TresSugar

Myanmar Releases 9,002 Prisoners, Plus Democracy Activist

CitizenSugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:00:49 -0700

Still reeling from the effects of the cyclone this Spring, rats and all, Myanmar's junta has released 9,002 prisoners in a gesture they say is full of "loving kindness and goodwill," despite the fact that many doubt political prisoners will be in those numbers. One exception, Myanmar's longest serving political prisoner, Win Tin, who has been held since 1989. The 78-year-old spoke following his release from a friend's house saying, "I have to continue with my unfinished task of trying to achieve democracy in Myanmar."

Oddly, that very "democracy" seems to have sparked the release of the 9,002 prisoners as the junta, who have ruled uncontested since 1962, say they released them in order to take part in elections set for 2010 as part of their seven-step "roadmap to democracy." Skepticism on that roadmap, abounds, and that it's nothing but a charade set to cement the military's power.

That military power just earned the country a dubious honor, and a big donation from Brad Pitt. To see what they won, read more.

Myanmar has just claimed the penultimate spot on the new list of most corrupt countries, barely edging out Somalia (the bottom) and tying with Iraq. Transparency International released the new Global Corruption Report, showing that Myanmar has become even more corrupt than it was last year. The spokesperson for TI says it's not just bad behavior, corruption can be fatal, “In the poorest countries, corruption levels can mean the difference between life and death, when money for hospitals or clean water is in play.”

Understanding that need, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have donated $1 million to the charity Human Rights Watch, earmarked for work in Myanmar and Zimbabwe. The executive director of HRW said, "Burma and Zimbabwe are two of the most repressive countries in the world and we need to increase international pressure on them to change. Brad and Angelina's investment in our work at this critical moment will allow intensified efforts by our researchers to expose the repression that these governments try to keep hidden and by our advocates to generate the global pressure needed to improve people's lives." Earlier this month, the couple gave $2 million to fund a children's home in Ethiopia.

Do you believe the release of the 9,002 prisoners is a step toward democracy?

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Front Page: Bush to Announce Troop Levels, Thai PM Told to Resign, Kim Jong-Il's Health Questioned

CitizenSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:00:05 -0700

Bush on Troop Levels:
In moments, President Bush is set to order a reduction of 8,000 more combat and support troops out of Iraq by February, leaving about the same level for the rest of the year. Bush's address today may be the final stamp on the war during his presidency. Of the 146,000 US troops in Iraq, there have been hints that troops could come home in the first half of 2009 if conditions improve.

Thai PM Told to Resign:
The Thai Prime Minister has been ordered to resign after being found guilty of constitutional misdeeds on a TV cooking show. He was found to have violated the ban on ministers having outside interests by accepting money to host the show. His entire cabinet must step down as well.

Kim Jong-Il's Health Questioned:
North Korea's 60th anniversary today is marked by boasts of its "war-deterring" nuclear capabilities, and questions whether its leader, Kim Jong-Il would appear. No plans for the massive military parades usually seen have been made, and Kim Jong-Il hasn't been seen in public since mid-August. The conspicuous absence raises questions of his health.

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Which Countries Are Most Corrupt? Not New Zealand, Denmark

CitizenSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:00:59 -0700

Money could very well be the root of all evil - though in the latest study of corrupt countries, it's actually the lack of money that sparks trouble. The new report by Transparency International found that in two-fifths of the world's nations, corruption continues to intensify - a trend that can be traced to economic realities. In the countries found to be the most corrupt, 40 percent are classified by the World Bank as low income.

Transparency International's rankings range on a scale from 10 (on the up-and-up) to 1 (rampant corruption). How common is corruption? Of the 180 countries surveyed, 132 of them had scores below a 5. Other factors that contribute to a cloudy ethical picture are weak governments and conflict. The chairman of Transparency International says, "Countries torn apart by conflict pay a huge toll in their capacity to govern. With public institutions crippled or nonexistent, mercenary individuals help themselves to public resources, and corruption thrives."

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Another troublesome mix? Weak government plus plentiful natural resources, like in Equatorial Guinea where 30 percent of the newly discovered oil profits go straight to government officials' wallets. To see which countries ranked where, read more.

The Top Three Least Corrupt: New Zealand (pictured), Denmark (not corrupt and happy!) , and Finland win with scores of 9.4 out of 10. Wealth, stable economies, and a removal from international controversies keep them corruption-free.
The Two Most Corrupt: Somalia and Myanmar. With scores of 1.4 out of 10, the armed conflict, political oppression, and troubles from Mother Nature (Myanmar's horrific cyclone) and pirates (Somalia) corruption is undeniable.
Third and Fourth Place: Iraq and Haiti, respectively. Afghanistan comes in at #7.
Three Countries in Africa Who've Improved: Seychelles, South Africa, and Swaziland all made gains from six to 37 places.
Five Countries Out of Africa With Improvements: Croatia, the Czech Republic, Macedonia, Romania, and Italy. Transparency International points to the European Union accession process on the fight against corruption.

I don't know, but if Denmark keeps winning prizes for being great, they better expect a lot of visitors. What do you think is the biggest contributor to corruption?

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Front Page: South Africa Sets Up Camps, Olmert Called to Step Down, Nepal To Become Republic

CitizenSugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:00:06 -0700

South Africa Sets Up Camps: South Africa is about to create seven refugee camps around the country for foreign migrant workers who have fled a recent wave of anti-immigrant violence. Taking the pressure off of the increasingly unsanitary conditions currently housing the workers at temporary shelters put up around state buildings, the new camps will take up to 70,000 people. Respected international aid agencies have advised the government not to set up camps as they say South Africa does not have the expertise necessary to run them. Fifty-six people have been killed and more than 650 injured in the attacks.

Olmert Called to Step Down: Israel’s defense minister Ehud Barak called today for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to step down pending the outcome of a high-profile corruption investigation in which Olmert is tied. Barak said, “The prime minister must disconnect himself from the daily running of the government.” Yesterday a Long Island businessman at the center of the corruption case testified that he gave about envelopes of cash totaling about $150,000, to Olmert over the course of 13 years. He said the money was for campaign funding and personal expenses. Olmert has denied any wrongdoing and has promised to step down if found guilty.
Nepal To Become Republic: The newly-elected Nepalese assembly is to meet in Kathmandu to abolish the monarchy but its key vote has been postponed by a boming in the capital that injured two people while the new cabinet was being sworn in. Thousands of people have gathered on the streets near the assembly in support of "republic day". Ending 240 years of royal rule, supporters are ecstatic. One said, "This is the people's victory. With today's declaration of a republic we have achieved what we fought for."

You Asked: Did I Corrupt This Guy?

DearSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:15:00 -0700

Dear Sugar--

I met this great guy online, and we started dating maybe a week and a half ago (but had been talking for about a week beforehand). We got along great, and he was the first "professional" I've really been attracted to. I am entering a professional career, and have had a hard time dating peers. Anyway, I fell hard--something I didn't know I was still capable of doing.

Early on I learned that he was religious and later figured out he was very religious (bordering fundamentalist). I didn't notice when we were together and on our third date, we got very very drunk, much more drunk than he has ever been before. He also bought cigarettes and entered a gay bar. These are all things I find acceptable, but he doesn't. The result of the evening was something I never do: unprotected sex.

Ever since, he has been very distant and meditating on the sin we engaged in. As the non-Christian, is this more my fault? Should I be apologizing or should I have been more careful? The unprotected sex aspect is horrible and that is the first time I have done so in 7 years, but everything else -- should I have tried to steer him away knowing it would cause him pain in the morning?

--Regretful Rayna

To see DEARSUGAR's answer read more

Dear Regretful Rayna--

You did NOTHING wrong as far as he's concerned. It's good that you realize that unprotected sex is a bad idea (hello STIs and pregnancy), but he is in charge of his own actions. If he knows he doesn't want to get himself into certain situations, than he should never have had even one sip of alcohol to impair his senses. It was his decision to drink, and to get drunk. He walked into that gay bar, and he also had sex with you. I wouldn't be hard on yourself at all. None of this was your fault.

If these things were so important to him, he should have been honest from the start and set guidelines about what he was comfortable with. I'm sure he's very upset because he feels like he is the one who made the mistake (we are our own worst critic), and he probably feels awful about it. It really stinks that he's putting distance between you as a form of punishment, so I don't blame you for feeling the heat.

He owes you a good conversation about this. Since you were getting along so well, and you loved being together, maybe you guys can come up with a list of boundaries for the future. These should be "rules" that you both agree upon, like no more drinking alcohol, or no more unprotected sex. He has to realize that you can't change the past, you can only learn from your mistakes and try not to make them in the future. I hope things work out!

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Très Bizarre: Anger Management For Man Who Blared Porn

TresSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Here's a strategy for grumpy neighbors who don't want kids coming near them: blast pornographic noises from your home.

The plan does come with some risks, however, as 27-year-old Michael Buck found out. He faced the charges of corrupting minors and disorderly conduct after he blared a porn soundtrack from his house with hopes of keeping kids away. Neighbors could hear the erotic sounds up to a block-and-a-half away.

Luckily, Mike the porn-blaring-neighbor got out of the serious charges by agreeing to anger management classes and 20 hours of community service.

Oh Snap! Pin Up Girls In Great Britain Are Politically Active

TresSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Page 3 girl Rhian Sugden bares all in London to protest government corruption. British politicians have been accused of "dipping into money that should have been allocated to schools and hospitals in order to furnish their homes and clean their moats." In fact one member of politician used taxpayer money to build a house for his ducks. Newspaper pin up girl Rhian wants all of Great Britain's politicians to "expose" their expenses before the country elects members to represent them in the European Parliament next week. (And yes - it's more naked activism!)

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Front Page: Bill Clinton and George W. Bush Book Joint Speech

TresSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:01:54 -0700

Former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton have booked a joint appearance. They will meet together in Toronto next month for a private conversation about the last 16 years. - Globe and Mail
An accused Somali pirate will face charges today in a New York court room. - Christian Science Monitor
President Obama spoke at CIA headquarters yesterday, vowing to continue support of the agency despite the revelation of previous mistakes. - Washington Post
The United Nations conference on racism is trying to recover as participants have refused to return after Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a speech attacking Israel. - New York Times
A government watchdog group has launched almost 20 criminal probes related to the $700 billion bailout plan. Investigators will look for possible corruption, fraud, or insider trading. - USA Today
Dick Cheney has slammed President Obama for shaking hands with Hugo Chavez and traveling to Europe to apologize for America. - Huffington Post
A man wrote to President Obama urging him to quit smoking, and the President wrote back. - Chicago Sun Times

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US Aid to Africa Bad for Africa?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:00:39 -0700

It's amazing the things you can learn from a comedy show. Last night, Stephen Colbert invited Dambisa Moyo, the author of Dead Aid, on his show to discuss US aid to Africa. She says the type of assistance that celebrities lobby for and rich countries provide isn't always good for the continent.

In the last 60 years, wealthy countries have given Africa more than $1 trillion in aid, but poverty levels continue to increase in countries that have become dependent on foreign support.

Moyo explained to Stephen that government aid "very often is used for corruption. It causes inflation. It causes a debt burden, which is unsustainable." She says the developed world should support business leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa through direct investment. Moyo sounds like she has some good ideas - let's hope policy makers at least pick up her book.

George W. Bush Is Getting Results, Even If No One Notices

CitizenSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:00:11 -0700

I'm sending around an apology card for everyone to sign - it seems a lot of us have been selling Bush short. In an editorial opinion from the Wall Street Journal (newly purchased by Rupert Murdoch) Bush’s commitment to helping the poor and sick abroad has been largely ignored. The piece asserts that once the G-8 summit, now wrapping up, completes its country tally on who is providing the most money to combat disease and hunger, the US will emerge as the conclusive leader - thanks in large part to Bush.

According to the piece, AIDS relief is booming. Before President Bush launched his Emergency Program for AIDS Relief in 2003, only about 50,000 afflicted in sub-Saharan Africa were getting medical treatments. Since the implementation of his plan, the program has expanded to $15 billion reaching an estimated 1.5 million people. And then there's this big rock we call home. To see how Bush's environmental leadership has been overlooked, read more.

The WSJ piece says that Bush is actually much more environmentally friendly than his opponents give him credit for - as shown by his attempt to toughen the standards set at the Kyoto Agreement, hailed as a pivotal climate change accord. President Bush’s contention was that no agreement regarding the environment would be viable without the cooperation of China and India while costing developed nations untold sums. As a result, the G-8 is bringing China and India into the summit to discuss greenhouse emissions, a feat that would not have happened without Bush’s insistence.

On another note, remember Paul Wolfowitz? He was the US Deputy Secretary of Defense and major architect of the Iraq war who then went on to head the World Bank. It seems that some remarks he made during a speech are echoed and perhaps reaffirmed in another opinion piece - this time from the less conservatively-owned LA Times - warning against aid money, which is then used to prop up corrupt African leaders.

The piece asserts that all financial assistance to corrupt African governments should be cut off so that they collapse allowing “organic African political structures [to] emerge”. Saying that corruption is so endemic to countries like Kenya and Nigeria that police extort bribes, soldiers murder and rape, and teachers merely collect salaries while rarely visiting their classrooms. This 2008 piece suggests that Wolfowitz had the right idea in 2006 when he made the then controversial statement:

We simply can’t afford to turn a blind eye when we do encounter corruption in our projects. In fact, sometimes it’s not just a waste of money; it sometimes leads to buildings that collapse or to medicines that are harmful being given to pregnant women. These are not hypothetical examples; these are real ones.

Could it be that Wolfowitz's call to action is finally being taken up by the mainstream? Is it possible that President Bush’s approach to global warming and AIDS relief will actually earn him the compassionate conservative ribbon he’s been aiming for, silencing detractors? Or as the WSJ piece concludes, "Maybe one day we will all wake up to a world willing to give [Bush] some credit for it." Will this happen?

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