Read About W-N NP story on W-N Contact W-N and Map Invite to Wed1325 Wednesday Night Salon #1325 27 June Page 2 Introduction Reg Wisser photo imgs John Herity imgs The Report Climate change and national boundaries The visible effects of environmental change are becoming more evident with the current heat and flooding in the U.K. and Europe. Less obvious, perhaps is its potential effect, in combination with geopolitical developments, on national boundaries, particularly the state and national limits in international waterways, involving jurisdiction and ownership of underwater mineral deposits. A Russian expedition has set out to explore and claim the Arctic based on the continental shelf, by planting a Russian flag on the seabed at the North Pole, which could be detrimental to Canada’s claim. [Editor’s note: the expedition has already suffered a setback when a research ship broke down within hours of leaving Murmansk] It is believed, however, that Russia’s position is negotiable if Canada is sufficiently astute to recognize its best course is defending its own position. Crimes of aggression & the ICC The relationship between victory and spoils has become a cliché and while the enslavement of the citizens of the vanquished states is no longer an option, the tendency to try and execute the leaders of the losing side remains strong, with the winners defining the rules. Although the United Nations Security Council is a useful tool limited by the possibility of decisions being vetoed, the establishment of the International Criminal Court, its purpose being to prosecute individuals for war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity and aggression, is seen as a positive step. Created in 1998, the International Criminal Court came into being in 2002 to prosecute crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes and crimes of aggression. However, the definition of the crime of aggression remains unresolved. Perhaps because of a not unrealistic fear of reprisals against the actions of its own leaders, the United States has not joined, although President Clinton had signed it. The American people, nevertheless, appear to have pressured their government into not using its Security Council veto to prevent the Court’s investigation into the genocide in Darfur. It remains to be seen, in light of the actions of Al Qu’aeda and the situation in Pakistan, whether the law is the correct frame to look at the big social geo-strategic problems? Can the Law attribute responsibility in the correct way? Nonetheless, the criminalization of war has been a persistent theme since the Treaty of Versailles and the prosecution of the Kaiser. Despite the appearance of relative calm, Rwanda is a powder keg ready to explode. Peace appeared to have followed the 1994 genocide of an approximately one million people, but it seems that when the rebel army of liberation overcame the Hutu militias, the soldiers carried out widespread attacks against the civilian population, which have never been prosecuted. Although there are currently many laudatory reports regarding its stability, the reality of the situation is that the Kagamé régime is an apartheid régime with 15% (Hutu) of the population controlling the other 85% (Tutsi), while the violence has been temporarily exported to other African countries, notably the DRC The Stock Market Yesterday saw a sharp drop in the stock market. There is bound to be a reaction following a steep upward climb but the reality is that people don’t have much choice as to where to place their money and so they will continue to invest and the markets will continue to rise. Opportunities are still to be found in the emerging markets, where growth is about 2.5 times greater than in our markets, such as Brazil, Korea, Thailand and Taiwan, not fully taken advantage of by investors. Energy markets are much more defensive than they have been but are still growing. It is predicted that the United States dollar will continue to weaken. Wednesday Night Monetary Guru, Jacques Clément predicts that by mid 2008, the Canadian dollar will be at a premium against its U.S. counterpart. China Some Wednesday Nighters with experience of doing business in China see it as living in a bubble, a treacherous place to do business, with very little legal protection for foreign entrepreneurs for patent protection or intellectual property rights. Western firms have generally not done well there, but keep coming back for reasons of image, frequently offering their products to the Chinese market at drastically reduced prices. The recent health and safety issues regarding exports from China to the West in a wide range of goods have raised concerns about quality control across the board. In a classically Chinese solution to the scare over fake medicines, China executed its former chief drug regulator, which doesn’t solve the problem but is intended as a sign that the government takes the question seriously. More appropriate action has been taken by closing several firms at the heart of the food and drug scares. Observers also note that in an effort to obtain bargaining chips, China has seized upon a statement by the Director-General of WHO, Margaret Chan, that the organization receives some 200 complaints about food-safety issues each month, and has accused the U.S. of exporting flawed pork and poultry Healthcare With the exception of such diseases as asthma caused by the deterioration of air quality, more people are living longer, many with a better quality of life, due in large part to preventive measures, diet and technology. Robotic surgery will play an increasing part in the successful maintenance of life, especially as younger surgeons acquire and improve the technology. Security of Infrastructures Since Hurricane Katrina, almost two years ago, although security procedures have been updated, very little appears to have been done by governments to secure the infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable areas. Among other known problems, the levees in New Orleans were shown to be incapable of handling a storm of that magnitude. The location of the 911 system resulted in its being knocked out - couldn’t operate under 8 feet of water, but was rapidly replaced and operational. In other places, 911 systems have been installed without backup power. In Québec, the current apparent negligence in maintaining our infrastructure appears to have been a result of the universal appeal to the public of funding more pleasing, readily visible projects. Conrad Black As Lord Black faces possible jail time , Wednesday Nighters debate and weigh the justice of that possible penalty and whether it would be determined by the nature and importance of the crime, arrogance, jealousy or making an example of an individual who, although perhaps guilty, may have suffered greater consequences than others before him for similar offenses. The outcome of the appeal process is eagerly anticipated. Thursday 25 Apr 2007 To day NYT Podcast | Menu Radio Like the report of Mark Twain's death, reports of the death of radio –at least FM – are greatly exaggerated. Real estate Bulletin Board www.flickr.com More of davidnicholson's photos tagged with Wed1325 Wed 1325 slide show Canadian dollar is expected to decline against its U.S. counterpart. The economy See also JACQUES CLEMENT: Pages ON THE ECONOMY Previous Videos Notes by Herb Bercovitz OWN Editor: Diana Thébaud Nicholson OWN Radio, the long-lasting treasure intro Wed1325 | Wed1325 slide show Oil DTN OWN more Louise | DTN Diana Nicholson OWN slides | hands | all | & Louise 3-M slides | albums | all Jacques Clément OWN slides Gerald Ratzer OWN Note Wednesday-Night creates charts and follows stocks, including timely related financial news items, in which Wednesday Nighters are interested and in order to demonstrate a service that could eventually be developed and marketed. Wednesday Nighters are invited to participate and help to test the service. see Wednesday-Night.com Flip charts QUOTES of the EVENING from recent Wednesday Nights 2007 From #1325 invite It’s not a Bush problem, it’s an American problem. He is playing double or nothing. He is trying to shift the responsibility from the Coalition to the Iraqis New York City has more police officers than Iraq has troops More Quotes Short | Full List www.flickr.com This is a Flickr badge showing public photos from davidnicholson tagged with diananicholson. Make your own badge here. Diana Nicholson Past Quotes Best or All Mouse bio see Diana show hands | RJG | Album Herb Bercovitz OWN Galbraith imges his page See slides | Album and Art slides | Album W-N Links for #1325 a NewYorker Cartoon every 30 sec. see w-n Right Menu => Harper's Home 2007 Notes for #1325 Chariots of Fire: ad for movie Sunday 29 July 2007 VANCOUVER: YOGA TOGS FIRM HAS GOOD FIRST DAY AT TSX Friday was the first day of trading in Lululemon Athletics Inc. stock which fared well. Shares for the firm that makes yoga clothing were trading at $29.47. The shares were offered at $18 for Lululemon's IPO which raised US$327.6 million. The company was founded in Vancouver in 1998 and has 59 stores and revenue for the financial year ending in January of $149 million. Lululemon hopes to open 25 Canadian stores this year and 35 in 2008 in both Canada and the U.S. Thursday 26 July 2007 The International Monetary Fund predicts China will become the largest driver of world economic growth this year. Revised IMF figures released indicate that China's economy will expand by 11.2 per cent this year, 1.2 points above the IMF's World Economic Outlook published in April. In contrast, the IMF lowered its 2007 forecast for the United States, the world's biggest economy, to 2.0 per cent. 26 Jul 2007. Canadian Armed Forces and the Inuit Arctic Rangers on patrol near Pangnertung, protecting Canada's northlands. By Robert Galbraith Rex Murphy's Point of View index Menu to mitworld.mit.edu/ on-demand videos of significant public events at MIT. in RealPlayer Ex Thomas L. Friedman. While you were Seeping The World IS Flat Video length is 1:15:04. Stephen S. Poloz VP EDC Economics Weekly Commentary Exports to South America Booming - July 25, 2007 Canada's exports have been stuck in low gear for some time, and the strong dollar and U.S. slowdown point to more weakness ahead. But our exports to South America are booming. It has only been seven years since much of South America was in the throes of financial crisis. For Argentina, which avoided devaluation back in 1999, only to succumb three years later, the recovery has been even more recent. Past issues | his WN page Commentary podcast. Wednesday-Night.com on Privacy Canadian dollar vs euro | Dow 30 w-n chart | TSX Fed Parties Stéphan Dion | Stevie Harper Erika Eriksson Wed1325 25 July 2007 with Reg Weiser ...Some Wednesday Nighters with experience of doing business in China see it as living in a bubble, a treacherous place to do business, and Noah Weisbord who talked on the Created in 1998, of the International Criminal Court to prosecute crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes and crimes of aggression. However, the definition of the crime of aggression remains unresolved. and how Rwanda is a powder keg ready to explode imgs and Global Warming by Cleo Paskal soon come first mention here at her page Udo Stundner OWN, our Swiss Banker and Dr. Linda Leith see her page and Filmmaker John Curtin a winer for film on Life and Times on Terry Mosher Dangerous When Provoked also Germain Bourgeois and Dr. Andre Pasternac OWN, then also Claudia Viereck, and Louise des Trois Maisons , Frank Kruzich mines & metals on camera and flickr with Jacques Clément OWN. -Report. Notes by Herb Bercovitz and see click for Wed1325Report | flickr | pan 1325 pan 16193x2336 NYT Podcast 20th weekend biz | Fri 27 July | 26th | Wednessday 25th | 24th | 23rd Mon | 21st | Fri 20 | Menu Jacques Clément Mkt Wed1319 video 9:35 dee see also Wednesday-Night.com MedicalNotes Would you like to the Computer Box Click Here To Add Wed1325page2.asp To Your Favorites More Info About... Read Cookie for Site Please click here to see new/updated pages since last visit www.iedm.org/ coming Events Wed1314 report Wed1325 invite Wed1326 invite The views above are neither those of the authors nor the owner of the website, but merely reflect discussions that took place on this evening