮮戦争の 正式終了を調印するセレモニーを行なうことに同意していることだ。
Q You mentioned twice the idea of declaring a formal end to the Korean War. Do you get a sense that that is still a big deal for both sides, after 60 years of this stalemate cease-fire? 60年前の朝鮮戦争の終了セレモニーが重要な意味を持つと考えるのか? MR. SNOW: Yes. 然り。
Q On the ending of the war point, you said it's a big deal to both sides. Why is that a big deal to us? 何でそんなことが、交渉の両者とって重要なのか? MR. SNOW: Because it is important for them. You understand that in diplomacy it is important to do things that also are important with the people with whom you're negotiating, and if this is something that allows us to -- if this serves as an incentive to spur the North Koreans back to the table, or also provides the proper kind of reassurance to the South Koreans, within the context of the six-party talks, you want to do it. 何故重要化といえば、それは彼ら(北朝鮮)にとって重要であるからだ。これは北朝鮮への 交渉のテーブルに復帰する為のインセンティブになり得る。韓国にとっても意味を成す。
Q But just as for the American side of this -- as you said, it's a big deal for us because it's a big deal for them. 北朝鮮にとって意味があるからアメリカにとっても重要と言う事か?
MR. SNOW: The American side of it is it provides an incentive to both sides to be working toward a settlement under the six-party framework that allows us not only to achieve the goal of a non-nuclear Korean Peninsula, but also, for them, something that's important to them, which is to have a formal end to the war. アメリカは6者協議について、北朝鮮の核廃棄に加えて、朝鮮戦争の正式な終戦というのが 意味のあることと考えている。
There will be four courses and each will be made by a different chef. The first is soup made of oysters, Da Lat artiso flowers and black mushrooms. This is a completely new dish, which shows the harmony between materials from the sea and land. 第一:蛎、ブラックマッシュルーム、デ・ラット高原の花のスープ(新作メニュー)
The following course will be “Nem cuon mua thu” (Nem cuon of the Autumn). This dish was made especially for the 14th APEC summit, which is being organised in the nice and romantic Autumn of Hanoi. This kind of nem cuon is made of spicy vegetables, crab meat and is served with a special sauce. 第ニ:秋の生春巻き。ハノイの秋を表現するスパイシーな野菜と蟹、特製ソース
The main course is veal fillet mixed with cinnamon and spices, steamed squash flower cake and simmered potatoes. This dish combines spices from the northern mountainous area of Vietnam such as Ba Vi honey, squash flower, green tea sauce, and mac khen, one kind of spice of the H’mong and Thai ethnic people, which not only has special flavour but also helps fight against indigestion. メインディッシュ:子牛のフィレ、シナモンと他のスパイス、蒸したフラワーケーキ、 馬鈴薯、ベトナム北部山岳地帯の蜂蜜、押し花、緑茶ソース、mac khenの実のスパイス
The dessert course will be soft chocolate cake with fruit flavour and Ba Vi honey. The drink for the party will be lotus tea with ginger, lotus and coconut jam. デザート:ソフトチョコレートケーキ、フルーツ風味、山岳地帯の蜂蜜、蓮のティー生姜風味、 蓮とココナッツのジャム添え
The “nem cuon mua thu” cuisine will be arranged on Hue’s Phap lam porcelain and the remaining dishes will be arranged on white plates. 秋の生春巻きはフエのPhap lam磁器で供します。それ以外は白のお皿で。
We always want to show Vietnamese traditional culinary art because it is the inspiration for all creations at this party. ベトナムの伝統的な料理をご賞味いただきたいのです。
HANOI (Reuters) - Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill will visit Beijing this week to consult Chinese officials about six-party talks on how to end North Korea's nuclear ambitions, U.S. officials said on Sunday. アメリカ政府高官によれば、6者協議で北朝鮮の核廃棄を進めるため、今週北京を訪問して 協議する予定。
The visit by Hill, the lead U.S. negotiator with North Korea, comes amid signs that China and the United States are drawing closer to agreement on what steps they want North Korea to take to demonstrate its commitment to denuclearisation. ヒル国務次官補の訪中は、アメリカと中国が北朝鮮の核廃棄実施の為のステップとして、如 何なる事を行うかについての相談が合意に近い事を示すサインと見られる。
"We have been saying for some time now that we want to see a successful first round and that depended on us being able to have a consensus on that with the Chinese and I think we are beginning to achieve that," the third official told reporters. 匿名の高官は「我々の見るところ、6者協議を成功させるためには、米中のコンセンサスが重 要であり、アメリカはそれを実現しつつあると思う」と述べている。
"We are doing very well with the five parties (other than North Korea) in terms of what we want the North Koreans to do," he added. 「アメリカは5ヶ国との協議で北朝鮮への要求事項の取りまとめについて、うまくやってきて いる」と追加している。
Michael Green, formerly senior Asia adviser at the Bush White House and now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said last week there was likely to be a menu of "verifiable" steps on the table. 前NSCアジア部長のマイケル・グリーン氏は先週、北朝鮮の核廃棄について「検証可能な」 ステップがテーブルの上に載せられるだろうといっている。
Saying he did not know what these were, he said they might include North Korea making a detailed declaration of its nuclear programs; suspending its work at Yongbyon, where it has a five-megawatt reactor and a plutonium reprocessing plant; and allowing International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back into the country. マイケル・グリーン氏は、その内容は知らないとしながらも、そのステップは (1)北朝鮮による詳細な核開発計画の内容の開示、 (2)ヨンビョンの5MW原子炉の停止、 (3)IAEA検査官の北朝鮮への復帰、 などを含むことがあるかもしれないとのべている。
HANOI (Reuters) - Russia and the United States signed a bilateral deal on Sunday for Moscow's entry in the World Trade Organization, removing the last major obstacle in Russia's 13-year-old bid to join the global trade body. アメリカとロシアは日曜日、ロシアのWTO加盟について合意に達し、13年越しのロシアの WTO加盟についての話し合いで合意に達した。
The costs were avoided, and instead the world was subjected to the greatest man-made calamities ever. Communism itself was to claim perhaps 100 million lives, and it also gave rise to fascism and Nazism, leading to World War II. Ahmadinejad wants to be the new Lenin. Force is the only thing that can stop him.
ttp://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/afx/2006/11/18/afx3187989.html AFX News Limited Japan's Okinawa poll for new governor also seen as vote on US troop presence 11.18.2006, 11:03 PM フォーブス:日本の沖縄知事選挙は、アメリカ軍の駐留に対する投票とも見なせる ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 現在選挙戦は全くの接戦で結果が予想できないが安倍内閣やアメリカ軍の駐留政策に影響 があり得る、と書いている。太平洋艦隊司令官や、在日米国大使も一安心なのでは・・・
Is it me, or does the media's recent coverage of Jack Murtha's history of corruption stand in sharp contrast to the lack of such coverage back when the media was celebrating him as the leader of the anti-war left? I find it very revealing that it took an internecine power struggle among Democrats in order to get the mainstream media to remind the public of Murtha's involvement in Abscam. The NYT has a stake in the success of the Democrats' congressional majority, and its editorial board seems to understand that Murtha's election as majority leader would have been disastrous. So only now, when it serves their interests, do the members of that board report on Murtha's integrity, or lack thereof.
・Tiffany & Co. (1)Frank Gehry orchid pendants $150 and $185 (2)Crystal decanter $200 (3)Cheese set $350 (チーズナイフ&サーバー) (4)Tiffany Grand watch $1,550 (5)Playing cards $30
・Toys "R" Us (1)Fisher-Price Peek 'n Play Discovery Dome $45 (冒険ゴッコ用のテント他) (2)Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera $60 (子供用デジカメ、3歳児から) (3)ToyQuest Blue Man Group Percussion Tubes $70 (電子式パイプフォーン楽器) (4)Nintendo Wii $250 (5歳児以上) (5)Tiger Games Designer's World $30
Common sense conservatives believe in a short list of self-evident truths: love of country; respect for our unique influence on history; a strong defense and strong alliances based on mutual respect and mutual responsibility; steadfast opposition to threats to our security and values that matches resources to ends wisely; and confident, reliable, consistent leadership to advance human rights, democracy, peace and security. 簡単に言えば、(1)愛国、(2)歴史と伝統の尊重、(3)強い国防、(4)強い同盟関係の維持、 (5)国民の価値観や安全を守ること、(6)人権の尊重、民主主義の尊重
We believe every individual has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach his or her God-given potential. We believe in increasing wealth and expanding opportunity; in low taxes; fiscal discipline, free trade and open markets. We believe in competition, rewarding hard work and risk takers and letting people keep the fruits of their labor. (7)個人の機会の尊重、(8)繁栄と機会の増進、(9)低い税金、(10)小さな政府、均衡財政、 (11)自由貿易と自由市場の尊重、(12)競争の中での努力、リスクテークの尊重
But for many Americans - behind the positive macro-economic statistics - once reliable bedrocks like pensions, health care plans and even middle class jobs no longer feel secure. And with science and technology the key to high wage jobs, many parents fear their children won't have the same opportunities they had. マクロエコノミクスの好調な数字の裏では多くのアメリカ人が、かっては充分に信頼できた 年金システムや、健康保険システムに不安を感じ、中間層の人でさえ、雇用が保障されない と感じている。科学技術教育などが国民の高賃金の雇用の必要条件であるので、多くの親た ちが子供の将来を心配している。子供たちが自分と同じ良い条件で職を得られないのではな いかと不安になる。(このあと教育改革の必要性の話が続く)
There are only two incentives for Iran to negotiate: the emergence of a regional structure that makes imperialist policies unattractive, or the concern that, if matters are pushed too far, America might yet strike.
Democratic institutions in Iraq favour dominance by the majority Shi’ite groups. In Lebanon, Hezbollah, trained and guided by Iran, is the strongest military force. In the face of this looming Shi’ite belt and its appeal to the Shi’ite population in northeast Saudi Arabia and along the Gulf, attitudes in the Sunni states ? Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia ? and the Gulf states range from unease to incipient panic. This may explain Ahmadinejad’s insolent behaviour on the occasion of his visit to New York. His theme seemed to be: “Don’t talk to me about your world order, whose rules we did not participate in making and which we disdain. From now on, jihad will define the rules.”
To evoke a more balanced view should be an important goal for US diplomacy. Iran may come to understand that it is still a poor country not in a position to challenge the entire world order.
Today the Sunni states of the region are terrified by the Shi’ite wave. Negotiations between Iran and the United States could generate a stampede towards pre-emptive concessions, unless preceded or at least accompanied by a significant effort to rally those states. In such a policy, Iran must find a respected, but not dominant, place. A restarted Palestinian peace process should play a significant role, which presupposes close co-operation among the United States, Europe and the moderate Arab states. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー クラシックなバランス・オブ・パワー外交の先生による講義のような評論。
IF John Maynard Keynes was the most influential economist of the first half of the 20th century, then Milton Friedman was the most influential economist of the second half. 20世紀前半の最も影響力の大きい経済学者がメイナード・ケインズであるとすれば、20世紀 後半の最も影響力の大きい経済学者はミルトン・フリードマンである。(後略) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー クリントン政権の財務長官、ハーバード教授のサマーズによるフリードマン覆棺録。 サマーズ教授の政治的立場や経済学上の考えはフリードマンと同じではなく、むしろ 相反するけれど、流石はサマーズで、フリードマンの業績を認めるに吝かではない。
The election had turned into a referendum on the troops in the subtropical islands, which host three-quarters of the US military facilities in Japan, one of Washington’s closest allies. この選挙は亜熱帯の島に駐留する、アメリカの最も親密な同盟国のひとつである日本における、 米軍兵の四分の三を擁する基地のリファレンダムになっていた。
A hard-fought election here that threatened to jeopardize a major US-Japanese military accord appears to have tilted in favor of Washington and Tokyo. 激しい選挙戦となった沖縄知事をめぐる争いで、もし政府与党が敗北すれば日米軍事同盟 を危うくしかねないところであったが、結果はワシントンと東京の政府の側に有利に下った。
Even the win by the more flexible Nakaima does not clarify plans for a key runway to be built largely over the ocean off a jutting point in northeast Okinawa. The runway is at the heart of a debate over US forces in Okinawa, and is the linchpin of the realignment plan. しかしながら、政府与党の勝利に終わったとはいえ、沖縄の滑走路問題では沖縄の地元と 米軍の論争が続いており、これが再編成の要点のひとつにもなっている。
US officials and military brass considered the plan finished. Yet the close elections in Okinawa clearly signal that Tokyo may still have problems. Under Mr. Koizumi, and further under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, experts say, there's a shift toward defining Okinawa as a national defense issue. "You may see Tokyo begin to treat Okinawa differently, no longer as a local issue, and looking at Okinawa as a matter of security and bilateral relations with the US," says Masaaki Gabe of the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa. アメリカ製府関係者と米軍関係者らは計画は既に作られているものの沖縄知事選挙が接戦で あった事から、日本政府が依然として問題を抱えているとみている。小泉政権と後継の安倍 政権においては沖縄問題は国家防衛的課題と考えるようにシフトがあると専門家はいう。 「日本政府は以前と異なって沖縄問題を地方の問題とは考え無いようになってきた。沖縄を 国防と日米同盟の問題と考え始めている」と琉球大学のMasaaki Gabeがいってっている。
For the Pentagon, Okinawa has been something of a burr under the saddle for more than a decade - one reason why US officials were so pleased with the talks last spring. "The building of the runway is central to the agreement; it hinges on all the other factors," Lt. Gen. Bruce Wright, commander of US forces Japan, told the Monitor. "It isn't about trying to continue US presence, but redesigning the force and the commitments to make them stronger. We've put together a package that is interrelated and interdependent.... This is an issue for the government of Japan.... This is not the government of Okinawa vs. the USA." 国防総省にとっては沖縄問題は何十年にも渡って、目の上の瘤(burr under the saddle)の ような問題であった。そのために、国防総省は春頃に行為された計画を歓迎している。 「滑走路の建設は日米計画案の合意の中心だ。この問題に、それ以外の全ての要素が依存して いる」とBruce Wright中将が言う。「それはアメリカ軍の駐留を継続させる為のものではない が、アメリカ軍の再編成と軍事力強化のコミットメントに関わる。我々は相互に関連し相互に 依存する問題をパッケージにまとめた・・これは日本政府の問題だ・・これはアメリカ政府の 問題でも沖縄の地方行政の問題でもない」
In general, Okinawans do not tend to dislike or harbor grudges against individual Americans, and the antibase issue is not an anti-US issue. 全般的にみて、沖縄住民にはアメリカ人への嫌悪や恨みは無く、基地問題はアンチ・アメリ カンの問題ではない。
For US service personnel at a popular restaurant near Kadena air base, the elections passed quietly. Many were unaware of the elections Sunday. As one marine noted, "We aren't here to get involved in local politics." 嘉手納空軍基地の近くの、人気のあるレストランにいた米軍兵士からみても選挙は平穏に進 んだ。日曜日の選挙に気付かなかった兵士も多い。ある海兵隊兵士は「我々はここに、ロー カルな政治に関わる為にいるわけではないからね」という。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー この記事は大変観察眼が鋭い。反基地闘争は反米ではなく、本質的には別の種類のポリティ クスであると見抜いているような。米軍兵士が特に攻撃の標的にされていないことを記事に 書いているあたりはジャーナリストとして目が行き届いていると思ふ。その一方で現在の計 画の米軍再編成に与える重要性を指摘している。それにしても、選挙に政府側が敗北してい たなら、今頃マスメディアはお祭り騒ぎであっただろうに。(想像すると冷や汗が出そう)
Few believe that China would invade Arunachal, but there is genuine concern that it could one day claim the Brahmaputra’s waters. インドの中国国境地帯の Brahmaputra河下流にすむ住民たちは中国の侵略を心配することは 無いが、中国が河の水を占有するのではないかと恐れている。
Now China is debating the "Great Western Route Water Diversion Project", which would divert the Brahmaputra where it does a U-turn through the world’s deepest canyon before entering India. 今、中国ではBrahmaputra河のインド側に入る上流で水を分けて中国国内に流す計画が議論 されており、これが国際的水争いに(ry
The plan is being championed by Guo Kai, 73, a water expert who claims to have the support of 15 retired generals and Chinese leaders. He proposes building a network of dams, canals, tunnels and aqueducts to divert 200 billion cubic metres of water annually to the Yellow River from the Brahmaputra and five other rivers. “It can quench the thirst of all China,” Mr Guo said. “The water supply can last for 1,000 years.” 中国で、その計画を提唱するのは指導者らにコネのある73歳のGuo Kaiで、ダム、水路、トン ネルなどの建設により年間2000億立方メートルの水をBrahmaputra河から黄河に導くというも の。「これを実現すれば中国の水不足を解消できる。水不足は1000年くらい起こらなくなる」
議会で民主党、共和党が新たに指導者を選ぶ事が起こっているのだが、それを見てい ると、民主党が多数派になったことには理由があるのだと思ってしまう。 (House Democrats and Republicans elected their leaders for the next Congress last week, and the results suggest there's a reason Democrats will have the majority.)
共和党下院議員らは、小さな政府原則を口にしているのだが議会指導者の選び方を見て いると、共和党の敗退は自分たちのイメージや実績とは関係が無いと思っているかのよ うだ。そのかわりに、聞くところによれば、ブッシュ大統領とイラクに全ての責任を押 し付けているらしい。Roy Bluntは2008年選挙に新人を入れない計画を出してメンバー の議員を驚かせたといわれる。内省や新しいアイデアのなさに幻滅する。 (House Republicans are talking a good game of recovering their small-government principles, but their leadership choices suggest they think their defeat had little to do with their own image or performance. Instead -- and we also hear these whispers privately -- they blame everything on President Bush and Iraq. Mr. Blunt is said to have impressed the Members with a plan to defeat freshman Democrats in 2008; so much for self-reflection and new ideas.)
Crews scrubbed the ship's handrails and utensils, offered disinfecting hand gel and halted the self-serve buffets after the outbreak started. Even plastic menus were wiped clean, said Pedro Carreras, 51, of McDonough, Ga
Norovirus is a group of viruses that cause stomach flu symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps, according to the CDC. The illness usually lasts one to two days without any long-term health effects. It spreads through contaminated food or liquids, by touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then placing that hand in one's mouth, or through direct contact with someone who is infected and showing symptoms. このクルーズ船は乗客700人クラスという最大級のもの。感染症発見後は船の中の清掃消毒に 努め、食器類の共用を避けるなど、工夫したようだけれど、船内で感染が広まったような。 接触感染のようなのでSARSと同じようにマスクや手洗いが有効に見える。致死性の感染症 ではないらしいことが不幸中の幸い。
ブルームバーグ:石油ダラーのことは忘れて、石油円の心配をすべき By ウイリアム・ぺセク ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 論じているのは円が安すぎるという事で、独特のちょっと癖のある、いつものペセク調の 評論になっている。
Bet on Yen Buying yen is a bet the currency will rebound from a 20- year low, helped by rising interest rates and the longest expansion since World War II. Only time will tell if it's a good bet. Japan has been growing steadily for more than four years now and still the yen remains mysteriously weak. 日本の景気は4年間の回復基調にあり、金利も上昇する方向にあり、円が歴史的に安いレベル なので、それがリバウンドすることに賭けることもできるかもしれないが、円がこんなにも ミステリアスに安いことが後どのくらい続くのか、神のみぞ知ることであろう。
Asia's most liquid currency should be surging. The Bank of Japan in July raised rates for the first time in six years and may move again soon; deflation is ending; Japan runs a trade surplus; and international investors are rediscovering its economy. And yet the yen is down 7.6 percent versus the euro this year and is little changed against the dollar. アジアでもっとも流動性のある通貨の円は高くなってしかるべきで、日銀は6年ぶりに6月に金 利を上げた。デフレは終息しつつあり、日本は貿易黒字を計上しており、国際投資家は日本を 再発見しつつある。それにもかかわらず円はユーロに対して今年7.6%低下しドルに対しては 殆ど変わっていない。
What's more, the yen may have an unexpected role to play in the oil-fueled rise of Middle Eastern economies. 円は中東で予期せぬ役割を果たすかもしれない。
There's much talk of how increasing amounts of so-called petrodollars are flowing to Asia. The term refers to dollars earned through the sale of petroleum. Since the 1970s, the Middle East has accepted dollars in exchange for its oil. Now, the desire to reduce U.S. hegemony, both economically and politically, has Iran working to set up a market in which countries can buy and sell oil in euros, rather than dollars. イランはアメリカのヘゲモニーを嫌ってドルではなくユーロでの取引を決めている。
All this may seem a reach, yet the influence of petroleum- related liquidity will grow. While crude prices are about $56 a barrel, from a record high of $78.40, they are likely to rise anew. Energy needs in China and India alone could boost prices for years to come. The proceeds from those sales may find their way back to Asian assets, including ones denominated in yen. 石油関連の投資資金が増大しており、その一方で中国やインドの石油需要の増大がある。 石油資金は、その行き場をアジアに求め、円でデノミネートされた資産に向かう可能性がある。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ペセクの言っていることは、(1)円が不当に安く(アンダーバリュー)になっている、(2)ユーロ がオーバーバリューである、(3)このアンバランスを壊すきっかけを石油資金がアジアの資産 を円で取得することによって、起こすかもしれない、といったこと。
On balance, and despite upside risks in the short term, we now see the price of crude oil decreasing by 7% next year and another 16% in 2008 as a result of symmetrical moves of the demand and supply curves. With global GDP growth running significantly above trend for the fourth year in a row ? global GDP growth should average 4.75% over 2003-2006, practically one point above current estimates of trend growth for the global economy ? this is quite welcome. First, cheaper oil prices should help consumers in importing countries to regain some pricing power. This is particularly important for the US and Europe, where tighter monetary and/or fiscal policies have or will soon dampen domestic demand growth. Second, lower headline inflation should contribute to stabilize inflation expectations and thus help central banks to keep inflationary pressures at bay. In more concrete words, cheaper oil should limit the risk of excessive tightening by the Fed and the ECB and thus help promote a soft landing of the global economy.
<モルガンスタンレー報告、外貨準備の通貨のダイバーシフィケーション> ttp://www.morganstanley.com/views/gef/ G10: Reserve Diversification Dictated by Market Caps November 20, 2006 By Stephen Jen | London
Summary and conclusions According to our calculations, cross-asset diversification is not dollar-negative. In fact, the current currency composition of reserves is broadly consistent with the market caps of the major economies in risky assets. The exception here is that when central banks start to invest in equities, the JPY will be a major beneficiary. However, when central banks start to diversify across currencies, the currencies of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China), the CAD, AUD, NZD and KRW should do particularly well, at the expense of USD, EUR and GBP.
Two-dimensional diversification of reserves is virtually a certainty in the coming years, in our view. Whether central banks first diversify across assets or across currencies makes a big difference. We suspect that they will diversify across assets first, simply because of the availability of liquidity in the major markets, though it is clear that central banks will start buying some amounts of non-G3 assets.
Cross-asset diversification is not USD-negative. Investment in equities would be significantly positive for the JPY. Diversification into non-G3 sovereign bonds would benefit the BRIC currencies and the CAD. Diversification into corporate bonds would benefit the KRW, CAD, AUD and NZD.
NEW YORK -- An indicator of future economic activity inched higher in October, a private research group said Monday, suggesting that recent weakness in the housing market hasn't been severe enough to offset lower gas prices and a rising stock market. 経済の先行きを示す指標が10月に少しばかり上むきになっていると民間調査機関が月曜日に 発表した。これは住宅市場のブーム終焉による経済の下向き圧力がエネルギー価格の下落や 株式市場の高騰を完全にオフセットしてはいないことを示す。
The Conference Board, an industry-backed research group based in New York, said its composite index of leading economic indicators for October rose by 0.2% to 138.3, after a revised 0.4% advance the month before. The index was equal to 100 in 1996. October's rise matched forecasters' expectation. ニューヨークのカンファレンス・ボードは10月の先行指標が+0.2%の138.3となり、先月の +0.4%に続いているとした。この指標は1996年を100としている。この10月の上昇は予想通り。
The index is designed to predict economic activity in the three to six months ahead. October's modest increase fit with economists' view that growth is moderating. この指標は3-6ヶ月先の経済状況を示すとされ10月の指標の穏やかな上昇は経済が落ち着いて きているとも観測と一致する。
The index fell in both July and August before edging modestly higher in September. It has been down four of the last seven months. The index stood at 139.1 in January -- its peak so far this year. この指標は7月、8月に下落し、9月には上昇している。指標の値は過去7ヶ月低下し、1月には 今年のピーク139.1をつけている。
"The impact of a slower housing market on consumers and slower profit growth on business isn't completely offset by lower gas prices and a rising stock market," said Ken Goldstein, an economist with the Conference Board. He added the economy "is unlikely either to reheat or get significantly cooler" and the current pace of cool economic growth could continue into the spring. カンファレンスボードのエコノミストKen Goldsteinは「住宅市場の低迷と企業の利益の 成長の鈍化はガソリン価格の低下と株式市場の上昇を完全にオフセットしてはいない」と いう。彼は経済の先行きについて「再加熱することも、大いに冷却化することも無いだろう」 とし、現状の冷ややかな成長を続ける経済状態が春まで続くだろうとした。(後略)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House dismissed a classified CIA draft assessment that found no conclusive evidence of a secret Iranian nuclear weapons program, The New Yorker magazine reported. 雑誌ニューヨーカーが報じた、CIAがイランの核爆弾の開発に関する、決定的な証拠は 何も無いと結論付けたアセスメントの原稿があるとする件で、ホワイトハウスはこれを否 定した。
国務省広報官は、イランに批判的なコメント "Certainly we welcome continued discussion and dialogue," Casey said. "I think the thing that has concerned us, and still does concern us, is the fact that while there have been positive statements from the Iranian government about wishing to play a positive role in Iraq, those statements haven't been backed up by actions." 「対話は歓迎だが、イランがイラクの状況にポジティブな声明を出しているが、行動で裏打 ちされていないことが関心事項だ」
シリアについては "The issue here again is not the words, it's the actions that are taken. And certainly what we would like to see the Syrians do is take actions to, among other things, prevent foreign fighters from coming across the border into Iraq; and, again, to back up the positive words that they have with some real concrete steps." 「シリアに期待したいのは言葉ではなく行動で、国境を越えてイラクに侵入する外国人を阻 止するなどの具体的措置である」
Like any smart central banker, Wu followed up the admission by saying: ``We have been holding Japanese yen in our foreign exchange reserves for many years.'' To thicken the plot, central banks in New Zealand, Russia and Switzerland are increasing holdings of yen 中国銀行副頭取とか、ニュージーランドとか、ロシアとかスイスとか、円資産を評価する 向きもあるわけです。円の安い今の時点で円資産を増やすのは賢明かもしれません。
F-18sの設計基準は年間100回の着艦で、2000回が寿命だそうなので( The carrier based F-18s were built to last for about 2,000 carrier landings, at the rate of about a hundred a year.)それだけ航空母艦への着艦はストレスの大きな、機械的ダメージ を与えかねないものという事のような。当初の見込み以上にF-18sが磨耗するので修復の 費用が10億ドルに達するという。
For the first time in five years bank savings of Chinese citizens slipped, falling $1 billion in October from the previous month as people put money into stocks, according to the central bank.
Their growing willingness to dip into savings to buy stocks is an important reason the stock market has recovered so quickly, already up 74% this year, and up 99% from an eight-year low in July 2005. (後略)
I predicted to you last year that the harsh anti illegal immigration rhetoric would alienate otherwise pro LEGAL immigration Hispanics. The GOP will not survive if it is not competitive among Hispanics like it is not competitive among blacks, Jews, the Northeast, far-West and now increasingly in the Midwest. Losing Hispanics will sooner or later make it very difficult to hold on to Texas and Florida. I doubt it can get the majority of Hispanics anytime soon but anywhere between 40-50% should be within reach considering the historic and socioeconomic diversity of the components of the Hispanic community. The GOP needs to come to terms also with the fact that there is real economic anxiety in the Midwest and purist pro globalization policies and attitudes pose real threat to those people "here and now" needs, from healthcare to retirement. These are the people demagogues like Lou Dobbs talk to every day. The pursue of a pro life, traditional values agenda is noble and good for America but if it is seen as a threat to personal freedoms and choices it will not go anywhere. The GOP also has no make people understand better the real threats of Islamic extremism and the potential consequences of leaving behind a failed state in Iraq. I really think McCain can fill this void. I am just concerned about his age, S/L involvement, marriages, inconsistencies regarding the Religious Right and his plan to MORE troops for Iraq.
May I make several brief comments on this column? 1. Although the Democrats will be running Congress, they are not directly running the war effort, and I think that they will not vote to cut off funding, because their majorities are thin and the leadership will know that some Democrats from more conservative states would side with the Republicans on this issue. イラク戦争については民主党は強引な戦費削減と言った手段に出ないだろう。民主党内部にも 反戦派では無い勢力もあり、反戦勢力は多数派とは言い難い。
So if the President's efforts to end the war honorably fail, it will be his fault. If he succeeds, the Democrats will be able to take some credit by claiming to have forced him to change tack. It's a win-win for the Democrats. 大統領がイラク戦争を名誉ある形で終わらせることが出来れば民主党にもそれなりの名分が立 ち、戦争のコースを変えることが出来たということになる。それが最上のシナリオになる。
2. Likewise the '9/11 effect'. If America is lucky enough to escape a further attack before the next election, memories of 9/11 will have faded even more. If there is another attack, the Republicans, who have taken credit for preventing further attacks, will have to take responsibility for not preventing it; they can't have it both ways. Either way, the Republicans lose. 次の選挙までの間に911のような大規模テロがあれば、それは共和党の失敗になる。なければ 911の記憶が急速に消えてゆく。
3. Whatever Mr Bush does about Iran, it will be a horrible mess, unless he gets very, very lucky. For all our sakes, I hope he does get lucky, but above all his Presidency has been one distinguished by an unremitting lack of good fortune. イランに軍事介入すれば、余程の幸運が無い限り(共和党の)泥沼になるだろう。
4. Like the Republicans in 1994, the Democrats are hungry. They managed to outsmart the Republicans in the 2006 elections, and you can bet they don't want to mess up their chances in 2008. They know the pitfalls that await over the next 2 years and they don't have to accomplish much to look better than the Republican Congress has since 2000. What a tragic frittering away of opportunity for the Republican Party, and for America, these years have been. 中間選挙に成功した民主党は当然2008年のチャンスを無駄にしたくないので今後2年間は 失策を避けて、民主党が(議会運営で)共和党より優れた政党であることを証明しようと するだろう。
For his part, if Mr Bush wants any kind of domestic legacy, he will have to work with the Democrats. Considering how he was abandoned by Republican candidates during the late election, he might even relish the prospect. 大統領は国内政策運営で民主党と協力せざるを得ないが共和党が大統領と離反する可能性も。
One point I would like to make in terms of a recommendation for the Democrats: it is important to educate the voters that the situation we find ourselves in internationally with regard to Iraq, Iran, North Korea and the general proliferation of nuclear weapons world wide are, after six years in control of all parts of the federal government, the Republicans to own and wear. These should now be considered concrete examples of the failures of the Bush team's approach to international threats and coalition building. 外交政策や核拡散、イラン、北朝鮮、イラクは過去6年間政府を支配してきた共和党の責任 なのだが、いまではブッシュ政権の失策と見なされている。民主党はそれが共和党の責任で あると(2008に勝利する為には)有権者に教育する必要があるだろう。
今回の選挙で力をつけたのが、”Blue Dog Democrat"、保守系の民主党議員だ。 レーガン大統領時代、アメリカ南部の民主党議員は”Boll Weevils”と呼ばれ、レーガン大統領が 押した減税、軍の拡大、民営化などを押した。1990年までにはほとんどが引退するか、共和党に鞍替えをした。
1995年、共和党が下院をコントロールした翌年、保守系民主党員が集まり作ったのがBlue Dog Democratだ。名前の由来は1928年にできたYellow Dog Democratをもじったものだ。Yellow Dog Democratは民主党に忠実な議員をさした。Blue Dog Democratも民主党に忠実だ。しかし左に 寄り過ぎている党の政策では選挙に勝てない。すなわち保守化した選挙区ではアピールができ ない。共和党への橋渡し役をする必要があるなどの理由で一塊となり、民主党を右に押す力だ。
名前の親は元民主党議員Pet Greenだ。
It was Former Democrat Rep. Pete Geren, of Texas, who said that the members have been "choked blue" by those extreme Democrats, from the left. Thus, he is credited for coining the term Blue Dog Democrat. http://www.yellowdogdemocrat.com/history.htm
殆ど10年になる外交的ななだめやすかしの努力が米中韓で行なわれてきて、北朝鮮に尤も脅さ れている日本が、金正日の意思を変え得る鍵になるカードを持っているというのも皮肉な話で ある。長期的には北朝鮮の極東における安全への脅威は資金を獲得することへの合法的手法を 勧告することでなだめることができるだろう。しかし世界は今、金正日の変心を必要としてお り、さもなば政権交代が必要である。6者協議が楽しみで、日本政府の果たす役割を注意して 観察する必要がある。(Watch the six-party talks -- and Tokyo's role -- closely.)
筆者はRANDのフェローでシニア経済アドバイザー、フーバー研究所研究員。 Mr. Wolf is senior economic adviser and corporate fellow in international economics at the RAND Corporation, and a senior research fellow at the Hoover institution. He is co-author, with Kamil Akramov, of "North Korean Paradoxes" (RAND, 2005).
Analysis: Rather than help the U.S., the APEC summit showed how Pyongyang has driven a wedge between Washington and its usual ally, South Korea By BILL POWELL/SHANGHAI
Pelosi indicated as early as last year that she intended to oust Harman from the Intelligence Committee ? where Harman expected to become chairwoman if Democrats won control of the House ? in favor of someone more to Pelosi's liking.
The move has created dissension within the party. Some Democrats and foreign policy experts argued that Harman, a centrist on national security, is the most credible person for the job. The Congressional Black and Hispanic caucuses countered that it was time for one of their members on the committee to take the helm.(後略) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ちなみに両女史の略歴(勿論、両者とも只者ではなく、旦那はリッチ)
Jane Harman 1945: Born in New York City; raised in Los Angeles where father is a Westside physician 1966: Graduates from Smith College, Northampton, Mass. 1969: Graduates from Harvard Law School; later serves in Carter White House and as Defense Department special counsel 1992-98: Elected by California's 36th Congressional district 1998: Runs for governor, spending more than $20 million, including $15 million of her own money, but finishes third among Democrats 2000-present: Reclaims her former House seat; joins Energy and Commerce Committee; joins Intelligence Committee, becoming ranking Democrat of new Terrorism and Homeland Security subcommittee 2003: After November 2002 election, chosen by Nancy Pelosi as her successor on Intelligence 2004: Works closely with new Intelligence chairman Peter Hoekstra and Senate Governmental Affairs Chairman Susan Collins to get Congress to pass intelligence reorganization bill
Nancy Pelosi 1940: Born Nancy D'Alesandro in Baltimore; her father served five terms in Congress ending in 1947, then 12 years as Baltimore mayor 1962: Graduates from Trinity College (now called Trinity University), Washington, D.C. 1977-1981: Northern chair, California Democratic Party 1981-1983: State chair, California Democratic Party 1985-1987: Finance chair, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee 1987-present: Elected by California's 8th Congressional District, which includes most of San Francisco; serves for 10 years (until early 2003) on the Intelligence Committee 2001: Elected minority whip by House Democrats Oct. 2002: Leads Democratic faction opposed to authorizing military force in Iraq, bucking the House Democratic leader Nov. 2002: Elected minority leader by House Democrats Nov. 2006: Slated to become next House speaker after midterm election gains
Here is a chronology of political killings and attacks since Rafik al-Hariri's death in February 2005.(2005年のハリリ前首相暗殺事件以降の政治的な殺人事件)
Feb. 14 - Former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri and 22 others are killed by truck bomb in Beirut. Top aide former economy minister and legislator Basil Fuleihan badly burnt in attack and dies in hospital two months later.
June 2 - Samir Kassir, journalist opposed to Syria's role in Lebanon, is killed in Beirut by bomb in his car.
June 21 - Former Communist Party leader and critic of Syria George Hawi is killed in Beirut by bomb in his car.
July 12 - Car bomb wounds caretaker Defense Minister Elias al-Murr and kills one person in Christian area north of Beirut.
Sept. 25 - May Chidiac, a Christian television journalist critical of Syria, is seriously wounded by bomb in her car. Dec. 12 - Gebran Tueni, staunchly anti-Syrian member of parliament and Lebanese newspaper magnate is killed by a car bomb in Beirut. An unknown group, "Strugglers for the Unity and Freedom of the Levant", claims responsibility.
Feb. 14, 2006 - At least half a million Lebanese pack central Beirut, a year after the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.
Nov. 21 - Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel is killed by gunmen as his convoy drives through the Christian Sin el-Fil neighborhood of Beirut..
Via Snapped Shot. They’re not 100% sure yet that it was a political assassination but Fox just broke in to say the shooter was a sniper. If the Syrians are behind it, it’s both par for the course and incredibly stupid, coming as it does two days before Hezbollah is set to take to the streets to try to “peacefully” topple the government and four days before that super-keen, let-the-healing-begin summit between Iraq, Syria, and Iran. And at a moment when even people like Tony Blair are urging us to talk to Damascus.
Update: Greg Tinti points to this piece published early this morning by Michael Young, the opinion editor of the Daily Star, on the significance of the UN’s investigation into the Hariri murder. His timing is impeccable to the point of prophesy:
Last Friday, the U.N. Security Council approved a draft plan for a mixed Lebanese -international court to try those responsible for Hariri’s assassination on Feb. 14, 2005. Damascus, the main suspect in the crime, is palpably anxious…
For those who are not familiar about the history of the Gemayel family, Maronite history, and Lebanon, take some time to just investigate. It brings the whole thing in perspective. Make no doubt, this is Iran's push for a monopoly of the middle east. They want a flank on Israel, and Turkey. Especially after we have flanked all around them over the last 5 years. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー #77 sss111 11/21/2006 08:42AM PST
Labanon is finished. Dead. I fear the gov't will fall surrender to the fascists within weeks if not sooner. Israel will then have to dispose of the carcass. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー #113 Rancher 11/21/2006 09:23AM PST
Updates from the blog From Beirut to the Beltway (Hattip Sandmonkey)
Update. Angry crowds are gathering outside the St Joseph hospital and chanting anti- Aoun and anti-Hizbullah slogans. As Anton Effendi said, this assassination guarantees that any street protest now will devolve into clashes. The Kataeb party, of which Gemayel is a member, is calling on people to excercise self restraint.
Maronites gained self-rule under the French Mandate of Lebanon in 1920 and secured their position in the independent Lebanon in 1943. They were one of the main factions in the Lebanese Civil War.
The U.S. State Department says President Bush will propose a partnership arrangement for five countries that would expand the reach of NATO at the alliance summit in Latvia next week. ブッシュ大統領は来週ラトビアで開催されるNATOのサミットで同盟の再編成を提案する。 アジアの5ヶ国とのパートナーシップ協約を結ぶことでNATOを拡大する。
Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns said Tuesday Australia, Finland, Japan, South Korea and Sweden will be invited to expand training and meetings with the 26-member NATO alliance, but will not be invited to join. NATOは26ヶ国の軍事同盟で、バーンズ国務次官によれば、オーストラリア、フィンランド、 日本、韓国、スエーデンの5ヶ国をNATOの訓練や会議に招待する。ただしこれはNATOへ の正式加盟の招待ではない。
Burns said the president's "transformed agenda" for NATO will give the defense bloc a more global orientation that can work outside of Europe. バーンズ次官によれば大統領の言うNATO再編のアジェンダはNATOを欧州の枠を超える よりグローバルな志向の同盟にとするもの。
Australia, Finland and Sweden currently have forces deployed with NATO in Afghanistan. オーストラリア、フィンランド、スエーデンはアフガニスタンにNATOとともに出兵している
Burns said President Bush also will push NATO members to increase the share of their national budgets devoted to defense spending. He said higher spending is needed for the alliance to acquire the systems and capabilities required for modern warfare. バーンズ次官によればブッシュ大統領はNATO加盟国に対して国防費の増加を求める。これ はNATOがより近代的なシステムと能力を獲得する為に必要である。
NATO's Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, launched at the Alliance's Summit in the Turkish city in June 2004, aims to contribute to long-term global and regional security by offering countries of the broader Middle East region practical bilateral security cooperation with NATO.
これはスレ違いだけど・・・ ttp://www.slate.com/id/2154158/nav/tap1/ Wii Is the Champion Nintendo's new console bests the PS3 and the Xbox 360. By Chris Suellentrop Posted Monday, Nov. 20, 2006, at 5:39 PM ET
Slate:Wiiはチャンピオンである PS3とXbox 360を打ち負かす
The Wii, Nintendo's new console, takes gaming a giant leap forward in this journey. Like nothing else I've ever played, the Wii comes closest to achieving the grail of gaming: a home virtual-reality machine.
アトランティック・マンスリーによる「最も影響力の大きなアメリカ人」(転載) (サンクスギビング特集記事) ttp://www.claremont.org/weblog/ The Atlantic's Top 100 Most Influential Americans (Ever)
Their Top 10: 1 Abraham Lincoln 2 George Washington 3 Thomas Jefferson 4 Franklin Delano Roosevelt 5 Alexander Hamilton Soldier, banker, and political scientist, he set in motion an agrarian nation’s transformation into an industrial power. 6 Benjamin Franklin 7 John Marshall The defining chief justice, he established the Supreme Court as the equal of the other two federal branches. 8 Martin Luther King Jr. 9 Thomas Edison 10 Woodrow Wilson
15 Theodore Roosevelt 17 Ronald Reagan 21 Harry Truman 28 Dwight Eisenhower 32 Albert Einstein 39 Rachel Carson 42 Eleanor Roosevelt 48 Robert Oppenheimer 51 Margaret Sanger 54 Bill Gates 66 Elvis Presley 68 James D. Watson(DNA発見者) 75 George Herman “Babe” Ruth 79 Louis Armstrong 81 Margaret Mead(文化人類学者) 88 Enrico Fermi 96 Ralph Nader 99 Richard Nixon
From 2001 to 2003, as China's economy expanded nearly 10% a year, average income for the poorest 10% of the country's households fell 2.5%, according to an analysis by the World Bank that has been presented to the Chinese government. Those roughly 130 million Chinese earn $1 a day or less, the World Bank's global benchmark for poverty.
"This finding is very important. If true, it sheds doubt on the argument that a rising tide lifts all boats," said Bert Hofman, the World Bank's chief economist in China.
Many observers place part of the blame on the way China dismantled its social-welfare system as it phased out state control of the economy -- without building up much to replace it. Health care has become a point of particular concern, as costs shoot up without any widespread system of medical insurance to cover them. Patients who can't pay often-large sums in cash are frequently refused treatment at Chinese hospitals.
"Before the reform period, China's system of social security was already fragile. Now, after the reforms, it has almost entirely disappeared," said Li Zhining, a retired scholar in Beijing. That gives the government few tools to address the income gap, he said. "I think that the disparity between rich and poor in China will be impossible to resolve in a short time."
It is a mistake to think that the market has evaluated the Chinese banking system and found it satisfactory. The market is simply saying that Chinese bank shares represent a good way to speculate on Chinese economic volatility.
The Chinese banking system is still a mess, and it will be years before we can decide otherwise. It will also be years before changes in their share prices tell us much about the fundamental health of the banks. 中国の銀行システムは依然として混乱しており、整理がつくのは何年も先のことであろう。 中国の銀行の基本的な健康状態について株価がそれを示すのも、何年も先のことだろう。 Mr. Pettis is a professor of finance at Peking University.
Which brings us back to Mr. Baker and the rest of the U.S. foreign-policy establishment now urging a new entente with Damascus. It's true that every Administration must deal with the world as it is. But when it comes to Syria, do the sages of the Iraq Study Group really want the Bush Administration to seek the benediction of a country that stirs such mayhem in Beirut?
The bank’s finding was “very significant” in this respect, said Arthur Kroeber, of Dragonomics, a consultancy, in Beijing, as it shows that the argument that a “rising tide lifts all boats” was wrong. “If there is evidence that some people are worse off in absolute terms, then that will be an issue of concern for the government,” he said. 北京のコンサルタント会社 DragonomicsのArthur Kroeberはこの指摘を「非常に重要」と みている。「経済成長が万民を助ける」という議論が誤っていることを意味する為であり 「もし、一部の階層の経済状況が絶対数値で悪化しているという証拠があれば、それは 政府の関心事である」という。
The fall in income for the poor cannot be explained by declining farm incomes, as food prices were rising at a faster rate than urban prices in December 2003. Over the period that the study covers, inflation was low and in one year, 2002, negative. 最貧層の収入減少は農業収入の減少では説明できない。食品価格は2003年12月において都 市部よりも早い速度で農村で上昇している。インフレは低く2002年にはネガティブであっ た。
China, which had relatively even income distribution in 1980 when it embarked on market reforms, is now “less equal” than the US and Russia, using the Gini co -efficient, a standard measure of income disparities. 中国は1980年にあっては収入格差が比較的少なかったが、今ではジニ係数で見て貧富格差 がアメリカやロシアより大きい。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー >>248のWSJ記事と同じ内容を扱う。FTもこの調査結果に問題点を見ているわけで、そ こに政治的インプリケーションがあり得る。
ttp://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1562293,00.html Pelosi's Next Big Call The incoming House Speaker already made a questionable move backing the losing candidate in the race for Majority Leader. Will she stumble again by choosing a member with a checkered past to lead the House Intelligence Committee? By TIMOTHY J. BURGER/WASHINGTON
A Democratic aide says Pelosi has not decided who she will name as chairman of the intelligence panel, but that she was leaning against the current top Democrat, Rep. Jane Harman. Her preferred nominee has long been Hastings, but like Murtha he has his own ethically challenged history. And while the broad outlines of that past are well known, the grimy specifics are only now emerging. 民主党員によればペロシはまだ上院諜報委員会の委員長を決めていないが、現行の民主党の Jane Harmanに反対に傾いているという。彼女のお好みはAlcee Hastings,なのだが、マーサ と同じように汚職の前歴のある人である。しかも、そのことの概要は比較的知られたことで もあるので、その詳細な情報が現れつつある。
(以下にAlcee Hastings議員の過去の問題について説明があって)
Moreover, as was first reported on TIME.com a month ago, Harman has been under investigation by the Justice Department over her links to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and whether they made(ry (後略)
If only economist Milton Friedman were still alive, he would weep at the recent turn of events encompassing Asian politics in recent weeks. No, I am not talking here about North Korea's nuclear weapons or even the US economy's downward spiral, but instead the rising dominance of Asian communists. 経済学者のミルトン・フリードマンが存命であれば、最近のアジアで起こっている政治情況を 見て涙する事であろう。私の言っていることは、北朝鮮の核実験とかアメリカ経済の減速とか そういう事ではなくて、アジアで増大している共産主義者の台頭である。
Even as China confronts its age-old corruption problem and India attempts to re- equalize the playing field, the chief beneficiaries have been diehard communists in these countries. A leftward tilt in Asia spells disaster for the region's growing economies, and will likely herald an era of falling stock and property markets. 中国が長年の腐敗汚職の問題に取り組んでいるとしても、またインドが経済的機会の平等化に 努めているにせよ、それらの国で最も利益を得ているのはダイハードな共産主義者なのだ。 アジアの大国の左向きへの傾斜はアジア地域の成長する経済にとって破滅的であり、恐らくは 株式市場と地価の低下の時代を招くであろう。
The backdrop for this surge in populist policies is surprising. Asian economies have continued to grow, mainly because of the ability of Chinese and Indian consumers to expand their purchases even as the American consumer begins to show signs of self -doubt. The primary factor has been the growth of income inequality, which combined with greater political liberalism has imperiled the current economic equilibrium across the continent. At its most extreme, one thinks of countries such as Nepal, where a communist insurgency has nearly wiped out government infrastructure, replacing it with a parallel state. Similar problems prevail in other parts of Asia, to varying degrees. 台頭する人気取り政策の招く悪影響は驚くべきものだ。アジアの経済は成長していて主原因は 中国とインドの消費者の購買力の向上にある。主要なファクターは収入格差の増大である。こ れが政治的により大きなリベラリズムを含意して、両大国の現在の経済的な均衡をもたらして いる。極端な例として、ネパールのような国をみれば、そこでは共産主義者の台頭が政府のイ ンフラを殆ど壊滅させてしまっている。そこでは並行国家のようなことになっている。同じよ うなことがアジアのほかの地域で、程度の違いを伴って現れている。
All these micro-trends, though, pale in comparison to the surge toward the left in China and India. これらのマイクロ・トレンドはしかし、中国とインドの左向き傾斜に比べるならば、取るに足 りないものである。(後略) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー 中国とインドでコミュニストが台頭して、経済運営は政策指針が左向きになっていて、この ままでは危険であるという、ちょっと他に無いおもすろい評論。筆者が中国とインドにコミ ュニストが台頭しているとする理由は:
Chan Akya は本名なのかペンネームなのか知らないけれど、大昔のChanakyaと関係が あるのかすらん? 古代の Chanakyaは was adviser and prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta (c. 340-293 BC), and architect of his rise to power. ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya
None of what Webb says is new or interesting. He offers no solutions except to say, vaguely, that "it should be the first order of business for the new Congress to begin addressing these divisions." But how? The usual remedy might be the tax code. But there, we're tapped out. The top 1 percent of earners in America pay 34 percent of the personal income taxes (a proportion twice as great as their share of income) while the bottom half of earners pays 3 percent of the taxes.
Webb is not the only one to point out that the income gap in America is widening. It is. And the real reason is not difficult to find: the returns to education, especially college and post-graduate education(ry ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー この反論の言っていることも、それなりに意味のなくは無いことに見えて、アメリカの階級 闘争をめぐる論争が起こりそうな気配だけれど、それはそれで必要なことかも。ある意味で これらの議論は>>260-261 にも通低するような。
A jury convicted Al-Turki of repeatedly sexually abusing the 24-year-old woman during the 4 years she worked as the family's nanny. ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー この事件そのものは、単なる犯罪事件なのだけれど、問題なのは被告がサウジの名門貴族 であることに加えて、"traditional Muslim behaviors" という発言で、イスラムの貴族 というのは、そういう奴隷をもつ伝統があるのかすらん?
Balkenende's Christian Democrats, cashing in on an economic revival and popular measures to crack down on immigration, were predicted to win a wider-than-expected margin over Labor, its closest rival led by Wouter Bos. Balkenendeの指導するクリスチャン・デモクラットは経済活性化や移民に強硬な政策を掲げ 手選挙を戦ってきたが、労働党に勝利すると見られる。
Wednesday's outcome will determine whether the Dutch keep the current government's tough immigration and pro-business program - or opt for a left-leaning Labor-led alliance favoring a softer approach. 今回の選挙は有権者が政権与党の、移民にタフな政策、プロ・ビジネスの政策を支持するか どうかであらそわれてきた。
The biggest winner was the Socialist Party, led by political veteran Jan Marijnissen, which NOS predicted would go from the nine seats it currently holds to 25 seats. その一方で、今回の選挙ではJan Marijnissenの社会主義党が大きく票を伸ばし議席を9から 25にすると見られる。
The price of Syrian co-operation over Iraq, however, may be considered too high if Syria is determined to reassert itself in Lebanon. Hizbullah was already emboldened after withstanding Israel's onslaught in a month-long war earlier this year. イラク安定化の為にシリアの協力を求めると言うのはレバノンの事件がシリアに拠るもの であれば、ゆきすぎだということにもなろう。ヒズボラのイスラエルとの紛争でシリアは それを支援していた。
Yet there are few alternatives available for America in the region. However distasteful co-operation with Syria may be, especially after the killing of Mr Gemayel, it will probably be harder yet to strike a palatable agreement with Iran, given Western-led efforts at the UN to confront that country over its nuclear ambitions. And Syria is likely, in any case, to forge ahead with its own closer ties with Iraq and Iran, while simultaneously working to bring down Lebanon's government. Just what outsiders could do about that, beyond lending support to Mr Siniora's embattled government, is far from clear. しかしこの地域でアメリカの求める代替手段は殆ど無い。シリアとの協力が如何に不愉快とは いえ、得にMr Gemayelの暗殺事件以降はそうだが、イランと満足できるような約束を結ぶこと も難しい。イランには核開発問題もあり国連安保理で対立している折である。シリアはいずれ にせよ、イランとイラクに独自の親密な関係を持ちながらレバノン政府の崩壊を画策している。 レバノンのシニオーラ政権を支援すること意外に、外部がこの関係に対して何が出来るのかと いうのは良くわからない。
HIV AND AIDS ESTIMATES Number of people living with HIV 650 000 [390 000-1 100 000]HIV65万人 Adults aged 15 to 49 HIV prevalence rate 0.1 [<0.2]% Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV 650 000 [390 000-1 100 000]大人65万人 Women aged 15 and up living with HIV 180 000 [90 000-310 000]女性18万人 Deaths due to AIDS 31 000 [18 000-46 000]
[flat-screen TV] Panasonic 42″ plasma EDTV ($1,199) at BestBuy.com.(写真)
Across the nation, men are pressed up against the glass of electronics stores waiting for that glorious day when the price on giant flat-screen TVs comes down. Retailers, running low on Windex, have heeded the call. Best Buy and Wal-Mart plan to offer 42 -inch LCD or plasma TVs for less than $1,000 after Thanksgiving, according to the retailers’ post-Thanksgiving ads and listings on sites like GottaDeal.com. For those who can’t wait and want that TV for Thanksgiving Day football and parade viewing, the best deals on 42-inch flat-screen TVs are currently at Wal-Mart ($1,088) and Best Buy ($1,199). Analysts at Goldman Sachs estimate that flat-panel prices are falling more than 30% a year.
The gimmick this time is what Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns calls a "program of global partners" all banded together in loose collaboration with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). US diplomats are so enthusiastic about the idea that they plan to present it formally when NATO members meet next week in the Latvian capital of Riga. アメリカの考えた仕掛けは、国務省のニコラス・バーンズ次官の言うところの「グローバル パートナー・プログラム」で、NATOに緩い形で参加させるというもの。アメリカの外交 官箱はこアイデアに熱中して来週のリガのNATOサミットでこれを疲労するという熱の入 れようである。
・・but analysts see it as a fallback position that the US is promoting after the failure to draw South Korea into the PSI. The PSI already has about 70 countries committed to sharing intelligence and using force if necessary to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions, but South Korea balked at any program that might antagonize Pyongyang - and jeopardize Seoul's efforts at North-South rapprochement. これはアメリカが韓国をPSIに参加させることに失敗した為に代替案として位置づけられ るとアナリストは見ている。PSIは既に70ヶ国の参加があり情報を共有し武力を用いて北 朝鮮の核拡散を防止できる体制を準備する。しかし韓国は北朝鮮の反感を買うような如何な る計画にもしり込みする。
The whole idea, he said, was "so that we can train more intensively, from a military point of view, and grow closer to them because we are deployed with them". All the countries he named, he noted, were "very interested in working more closely with NATO" while "working with us politically from time to time to talk about the strategic landscape of the world, where the threats are occurring". バーンズ次官によればNATOのパートナーとして「軍事的に見てより集中的な訓練が出来 より相互の距離を縮めることが出来る」全ての候補国が「NATOと親密に活動することに 興味を示している」「我々と一緒に政治的に行動することによって、世界の戦略的な見方や 脅威が何処で起こっているかなどを話し合うことが出来る」
The US appeared to have fallen back on this plan after analyzing the statement on North Korea that emerged last weekend from the annual meeting in Hanoi of the Asia -Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group. After all the posturing was done, none of the assembled potentates wanted to do a thing, in practical terms, to stop North Korea from brandishing the nuclear threat. アメリカはAPEC会合の後、状況を分析した。実効的な意味ではどの国も北朝鮮の核の脅 威を阻止する行動に出ようとしないので、この代替策を持ち出しているように見える。 (後略)
I have never seen a bunch of non-gamers get into this stuff like this, and I have never heard anybody laugh so much while playing any video game. A few of them now say they plan to buy the system for themselves.
Give a couple of newlyweds a pair of Wii controllers, pop in the boxing game and the entertainment value is priceless.
The PLAN’s primary mission in such a situation would be that of “sea denial” through an “active offshore defense.” Such a strategy calls for submarines to be deployed and maintained on station in the East China Sea so as to delay, or prevent, the carriers’ advance. U.S. naval commanders, wary of the threat posed by the submarines, would be forced to conduct time-intensive ASW operations to ensure the safe transit of their ships into the operating areas around Taiwan and the safe operation of their ships once on station.
The 2004 and 2006 incidents, however, may indeed have resulted from a deliberate Chinese decision to “send a message” to the United States and perhaps to Japan about the capability of PLAN submarines to track opposing surface ships. Indeed, Beijing may be using these encounters to send a signal to Washington, cautioning it against intervening in a Taiwan scenario.
If China was trying to “send a message” by having the Han surface in 2004, and the Song surface in 2006, it may not have understood its own “lesson,” assuming an unjustified level of confidence in its submariners’ abilities. Yet this does not discount the significantly increased professionalism and capability of China’s submarine force, demonstrated in the 2004 and 2006 incidents nor Beijing’s seriousness about employing that force as the primary instrument for pursuing a strategy of sea denial. In a potential Taiwan scenario, China clearly believes that submarines offer it the most efficacious means of confronting U.S. (or other opposing) naval strength when issues of vital national security are at issue.
The probe comes during a backlash in Asia against overseas investors, fueling accusations that prosecutors targeted Lone Star to curry favor with politicians and others who view such firms as profiteering interlopers, enriching themselves at the expense of locals. Such nationalistic sentiments are especially acute here. この事件の捜査はアジア諸国への外資の投資のバックラッシュともいうべき現象を示してい て、ローンスターのような企業が侵入者として、暴利をむさぼり国内の損失を犠牲に金儲けを しているといった政治家や其他の人たちの非難によって検察当局が後押しされている。 韓国では、そうしたナショナリスティックなセンチメントが特に顕著である。
There is no denying the anger here over profits foreign investors have reaped selling assets acquired at fire-sale prices after the Asian crisis. The outrage has focused on the use of shelters by Lone Star and others to avoid capital-gains taxes in both Korea and the U.S., where many private-equity funds are based. アジア金融危機の後で、外資が安値で獲得した資産を売って利益を上げることに対して韓国で は明瞭な怒りがある。現在ローンスター事件での激怒はキャピタルゲインに課税される税金を 回避する為に使ったメカニズムに焦点が合わされている。(後略) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー WSJは韓国の検察側と、ローンスターの企業幹部側の両者の言い分を掲載し、記者の観察 と解説を付け加えている。記事のトーンは明確に韓国の検察当局と政治家を批判するもので ナショナリスムの巻き戻しだとする。
If they take him into custody, he would happily parody the high-profile detention of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest in Myanmar, formerly Burma, right next door. もしタイ新政権がタクシン前首相を自宅軟禁すれば、前首相は幸運にも、隣国ミャンマー のアウンサン・スーチーと同じようなことになるというパロディが起こる。
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr. has enlisted Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chairman, to join an unusual high-profile delegation of U.S. cabinet members to China next month to press for changes in Chinese economic policies long criticized by the Bush administration and Congress, officials said. 財務長官で前ゴールドマン・サックス社長であるポールソン氏は、来月中国を訪問する代表 団にFRBのバーナンキ議長を参加させると発表した。中国の経済政策についてアメリカ政 府の閣僚級メンバーに加えてFRB議長と言う豪華版の訪問団になる。 ・・・・ ・・・・ "This is such a high-level delegation that it's going to raise the bar for China, especially on issues of currency, by demonstrating the breadth of our economic interdependence," said Michael Green, a former director of Asian policy under President George W. Bush. "It's a smart strategy by Paulson, and it's showing the Chinese enormous respect." 前NSCのアジア部長であるマイケル・グリーン氏は「この訪問団が、ここまでハイレベル なメンバーになれば、中国にとって敷居を上げる事になる。米中の経済相互依存の深さを誇 示することにもなり、通貨レートの問題などについては特に中国に対して対応は容易でなく なるだろう」と述べた。「これはポールソン氏の賢い戦略で、中国人に大きな敬意を示して いる」(後略)
All Ordinaries 5,432.50 10:19PM ET Down 9.10 (0.17%)↓オーストラリア Shanghai Composite 2,039.16 9:49PM ET Down 23.20 (1.12%)↓上海 Hang Seng 19,263.01 9:20PM ET Down 2.31 (0.01%)↓香港 BSE 30 13,680.83 5:28AM ET 0.00 (0.00%)インド Jakarta Composite 1,710.88 10:20PM ET Up 6.75 (0.40%)↑インドネシア KLSE Composite 1,052.44 10:20PM ET Up 5.93 (0.57%)↑マレーシア Nikkei 225 15,694.55 9:30PM ET Down 219.68 (1.38%)↓東京 NZSE 50 3,845.61 10:19PM ET Down 11.39 (0.30%)↓ニュージーランド Straits Times 2,829.23 10:20PM ET Down 9.25 (0.33%)↓シンガポール Seoul Composite 1,415.68 10:20PM ET Down 3.55 (0.25%)↓韓国 Taiwan Weighted 7,396.76 10:20PM ET Up 12.07 (0.16%)↑台湾
Yucaipa arranged for Clinton to make a speech at a Teamsters conference in 2003, and later Clinton urged Teamsters President James Hoffa Jr. to trust Burkle and present him with possible deals. Result: This spring Yucaipa paid $100 million to buy a controlling stake in Allied Holdings, a trucking outfit in bankruptcy proceedings. "Clinton got it to the point where Hoffa actually helped us with that deal, something I couldn't have gotten on my own," Burkle says. [E.A.] Ron Burkleのビジネスを助けるようにクリントンがJames Hoffa Jrに依頼したことがあって 二人はとても仲が良い。
So Hoffa helps Clinton with a deal that makes Clinton and Burkle money. And if Hoffa needs something in a few years from President Hillary Clinton's White House ... そういうつきあいなのでヒラリー大統領になれば影のスポーンサーJames Hoffa Jr.に注目かも。
(2)ナンシー・ペロシのドタバタ劇場
Help Nancy! David Corn outlines Speaker-elect Pelosi's self-made dilemma when it comes to choosing the chairman of the House Intelligence committee. She doesn't want to pick the ranking Democrat, Jane Harman, for reasons the LAT attempts to divine here. Instead, she's led the Congressional Black Caucus to believe she'll instead choose Alcee Hastings, the next-ranking member. But Hastings was impeached and removed from the federal bench for corruption in the 1980s. The Democrats' more conservative "blue dog" faction has written a letter in support of Harman. The CBC has reaffirmed its support for Hastings. What to do? ナンシー・ペロシが上院諜報委員会委員長に、何かと悪名高いAlcee Hastingsを押しているが 民主党のブルードッグ派が大反対、対抗馬のJane Harmanを押している。Alcee Hastingsは議会 の黒人議員会議(CBC:Congressional Black Caucus)の支援を受けている。
ここへきて事態を収拾するために第三者に上院諜報委員会の委員長を任命するというアイデア も出てきて、第三者とはSanford Bishop. Amy Holmes, appearing Tuesday on Hannity and Colmes, came up with a more ingenious solution: Pelosi could reach out and give the job to Rep. Sanford Bishop. ・・・ In short: Choose Bishop, and CBC is happy and the Blue Dogs are happy. And Pelosi is happy (because she's screwed Harman).
Update: Time's Timothy Burger mentioned a possible Bishop gambit yesterday also. .. 7:08 P.M. link
It is about making video games accessible again by providing a simple, intuitive, relatively inexpensive entertainment experience that an entire family can actually enjoy together. At that, the Wii succeeds admirably.
ポスト紙は東京発の記事で、和食店と銘打ちながら実際にはアジア料理を融合したものなど を出しているレストランが世界各地で増え続けているのを受け、和食の認証制度が設けられ ることになったと解説。一方で、こうした措置は、再び高まりつつある日本のナショナリズ ム(民族主義)の表れと見る向きもあると報じた。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/23/AR2006112301158.html Putting the Bite On Pseudo Sushi And Other Insults Japan Plans to Scrutinize Restaurant Offerings Abroad By Anthony Faiola Washington Post Foreign Service Friday, November 24, 2006; Page A01
Some observers here have suggested that the government's new push for food purity overseas is yet another expression of resurgent Japanese nationalism.
記事を書いているのは普通、反日風味の強い記事を書くことで知られるWaPoの東京特派員 Anthony Faiolaで、記事には上のフレーズがあるけれど、ナショナリズムと言う言葉が使われ ているのはこの一文のみ。2ページの記事で、それ以外は比較的まともな記事。時事通信の記者 のバイアスの方が酷いようにも思える。
Mr. Abe isn't agitating for a wholesale restructuring of the tax code; rather, he's more likely to tinker at the margins, like his predecessors. His government has floated cutting corporate tax cuts to the mid-30% range from 40%, "like Europe," and putting off consumption tax hikes until 2008. 安倍首相は税制の全面改革を言っているわけではない。彼の言っているのは小泉首相と同じ ように部分的な修繕に過ぎない。企業の法人税を40%ではなく30%台半ばに、「ヨーロッパ並 み」にすることを言っている。そして消費税引き上げを2008年以降に先送りしている。
That's not enough. Japan may be steadily recovering from a decade-long slump, but it's far from out of the woods. Consumption is softening, as are inflationary pressures. Wage growth isn't picking up as fast as most economists expected. GDP growth is forecast at around 2% growth next year. While that's steady, it's not stellar. それでは不十分なのであって、日本経済は十数年来の不況から回復過程にあるとはいえ、完全 な回復には程遠い状況である。個人消費は弱くなっており、インフレ傾向も弱い。賃金の成長 はエコノミストの期待したように回復してはいない。GDP成長は来年も2%程度と予測されて いる。それは着実であるが素晴らしいとはいえない。
The tax commission will release its recommendations next month. We'd recommend that Mr. Abe's government take his direction from the markets, not the policy mandarins. 税制審議会は来月の勧告を発表するのだが、WSJは安倍内閣が株式市場からの警告を、官僚 の意見より優先することを望みたい。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー これはずいぶん以前からのことなのだけれど、アメリカの保守派の経済論壇では財務省系、日 銀系の論者の評価は高くはなくて、社会主義者とか、共産主義者とか、大きな政府論者とみな されているように思ふ。
Former President Amin Gemayel lost a son, but he became a father of the country when he issued a call for calm just hours after Pierre Gemayel's assassination. His concern for his country and his people was again demonstrated during his son's funeral, when he announced that the "countdown for the election of a new president has begun." Gemayel came to the defense of an abused nation by making clear that Emile Lahoud is not accepted as president by the Lebanese people, not even among the Christians who he purportedly represents.
As this newspaper has repeatedly stated, the best thing that Lahoud could do for the sake of the country would be to engineer the peaceful termination of his presidency. His failure to do so - along with the parliamentary majority's failure to agree on a viable candidate to replace him - have in large part contributed to the current political crisis. ディリースター紙が繰り返してきたとおり、Lahoud 氏が国の為にすべきことは、その大統領職 を平和裏に終えるべく工夫することである。彼はそうすることに失敗し、議会多数派は合意でき る候補者の選択に失敗してきた。そのことが、現在の政治危機の大きな原因のひとつである。
Fadi Abboud, head of the Lebanese Industrialists Association, expressed the gravity of the situation when he issued a warning to the political class that the country's businesses can no longer tolerate perennial instability. レバノン産業協会会長のFadi Abboudがこの問題の核心を述べていて、彼はレバノンの政治家達 に警告して、継続する不安定性はビジネス界からみて許容しがたいと述べている。 (中略)
Two state-affiliated Iranian newspapers weighed in on the matter of the most recent killing in front-page articles which accused the United States and Israel of assassinating Gemayel in order to destabilize Lebanon. If that is indeed the case, then Iran ought to be willing to give its full public support to the UN tribunal. イランの国営新聞2紙が、一面記事にレバノンの暗殺事件を取り上げ、アメリカとイスラエルが レバノンの不安定化の為にGemayel氏を暗殺したと非難している。もしそういう事であるのなら イランは国連の国際司法裁判所に対して完全な支持を与えるべきであろう。
The perpetrators of Gemayel's murder - whether American, Israeli, Syrian, Lebanese or otherwise - should be forced to stand trial and be prosecuted just like any other suspected assassins. Gemayel氏暗殺事件の犯人たちは、それがアメリカ人であれイスラエル人であれ、シリア人であ れ、レバノン人であれ、あるいは他の人であれ、暗殺事件の犯人として司法によって裁かれなく てはならない。(後略) ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー イランの新聞がそういう事を言っているとは愉快。CIAとモサドというのは何かを適当に非 難するときに使われる謀略論者の便利な存在ではあろうけれど。
24日の東京外国為替市場の円相場は一時、22日午後5時比1円28銭円高・ドル安の 1ドル=116円18銭まで上昇した。約2カ月ぶりの円高水準。午後5時時点は同1円 14銭円高・ドル安の1ドル=116円32〜35銭。一方、東京債券市場は、円高によ る株安を嫌気した資金が流れ込み、長期金利が下落した。 ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー ttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB116437269826332010.html?mod=rss_markets_main Euro Surges to 19-Month High By ISABELLE LINDENMAYER November 24, 2006 8:30 a.m.
WSJ:ユーロが対ドルで19ヶ月の高値
The euro surged through the key psychological $1.30 level Friday morning, increasing the likelihood that the currency will end the year higher than most forecasts. ユーロガ高値をつけ、対ドルで心理的な節目である$1.30を金曜日に突破するかもしれず、今 年の相場を大方の予想を超えて高値で終わるとの見通しが出ている。
アメリカの景気後退とECBが金利上昇を図るであろうとの予測からユーロ高となっている。
Currency traders say the euro needs to close the day above $1.30 to show that the move is a sustainable break out of the recent six-month trading range of $1.2430 to $1.2980. Currency strategists say the euro then will need to break through several significant resistance levels before it returns to its all time high of $1.3666, which was reached in December 2004. 金曜日に$1.30を超えて終われば、ユーロ高の動きが維持され6ヶ月間のトレーディングレンジ である$1.2430 から $1.2980を上向きに破る動きとなる。2004年12月の高値は$1.3666であるが その領域に達するには大変多くの厳しい抵抗にあうだろうと通貨ストラテジストはみている。
Radiation tests after spy death Police and health experts probing the death of the Russian ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko are searching various locations for radioactive material.
"You may succeed in silencing one man. But a howl of protest from around the world will reverberate, Mr Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life," the ex-spy said in a statement read out by friends in front of the London hospital where he died overnight of organ failure. プーチン非難の遺書を残すあたりは、まさにスパイ小説さながらと言うか・・・
Jewish Russian-born oil tycoon Leonid Nevzlin expressed his "deepest condolences" Friday to Alexander Litvinenko, the ex-Russian spy who died of an apparent poisoning at a London hospital, and seemed to implicate the Kremlin in his death.
"I knew the deceased personally," said Nevzlin. "Alexander had information on crimes committed with the Russian government's direct participation," he continued. "He only recently gave me and my attorneys documents that shed light on the most significant aspects of the Yukos affair."
Nevzlin went on to say that he believed it was his duty to assist in the comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of Litvinenko's death, adding, "I am passing these documents on to the investigative authorities of Great Britain."
Nevzlin was a former head of the giant oil company Yukos, which was established in 1993 after the fall of communism and was responsible for 20 percent of Russia's oil output.
キッシンジャーがワシントン・ポストに寄稿して、 前スレで話題になつたが電子化されなかつた文章 「北朝鮮を非核化するには―外交で平壌への圧力を維持し、枝葉の問題を避けよ」 Denuclearizing North Korea Diplomacy Has to Keep Up the Pressure on Pyongyang and Avoid the Side Issues Henry Kissinger Washington Post (Nov. 12, 2006), B7. 数千マイルを隔て、かなり重複する面々が行なふ二つの交渉が、世界秩序の展望 を決め得る。米中露日と南北朝鮮が北京で北朝鮮の核開発計画について交渉する 一方、いはゆるE-3(独仏英)はウィーンでイランの核開発計画を同国の交渉人と 時々談判してゐる。朝鮮についての外交交渉には急進展の見込みがあるが、イラン との会談は行き詰まつてゐる。 両国の核開発計画には相違点がある。(本稿の主題である)北朝鮮は核兵器 開発の意思を公認し、核爆発装置を実験した。イランは全く平和利用のためと 言ひ張り、核兵器を製造できるとは主張していない。 他方、同じ基本的問題が二つの交渉に共通してゐる。国連安保理常任理事国 五箇国と独日が北韓とイランの説得に失敗すれば、世界は破局の淵に追はれる。 これらの交渉は、外交とは独特の内在的法則により行なはれるべきか、圧力と動機 付けの均衡によるべきかといふ、昔からの議論を再開させた。国際原子力機関を 率いるモハメド・エルバラデイは北朝鮮への制裁の有効性に疑問を呈し、外交への 選好を表明してゐる。同様に、セルゲイ・ラヴロフ露外相は、一旦原則的同意を 与へた欧州の対イラン制裁案について、圧力は外交の展望を損なふとの理由で、 支持を表明してゐない。
ttp://blogs.wsj.com/holidaysales/ November 24, 2006, 1:30 pm 今年は特売日の売り場に男が多いわけだが・・ It’s a Guy Thing 今年の特売日の売り場には、例年に比べて男性が多く、普通の年の2-3倍だという。 ひとつの理由は、今年の目玉商品が42インチなど大型フラットスクリーンTV ($1000以下)なので、その警護と、運搬用に、男性を従わせた女性が多いからである。
WaPo(RCP転載):アメリカは中東を救済することが出来ない By ディビッド・イグナチウス A disease is eating away at the Middle East. It afflicts the Syrians, the Iraqis, the Lebanese, even the Israelis. It is the idea that the only political determinant in the Arab world is raw force -- the power of physical intimidation. It is politics as assassination. 病魔が中東を襲っている。シリア人を苦しめ、イラク人、レバノン人、更にイスラエル国民 までも苦しめている。アラブ世界の政治的な決着をもたらすものは暴力のみであるという考 え方がはびこっていて、それは暗殺を許容する政治的な考えである。
Many of the assassins' victims have been colleagues or people I knew as a reporter: Many of the assassins' victims have been colleagues or people I knew as a reporter: Bashir Gemayel, Rafiq Hariri, Samir Kassir, Gebran Tueni.. 私は記者として、暗殺に倒れた人たちと知り合っている。Bashir Gemayel, Rafiq Hariri, Samir Kassir, Gebran Tueniなどの政治家である。
The sickness must end. The people of the Middle East are destroying themselves, literally and figuratively, with the politics of assassination. So many things are going right in the modern world -- until we reach the boundaries of the Middle East where the gunmen hide in wait. この病は終わらせなくてはならない。中東の人々は自分自身で自己を破壊している。比喩的に 言っても、文字通りに言ってもそうである。銃をもつ暗殺者が、待ち構える中東に足を踏み入 れるまでは、我々は、近代社会では多くのことが正しく行なわれていると言い得る。
The Middle East needs the rule of law -- not an order preached by outsiders but one demanded by Arabs who will not tolerate more of this killing. Any leader or nation who aspires to play a constructive role in the region's future must embrace this idea of legal accountability. 中東は法の支配が必要である。それは外部から説教されるべきことではなくて、こうした暴力 をこれ以上許容しないアラブの人たちの要求として求めらるべきことである。中東の指導者や 中東の将来を建設的に担う国は、法治主義に基礎を置かなくてはならない。
But the killers always seem to win in Lebanon. That's the cynics' rejoinder, and looking at the record of the past quarter-century, it's hard to argue otherwise. The healthy parts of Arab life keep being overwhelmed by the sickness. The more America and its allies try to support the forces of moderation, the more they seem to undermine them. Western ideas about democratic progress instantly produce deadly antibodies in the Arab body. The disease keeps winning. しかし殺人者がいつもレバノンで勝利するようだ。それは皮肉屋の言い草だが、過去四半世 紀を振り返ってみれば、そういう以外に無い。アメリカとその同盟国がアラブ世界の穏健化 を支援しようとすれば、事態がより悪化するかのように見える。西欧の民主主義のアイデア はアラブの身体には致死的な抗体を生じしめる。そして病魔が勝ち続ける。
The idea that America is going to save the Arab world from itself is seductive, but it's wrong. We have watched in Iraq an excruciating demonstration of our inability to stop the killers. We aren't tough enough for it, or smart enough -- and in the end it isn't our problem. The hard work of building a new Middle East will be done by the Arabs, or it won't happen. What would be unforgivable would be to assume that, in this part of the world, the rule of law is inherently impossible. アメリカがアラブ世界を救済できると言う考えは魅力的だガ、誤っている。我々はイラクで 我々が殺人者を阻止できないという耐え難いデモンストレーションを見ることになった。我 々は充分にタフではないか、あるいは賢明ではないか、そうではあるにせよ結局のところは (アラブの暴力政治文化は)我々の問題ではないのだ。新しい中東を建設する困難な作業は アラブ人によって行なわれる事であろうが、あるいは、それは起こらないのかもしれない。 許容できないことは、中東においては法の支配は本質的に不可能だと承認することである。
Scott Krugman, vice president of the National Retail Federation, said in an interview on Washington Post Radio this morning that the federation's survey of Christmas shopping plans indicates people will spend around $791 dollars on gifts this year -- up from about $738 last year. ttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112400379_2.html