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Karamoja Mining Rush Threatens Livelihoods of Indigenous People
Billions of investments into mining projects have breathed new life in Uganda's once-neglected Karamoja region, creating thousands of jobs in mineral-rich heartlands near the Kenyan border but the investment rush has also brought new problems, fueling environmental degradation, rights violations and land grabbing, threatening livelihoods of millions of indigenous Karamojong people.
Ugandan authorities are investigating the latest deadly clash in the impoverished gold mining sub -county of Rupa Moroto district which happened late April, that left a 28-year old local defense personal dead, and forced several hundred locals to flee their homes after armed assailants staged a day time raid and stole gold ores, worth millions of Ugandan shillings.
Days earlier, dozens of policemen from Uganda's mineral protection police who had been deployed to secure the lucrative gold mining village abandoned their positions, due to rising attacks, blamed on assailants, who usually cross from Kenya's Turkana region.
In a region long inhabited traditionally by cattle-herders, the rush to get the regions precious minerals gold, limestone and marble, is uprooting people, damaging key water sources, and stirring social unrest. Locals talk of being displaced from their ancestral farmlands by land grabbers while others are now suffering from many diseases, including skin infections and diarrhea, blamed on consuming water from contaminated water bodies,as some miners use hazardous chemicals including mercury to extract gold.
Impact on the environment
"We have been invaded by foreigners who don't care about our livelihoods," said Anne Napeyo, a 30-year old mother in Rupa. "Many of our people are getting wounds on their skin because the water here is contaminated"
Thousands in Karamoja have taken jobs in the mines while others have become "artisanal diggers" digging their own holes and tunnels, risking cave-ins and other dangers in pursuit of buried treasure, local leaders say. In addition to hazards such as contaminated water bodies, mining activities are leaving behind gaping pits, which now dot vast areas as artisan miners leave these behind in search for new grounds. Small children sometimes drown in these pits, while local farmers have lost livestock.
Sacred grounds known as 'Akiriket' are also being destroyed. According to the Karamoja traditional setting, every community is socially organized to have it's own Akiriket from where the assemble for social events from initiations to naming happens. Community leaders say the minerals are turning into a curse.
"We want development but it can't be at the expense of our peoples' lives and livelihoods," said Margerate Lomonyang coordinator of Karamoja Women Cultural Group and Karamoja representative on the multi-stakeholder group for the Extractives Industries Transparency initiative EITI. "Investors are taking advantage of desperate people who are trying to make a living in the mines"
Land grabbing
A total of 17,083 square kilometers of land area in Karamoja is licensed for mineral exploration and extraction activities, according to official data.In 2018, Chinese mining company Sunbelt was given 3.3 square kilometers of land to set up a $13 million marble mining factory in Rupa sub-county. A year later, the company expanded it's operations to cover additional 4.1 square kilometers, ostensibly after a deal with local leaders. Hundreds of families have since been pushed out of their ancestral homes, local officials say. Locals accuse Rupa Community development trust, a community trustee group created three years ago, of conniving with investors to steal their land.
"The community leaders came to us with compensation documents saying they were going to help us demand for compensation when investors come," one local known as Lokol, said "They tricked us to sign them without paying anything, now we have nowhere to go"
While Sunbelt insists that company representatives went through the right channels to acquire the land, including signing a memorandum of understanding with the local leaders, authorities are investigating the transaction, according to the energy and minerals ministry.
"Sunbelt violated the community members rights to fair and adequate compensation in the land acquisition process.They didn't involve the community members who are the real custodians of the land ," said Lomonyang.
Another company DAO Marble Africa Limited, which operates a mining license to mine marble has been accused by Human Rights Watch for rights violations, including allegations that the company connived and paid off a few local chiefs without compensating the local residents.
Land ownership in Karamoja is under customary tenure and communally owned and managed. This means that land is held in trust by one generation for another with the elders as 'stewards'. This very unclear land ownership model makes fair compensation a difficult issue as few elders negotiate with the companies for the temporary acquisition of land.
Local miners association to the rescue
Karamoja Miners Association unites miners in the region and was formed to sensitize local mining communities about their rights, help locals demand for accountability from their leaders and seek fair compensation from mining companies.
"We organize miners in groups so that they have a formidable voice and can negotiate for better wages and working conditions from mining companies," says Simon Nagiro the chairperson of the association. "We have also embarked on interpreting into local languages miners rights as enshrined under the mining laws"
Regions' mineral potential
Karamoja is endowed with a vast array of metallic and industrial minerals that have the potential to be developed commercially . A 2011 survey found that the region contains over 50 minerals including gold, limestone, uranium, marble, graphite, gypsum, iron, wolfram, nickel, copper, cobalt, lithium and tin. With 61% of Karamoja's 1.2 million people living in poverty, the region's mineral potential holds the promise of economic development.
Karamoja mining at a glance
- A total of 17,083 square kilometers of land area in Karamoja is licensed for mineral exploration and extraction activities.
- The region is endowed with over 50 different minerals, including marble,limestone, gold, silver, copper, and iron.
- 26 companies currently have exploratory or mining rights in the region.
- The sector comprises of both large scale and artisanal and small scale miners.
The Constitution of Uganda 1995, vests all mineral resources in the hands of government but under article 244 it provides that minerals shall be exploited taking into account the interests of land owners and local governments and further states that land will not be deprived of a person without prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation. Under articles 39 and 41 ,every Ugandan has a right to a clean and healthy environment and as such can bring action for any pollution or improper disposal of wastes.
The Mining Act, 2003 is the principle law that governs mining in Uganda. Under Section 4 of the act a person may acquire the right to search for and mine any mineral by acquiring a license issued by the commissioner .Section 15 provides for payment of compensation to owners of private land for damage done to the surface of the land or to any crops, trees, buildings or for livestock injured or killed by the negligence of holder of the license or an agent. Section 43 provides that a mining license shall not be granted unless the proposed mining programme takes into proper account of environmental impact assessment and safety factors.
Section 110 further makes it mandatory for every license holder to submit a costed environmental restoration plan which requires approval by the National Environment Management Authority .The Act however does not clearly address regulation of mining activities by different government agencies and how they can follow up with the investors regarding royalties. This is worsened by the limited role local government plays in the regulation of mining activities due to resource constraints.
Rights of Indigenous groups in Uganda
According to Minority rights group international, Karamojong pastoralists, are some of the most marginalized minorities in Uganda, isolated economically and politically. Commonly stereotyped by their compatriots as violent and backward, other Ugandans refer to them as warriors. The African Commission's International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs also recognizes the Karamojong people as indigenous minority groups in Uganda . However,Uganda does not officially recognize Indigenous minority groups.This lack of formal recognition by the state further disenfranchises the Karamojong.
Uganda is a signatory to various international instruments that reiterate the rights of indigenous people. These include; the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People 2007, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. However ,the country is still lagging behind in terms of protecting the rights of indigenous people.
"We are empowering communities by educating them about their land and property rights so that they are able to hold mining companies accountable," says Abaho Herbert a programme officer at Resource Rights Africa a local charity organization operating in the region. "We also work with local leaders to put inplace by-laws that enable fair wages for miners to avoid being exploited by the mining companies"
Since Belgium-based Africa gold refinery set up a $20 million gold plant in Uganda, the country has become a magnet for gold mining activities, notably in Karamoja. Gold exports fetch $1 billion every year and have overtaken coffee as Uganda's leading export commodity.
For many local leaders, this rush is the reason for increased insecurity, displacement of locals and inter-communal clashes. Gold miners are routinely attacked by assailants looking for the highly sought after metal, bringing back memories of the insecurity that plagued the region at the height of cattle rustling in the 1990s and 2000s. Illegal miners continue to flock to the 7 districts of Karamoja, driving up displacements,clashes over land ownership and shared water bodies.
Food insecurity is also a challenge in the region and reliance on natural resources has rendered livelihoods sensitive to climate change, already a reality manifested inform of recurring droughts, flash floods and prolonged dry spells.
Last month Uganda's cabinet approved a draft mining law (Mining and minerals Bill 2019) that imposes steep penalties for violations in the sector, including fines of 1 billion shillings ($278,164.12) and prison terms of up to seven years for those found guilty of environmental degradation, illegal mining among other violations.
The new law will replace the old mining legislation that has been in place since 2003, when the region hadn't discovered vast minerals, according to Vicent Kedi the commissioner licensing at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.
"The new law will solve issues of non compliance by mining companies to social and environmental safeguards, " he says. "We are working with local leaders in the region to continuously monitor mining company operations. "
This story was produced with the support of Internews' Earth Journalism Network's Indigenous Story Grants


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By Max Calderone | Sports Writer
With a hectic weekend across all Baylor athletics, a rivalry series between Baylor and TCU highlights the action at Baylor Ballpark.
The Bears come in having won five of their last six games, improving to 19-17 on the season. However, they currently sit in seventh place in the Big 12 conference standings with a modest 3-9 record in Big 12 games.
Junior second baseman Josh Bissonette (.254, 4 HR, 20 RBI) said he feels like the team is beginning to get things figured out and has found a rhythm heading into rivalry weekend.
"Every win that we can get is something that we can build off of, especially right now late in the season," Bissonette said. "We're really starting to pick things up as a team and we're starting to gel."
Redshirt junior outfielder Richard Cunningham (.297, 5 HR, 21 RBI), who has served as the team's designated hitter for most of the season, has homered in two straight games. He leads an offensive attack that has scored 44 runs in its last six games.
Cunningham said going on a bit of a win streak has contributed to the club's success at the plate and feels like the team is prepared for the stretch run of the season.
"Winning does a lot to settle everyone back in," Cunningham said. "We've done the rollercoaster ride of this season. We've started to take the pressure off ourselves and understand that the scoreboard will take care of itself."
TCU enters the series at 19-14, 6-5 in conference play, having battled the injury bug all season long. Star junior first baseman Luken Baker (.319, 9 HR, 26 RBI) will undergo surgery today for a broken leg that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the year.
Baylor head coach Steve Rodriguez said Baker's injury is a frustrating one for TCU, but that the Bears will continue to attack the Horned Frogs batting order the same as if he were playing.
"I hate that for the kid," Rodriguez said. "I think he's been great for college baseball, I think he's been great for the Big 12 conference, and obviously he's done really well for TCU. He was just one part of the cog in that system."
TCU will also be without its ace pitcher, right-handed redshirt junior Jared Janczak (1-1, 3.00). Bissonette said regardless of who suits up for the Horned Frogs, they remain a tough matchup.
"No matter who they have on the field, they're always going to compete," Bissonette said. "Obviously they're an amazing program and I'm sure they're going to come out with fire and try to beat us, but we're going to do the same."
Baylor will send sophomore lefty Cody Bradford (3-4, 3.51) to the mound for game one, followed by sophomore right-hander Hayden Kettler (4-3, 3.38) in game two and freshman left-hander Tyler Thomas (1-2, 2.35) is set to take the ball in the series finale.
Rodriguez said his team will have its hands full with a well-rounded Horned Frogs lineup.
"[They've got] phenomenal pitching, great athletes, very good on the basepaths, they do a lot of things really well," Rodriguez said. "Regardless of what the numbers say, I know they're going to come out and give us one heck of a weekend."
The three-game series is set to begin Friday at 6:35 p.m. with game two scheduled for 3:05 p.m. Saturday and the series finale taking place at 1:05 p.m. Sunday.
Cunningham said the entire team is excited and looking forward to the rivalry matchup.
"Any time you play TCU, it's a blast," Cunningham said. "It's Baylor and TCU. The fact that we get it at home, it's beautiful out, it's springtime, it's what you live for. Count your blessings and enjoy these kinds of weekends."

subset: commoncrawl


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Natasha Kumcheva
HR Director
Natasha Kumcheva is HR Director of bTV Media Group as of the end of April 2018. She has more than 18 years of experience on key positions in the HR profession and significant achievements in this field on the Bulgarian, Romanian and Irish markets, in one of the most challenging sectors - information technology.
Before joining bTV Media Group' team she was Global Talent Development director at Axway. She gained experience on various management positions in the IT company on a regional and local level for more than 10 years. Prior to that she worked at Tumbleweed Communications (acquired by Axway in 2009), Novomatic, Siemens I & K, and Celhart PLC.
Natasha Kumcheva's expertise covers the areas talent management, employment law & relations, policy & program design, training & development and many others.
She has a Master's degree in Human Resources from Nottingham Trent University, UK, and has successfully completed several professional training courses in the field of HR.


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BRABUS has been developing and building high-performance supercars for more than 40 years and transform vehicles into stylish unique vehicles – made in Germany.
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The Green Bay Packers released LB Derrick Mathews from the practice squad. The transaction was announced Saturday by Ted Thompson, Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations.
Mathews joined the Packers for the 2016 training camp and spent part of last season and the first 10 weeks of this season on Green Bay's practice squad.


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by WireBuzz, on Jul 26, 2021 5:10:33 PM
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You got the green light so now it's time to step on the gas and get your video project moving. Now what? In this episode of Video Marketing Mastery, CEO …Read Story
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The Dead Sea is the "most spectacular spa in the world." Rich in oxygen, it protects against UV rays but also is rich of salts and minerals. The concentration of salt in the Dead Sea water is one of the highest in the world, 10 times higher than the average of the sea.
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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight elites Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson clashed last night (April 8, 2017) at UFC 210 inside KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
Even aside from the weigh-in controversy — which featured a sneaky bit of towel balancing by the Olympic wrestler — there were plenty of reasons to be invested in this bout. The Light Heavyweight title has not been put on the line in some time, but Cormier was finally back in the cage. Meanwhile, Johnson was just one punch away from capturing the crown. "Rumble" has made a career off flattening men in violent fashion, and last night the plan was no different for the knockout artist.
At least, that's what we thought heading into this match.
Johnson methodically backed his opponent into the cage, using long kicks to land solid shots. Unexpectedly, Johnson shot into a double leg, but Cormier denied him and moved into the clinch. For whatever reason, Johnson hung onto the clinch, looking to level change into takedowns.
After several minutes of defensive wrestling, Cormier managed to reverse position and drive his foe into the fence. He controlled there for a few moments, but the continually odd part was Johnson. Late in the round, Johnson managed to break away and throw, but he still jammed his way back into the clinch on his own.
It was bizarre.
Johnson landed some decent shots to start the second round, but he was definitely slowing down. This time, Cormier took the initiative to clinch, driving his foe into the clinch and forcing him to work. Johnson reversed and briefly scored a takedown, but ultimately Cormier found his single leg and complete the first real takedown of the fight.
Immediately, Cormier was in back control. It took a bit of time, but Cormier wore his foe down with punches and eventually slipped in the rear naked choke.
I normally analyze the winner first, but Anthony Johnson's strategy is far and away the most interesting part of the fight for a simple reason: It doesn't make a bit of Goddamn sense.
Johnson opened the bout with hard kicks. Life-changing kicks. Each time he landed, be it an oblique kick to the middle or round kick to the leg, they made an immediate impact. He also nearly kicked Cormier's head off twice.
Instead of maintaining that range and battering Cormier, he repeatedly dove into takedown attempts or the clinch. This strategy eliminated his opportunities to land the knockout and sapped his energy in the process, making it an unbelievably odd move.
Then, Johnson retired following the fight. He's accomplished some truly amazing things, but he's also had a very strange journey through weight classes and organizations.
Perhaps it's a fitting end.
As for Cormier, his opponent largely handed him the win. He had to show off his trademark toughness and absorb some big shots, but for the most part he was able to engage in a wrestling match.
Shockingly, that favored the Olympic wrestler.
Following this win, Cormier is likely going to compete opposite Jimi Manuwa. There's the potential for the Jon Jones fight, but who knows what's going on with "Bones." Either way, Cormier's post-fight interview was one of his funniest moments yet, and he left with the title around his waist.
Are you not entertained?
Last night, Daniel Cormier slowly overwhelmed and then strangled his opponent. What is next for the Olympian?
For complete UFC 210: "Cormier vs. Johnson" results and play-by-play, click HERE!


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Atlanta Panthers SC After School Training Program is designed to bring the game of soccer to your school, create an environment which the players enjoy but also grow from, and help parents logistically with their schedules. We are very proud be hosting a youth soccer after school program which will see our coaches come to your school facilities and run well-organized and professional soccer sessions. All coaches are CPR/AED trained, CORI checked, and hold valid coaching credentials.
What is included:
1) Weekly sessions held at the school facilities - directly after school
2) All sessions last an hour and includes 30 minutes of technical exercises and 30 minutes of small-sided games
3) End of Season Party
4) Location: TBD5) Fees: $130.00Registration: More Information Coming Soon.
What to bring?
Phone: 202-421-3636
Email: [email protected]


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RemoveFilteredProcessById Method
Removes a process, by PID, from the list of filtered processes.
public void removeFilteredProcessById(int processId);
This method removes the process with the specified ProcessId (PID) from the list of processes whose requests should be filtered.
The value passed for ProcessId must be one that was previously used to call AddFilteredProcessById; please refer to its documentation for more information.
Note: This method can only be called when Active is true.


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OverviewRoman J. Muñoz is a Partner in Lozano Smith's Sacramento office. His areas of practice include labor and employment, litigation and governance.
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Prior to practicing as a public agency attorney, Mr. Muñoz worked in the California State Legislature and served as a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army.


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Learn more about how Tripgrid helps to standardize travel process. Or email sales.
It's official, "The Return to Travel" is green-lit.
Over the last 9 months, the Tripgrid team have kept an ear to the ground with our customers and colleagues in the entertainment travel industry - listening, learning, adapting. As we move into 2021, we have seen a mix of productions already back on the road and those planning their strategic return.
What we haven't seen (yet) is a public forum for that return where best practice, learnings and advice are shared.
Behind closed doors? Of course. Shared as a resource for all? Not quite. Desired? DEFINITELY - at least that's what our ears tell us.
With that, Tripgrid is pleased to share BTS: Entertainment's Return to Travel - the series that takes an anonymous look behind those closed doors at how a variety of productions are making their way into 2021.
Thank you to our clients and colleagues for their participation - and the idea…! ;)
Produced with support from Solutions & Strategy Consulting.
A view into the world of a Procurement Director at a live show production company specializing in international and domestic touring events.
Type of company: Live Entertainment
Average group size: 10-100
Average annual travel spend: $20-25 million
Top Tips
Full Interview
Entertainment travel is on its way back across the world, largely before corporate travel for most companies. How has "Entertainment Travel – the Sequel" at a high level looked inside your organization?
We had [one of our large shows] in June. For that, we stayed in the same location instead of touring. Everybody was there for 6 weeks, we hosted 8 [events] in one city without attendees. Of course, not having attendees was a huge difference for us. It was televised so fans could still view the event. For a small fee they could add a cardboard cutout of themselves in the stands! It was a huge success for the fans, the athletes, and our sponsors to be able to participate when everything at that time was completely shut down.
Since then, it has been about getting creative. We had several one-off events to maintain PR and provide revenue while satisfying our sponsorship agreements. It's really about keeping our name out there for our fans, having our fans see their favorite performers or athletes and bringing our people back on productions.
When (or DO) you see entertainment travel returning to its "normal" volume for your organization?
I would say normal not until 2022, honestly. It will not be until there are plenty of vaccines available and attendees are comfortable gathering in large groups.
For us, that's the big one. As more was known about Covid and how dangerous it is, the safety of our employees and our attendees became paramount. Government mandates around the world also left us no choice, but to completely shut down all touring operations. With mandates in place where you could not gather in groups of more than six… it makes it difficult to host an event unless it is just for your family!
Live events are different to other areas of entertainment travel. For a production, they can accomplish this in a bubble. Over the years, we have increased our audience interaction with our performers/athletes. It is a big part of attending one of our live events and creates a memorable experience for the attendees. Meet the [performers/athletes], get their autographs, be pulled from the audience... now we are having to go back without that audience interaction. That part is sad for us because the performers/athletes loved meeting their fans just as much.
Personally, how have you had to shift your priorities as a travel manager during this time?
For a while now, travel has been on the back-burner of my priorities with a travel freeze in place. To be honest there are other areas we need to be focusing on right now. I am working in a larger procurement role as I am one person now covering the job of 8 who have been furloughed or separated.
Regarding travel, we are still on a corporate travel freeze with our events on tour. All travel must be approved from the Senior VP level. We should only be traveling if it is revenue generating and it must be proven as part of the approval process.
When we do travel, the big focus for us is utilizing unused tickets. [Before the pandemic], our travelers and employees were great at booking in advance (21+ days) because we know where the tours are going. With the shutdown, that left us with almost a million dollars in unused tickets.
And the journey of dealing with those has been interesting to say the least…! The process started with cancelling flights, getting refunds, then we looked at UATP cards. However, because many travel programs around the world were doing the same thing, there was a backlog in obtaining a card in a reasonable amount of time and travelers still had access to their unused tickets. There was nothing to stop an employee utilizing an unused ticket purchased by their work for personal use if they signed into their account. American was one of the only airlines I noticed where if a ticket was purchased through an agency, the traveler was not able to use it and was told they had to go through their TMC for the reservation. To counteract as much of that as possible, we asked our TMC to do custom reporting for us on any travel being reserved. I was also approving every ticket that was being issued.
To make sure we were maximizing the use of unused tickets, we turned off the flight booking capability for [our online booking tool] because we still had travelers trying to book online even though we had a popup saying DO NOT BOOK, CONTACT AN AGENT. Users can still see the flights, see the costs, but we prohibit purchase. Now everything that is booked for air goes through an agent to utilize the unused tickets.
We also opted to pay a fee or take a small loss vs. paying for a whole new airline ticket where possible. That definitely saved us a TON of money. I know for a lot of companies it was really hard because agents aren't used to rebooking a ticket for Joe Schmo that then goes to Sally Saucer. Joe's ticket is worth $600, Sally's is only worth $450 – and we said, don't care, use it! It was hard for our agents to get used to, but they adjusted. We definitely wouldn't have made it through as cleanly with a different TMC.
How are you communicating with and supporting travelers differently as they return to travel despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and future uncertainty?
For the tours, we have a Safety and Security Council that included the hiring of an epidemiologist to assist with creating our new policies and procedures as they pertain to the pandemic, touring and primarily what we needed to do to keep our employees and performers safe. Without our cast and crew, we could not have a show. When on tour, they have a whole protocol they have to follow. I also created a document that is shared with everyone in the company. Additionally, we have a whole page in SharePoint dedicated to Covid and our what our Travel partners our doing to make traveling during a pandemic safe.
I suggest travelers bring pillow protectors - not cases, protectors. Hotels have removed decorative pillows, but there is no additional cleaning of the pillows you actually come into contact with while resting.
What specific measures will your organization take to keep your travelers safe when returning to travel?
As mentioned, we worked with an epidemiologist to develop what best practice looks like for us.
At the moment our process entails:
Do you have new resources in your toolkit that you would like to share with others who are starting to travel again?
I have a site, called Safe Esteem that is a Covid-19 Risk Explorer.. you put in demographics of where you're going to and receive results back. It's a great free resource. We also use the Covid Filters that come with the Dinova App to find restaurants with outdoor dining.
I have some resources I would love to have! Right now, we're just trying to make sure we can get shows out. Travel is the very last thing I see our company focusing on to bring in new tools. I'd love to have Shep, for example.
What is the single biggest piece of advice you wish that you had been able to give yourself or other travel managers back in March?
That this pandemic was going to be going on for months and that I should have grabbed more from my office. We thought it would be a month and we'd be good!
And like many, I wish beforehand we had a better handle on unused tickets. I think that is a break down revealed industry wide. We had begun to develop a process for unused ticket use 6 months before the pandemic, but it wasn't a priority and there were also some tie-ups with finance. Now, I would tell myself, yes it may take a bit of effort but it's money already spent… so why not use it?
Finally, it's not a piece of advice but a piece of gratitude and perhaps a point of reflection for other managers. I have a close relationship with my TMC - both with my account manager and my agent supervisor. This year I have been so thankful to have that relationship. Unlike other travel managers who go out every 4-5 years for RFP, we've been with our TMC for 18 years. Our relationship has truly grown over those years, we're a loyal client of theirs and they are loyal to us. Their support during the pandemic and with our unused tickets especially, has been invaluable.
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Amaryllis Top in Ditsy Corduroy
Fall patterns to brighten your day! This Meadows top with a pleated neck fastened with a zip at the back. With 3/4 length sleeves and an elasticated cuff. In our limited edition Ditsy print on corduroy.
100% cotton. Machine wash on a cool gentle cycle with similar colours.
Model is 5'11" and is wearing a size UK 8.


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Today's Opinions, Tomorrow's Reality
An e-Transplant Prophecy
By David G. Young
WASHINGTON, DC, September 7, 1999 --
When a Florida man placed his human Kidneys for sale on the Internet auction site Ebay, everybody dismissed it as a joke. At first, nobody knew who made the anonymous offer, and before the man could be found, Ebay pulled the item off its site for violation of American laws prohibiting the sale of human organs. News outlets around the world enjoyed running an intriguing story that reinforced the stereotypical quirkiness of the Internet. A day later, the whole joke was forgotten.
Except it was no joke. The Florida man who offered his kidneys was poor, desperate, and more than happy to part with a redundant organ for the $5.7 million1 high bid posted before Ebay pulled the plug on the online auction. He is exactly the kind of person who needs protection, bioethicists might say, from the temptation to sell human body parts. The desire to keep people from this temptation is what led the United States Congress to pass the 1984 National Organ Transplant Act, making it a felony to buy or sell human organs. This law led to the establishment of a national system to place recipients on waiting lists and match them to prospective donors.
This program has been an utter failure. The system obtains organs almost exclusively from living relatives of recipients as well as from unrelated cadavers, and thus it has not been able to provide organs at a rate even remotely approaching demand. This has produced a national crisis -- a severe shortage of organs available for transplant. At the end of last year, the number of Americans waiting for a transplant had risen to 64,423 -- up 10 percent from the year before.2
Despite this crisis, the medical establishment is clinging to its opposition to the sale of human organs -- even if it means thousands on waiting lists will die. The paranoia regarding organ sales is simply astounding. Earlier this year, several transplant centers actually turned down a woman's request to donate a kidney to a stranger because of ethical concerns. The University of Minnesota finally agreed to perform the operation -- but only after subjecting the donor to an arduous series of psychological tests designed to make her prove that she was doing it for the "right" reasons.3
This and other outrageously conservative acts by the medical establishment at a time of a severe shortage are precisely the reason that the system is ripe for overthrow. The act of a desperate Florida man on Ebay might be just the catalyst that starts the revolution.
Most people don't realize that the existence of the global Internet and a type of privacy software called public key cryptography make it possible for an anonymous stranger to broker the sale of organs without anyone being the wiser. The technology exists today for someone with modest resources and basic computer skills to set up an offshore organ brokerage web site free of interference by U.S. law. Such a service, if combined with a simple registration system of buyers' and sellers' organ blood and tissue types, could in a matter of months overthrow the data access monopoly of the repressive American organ control system.
Of course, hospitals must first be found that are willing to perform transplants between unrelated donors. But while this still may be difficult in the United States, it is not in many other countries, such as the Philippines, where even the open sale of organs is not prohibited by law.4
Whether the establishment realizes it or not, the organ donation system in the United States is on the brink of collapse. Many experts acknowledge that despite the widespread opposition to allowing the sale of human body parts, allowing such sales would end the organ shortage virtually overnight. Such a change is bound to happen. The only question is whether it will come about suddenly via the unrelenting force of communications technology, or through the gradual reform of the existing system. Already, the state of Pennsylvania is planning to offer a $300 payment to people who donate organs upon death as a "funeral stipend."5 Such moves blur the lines between donating and selling organs, and help pave the way toward the inevitable deregulation of commerce involving the human body.


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Health Benefits of Calendula:- The word 'Calendula' is extracted from the Latin word 'Calendae', means 'little calendar', as this flower blossoms on the new moon or even can be called as on the beginning of the calendar month. The word 'Marigold' means 'Virgin Mary' and it consist healing properties.
Health Benefits of Calendula
It is also called as pot marigold, Garden marigold, Scottish marigold. Even there are many misunderstanding facts between various Calendula and Marigold varieties like marsh marigold, corn marigold and desert marigold. And these all belongs to the Tagetes genus and not the Calendula genus.
Calendula is highly beneficial when it comes for female reproductive system. Problems like irregular menstruation, uterine fibroids, frigidity and ovarian cysts (PCOD or PCOS). The Calendula oil helps in clearing excess of kapha and pitta energies from the uterus, as this oil mainly effects on artavavahasrotas.
A gentle massage of the lower abdomen, back and thighs by mixing 10 drops of Calendula oil,1 drop of cinnamon oil and 1 drop of cassia oil will surely help in promoting blood circulation in the uterus, and also regularise blocked or delayed menstruation, relieves dysmennorhea or menstrual pain.
Calendula oil works like a tonic for the uterine muscles, helps in balancing the estrogen hormones that are responsible for PCOS and uterine fibroids. It also treats cysts in the digestive passage and the breasts. Calendula infusions were previously used in folklore remedy for fostering uterine contractions and the discharge of placenta during childbirth.
- Inflammation is the main cause for all skin related issues like- sensitivity, eczema, rosacea, rashes, pain, allergies and even breakdown of collagen. These all inflammatory skin issues can be treated by use of calendula.
- It carries the ability to moisturize our skin without making them oily. They give your skin cells the ability to absorb nutrients and hold onto water longer (great for those whose skin is dry).
- Flavonoids present is calendula works as an antioxidant that protect our skin from radical damage, premature aging, wrinkles, hyper pigmentation and even dullness.
- In study it has found that calendula decreases the healing time for c-section scars. Those women who were treated with calendula ointment, their incisions were less swollen when compare with others women. By regular massage with calendula oil or ointment may increase the blood flow in skin that provides all nutrients to the skin and makes them look healthier.
- Regular use of calendula oil helps to keep our skin tighter and make our skin more younger ,healthy, beautiful and gives spotless glow.
- Haircare products made up of calendula extracts keeps your hair scalp moisturize and eliminates dandruff issues like itching, dandruff causing germs, and dryness.
- Calendula is a herb that consist of healing properties. It heals your hair scalp from all damages occur due to washing, brushing, styling, detangling etc. These reasons can be the cause of damaged hair and stops our hair growth. Using calendula oil heals scalp problems and makes your hair to grow stronger and healthier.
- Calendula tea when used for rising hair gives your hair a red or golden tone without any side effects. But these tone varies depending on your natural hair colour. At the same it also treats dryness and frizziness and makes hair more shinier soft and nourished as this doesn't contain any harmful chemicals.
What is mother tincture?
Mother tincture is a combination of botanical extract and some amount of alcohol in it. Mother tincture is helpful in treating various health issues either sever or mild. But it should not be taken without any consultation of homeopathic health practitioner.
It is known as multipurpose health tonic. Health issues like ( mouth ulcer, arthritis pain, rheumatic pain, healing wounds or injuries, diaphoretic, keloids, and for antiseptic) can be treated easily with calendula mother tincture.
Usually taken 3-5 drops in 1 teaspoon water three times a day or as prescribed by the doctor.
- Must be used under medical supervision.
- Read the label and instruction slip before use.
- Take the prescribed dose and do not exceed it.
- Keep away from children.
- Store in a cool dry place.
- Avoid direct sunlight or heat.
Read More :- Amazing Health Benefits of Banana?


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Could the 14th Amendment Block Trump from the Presidency?
Legal analyst Kimberly Wehle on the 14th Amendment and whether it can be used to keep Donald Trump off the ballot.
It's been more than 50 years since the U.S. cut ties with Cuba. The longstanding trade embargo and travel ban have increasingly been called relics of the cold war: no longer relevant in the modern day. According to some, now is the time for change, with recent economic reforms out of Havana pointing to the possibility of a more hopeful future and a productive relationship with the United States. But others say these changes do not go far enough, and that lifting the embargo would reward a regime that has caused decades of suffering. We look at the debate over lifting the U.S. embargo on Cuba, and prospects for the future of U.S.-Cuban relations.
MS. DIANE REHMThanks for joining us. I'm Diane Rehm. Calls for renewed relations between the U.S. and Cuba are getting louder in Washington, but the issue remains deeply divisive. Joining me in the studio is Ted Piccone of Brookings, Frank Calzon of The Center for Free Cuba, William LeoGrande of American University.
MS. DIANE REHMAnd joining us from Miami, Florida is Mauricio Claver-Carone of Capitol Hill Cubans. I hope you'll join in the discussion. Give us a call at 800-43-8850. Send us an email to email@example.com. Follow us on Facebook or send us a tweet. And thank you all for joining us.
MR. TED PICCONEThank you.
MR. FRANK CALZONDelighted.
MR. WILLIAM LEOGRANDEThank you.
MR. MAURICIO CLAVER-CARONEI'm glad to be here.
REHMGood to see you all. Bill LeoGrande, why now are we seeing such a strong push toward change in U.S. policy on Cuba?
LEOGRANDEWell, I think the political stars are well aligned for a shift in policy. President Obama has said since 2008 that he thought the policy of the past 50 years was a failure and needed to change and he's repeated that on a number of occasions as recently as a couple of months ago. He doesn't have to stand for reelection at this point so he doesn't have to worry about the politics.
LEOGRANDEHillary Clinton has said she thinks the embargo's a bad idea so he doesn't have to worry about hurting her chances in the next presidential election by doing something. Recent polls from Miami have suggested that opinion is changing in the Cuban American community. And finally, in April of next year, at the summit of the Americas, Cuba will be attending for the first time.
LEOGRANDESo Raul Castro and Barack Obama will sit across the conference table from one another and that really will provide an opportunity for renewing of bilateral dialogue.
REHMAnd from you, Ted Piccone, what's your thought? Is this a good time to be having this conversation?
PICCONEI think it's a good time for additional reasons. One is which -- what's happening in Cuba itself. The current government under Raul Castro has adopted a number of economic reforms that have begun a process of liberalization, of restructuring of the economy that is giving average Cubans a chance to open their own businesses, to create their own independence from the state.
PICCONEAnd that is just one of many changes under way in Cuba that are positive and that the United States should be on the side of supporting rather than our traditional punitive approach of an embargo.
REHMAnd Frank Calzon, how do you feel about this?
CALZONWell, I feel that many of us don't like the embargo, but the issue is what Havana is doing. Havana continues to abuse the Cuban people. The overwhelming majority of the Cuban people understand that the real embargo that has to be ended is the embargo that Raul Castro has on the freedoms of the Cuban people, on their right to have a labor union.
CALZONMost of the reforms are not really that significant. The majority of -- overwhelming majority of Cubans do not have the funds needed to start any little business, such as making paper flowers at home and selling them. The majority of Cubans are black and they don't receive remittances. Most of the people that have little somewhat businesses in Cuba are related to the Castro family.
CALZONLifting the sanctions now, unilaterally, which is what is being proposed, will only keep the Castro dictatorship longer and the suffering of the Cuban people much longer.
REHMAnd to you, Mauricio Claver-Carone, how do you see it? Is there hope in the lives of the Cuban people today? Do they anticipate lifting of the embargo?
CLAVER-CARONEWell, first and foremost, what our policy should be focused on is helping the democracy movement, which is extraordinarily impressive and represents a new generation of young, active bloggers, democracy activists. And all of them, overwhelmingly, those democracy activists asked the United States to maintain those sanctions.
CLAVER-CARONEThe push that we're seeing today is by people that want the administration, that want the president to unilaterally take those steps. But the fact remains that U.S. policy towards Cuba is codified into law and there's wide support in the U.S. Congress for the conditions for that lifting, which are essentially simple Democratic standards which 34 out of 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere abide by.
CLAVER-CARONEMoreover, this policy can't be made in a vacuum. What we're seeing today in Cuba and what we've seen in the last few years is essentially a four-fold increase in political arrests. We're seeing an American hostage that's been held, development worker, Alan Gross. We're seeing the interdiction that we just saw last year of the largest shipment of illegal arms to North Korea by any country in the world ever since those international sanctions were placed, that were done by the Cuban regime.
CLAVER-CARONEWe're seeing the imprisonment of foreign businessmen in Cuba and given an arbitrary 25-year prison terms and the confiscation of hundreds of millions of dollars. We've seen the mysterious death of Cuban pro-democracy activists, like the leader of the Ladies in White, Laura Pollan, like the head of the Christian Liberation Movement, Oswaldo Paya.
CLAVER-CARONESo all of those facts, when put together, it really lends the point that all these actions cannot be inconsequential and therefore is why we're seeing wide support, continuous wide support for this policy in the Congress and for these simple Democratic conditions.
REHMAll right. And given that we will be talking about Alan Gross, Cuba's relationship with North Korea, the imprisonment of certain individuals, let's just talk for a moment about what the relations are right now between the U.S. and Cuba. Bill LeoGrande.
LEOGRANDESo at the moment, we have an economic embargo on Cuba. It's the most extensive embargo that we have on any country in the world. It's lasted longer than any embargo that we've had on any country in the world.
REHMAnd how has it effected the Cuban people?
LEOGRANDEWell, I think it's certainly retarded the growth of the Cuban economy and in that way has hurt the standard of living or ordinary Cubans. When Pope John Paul II went to Cuba in 1998, he called for the United States to lift the embargo precisely because of its impact on ordinary Cubans. The Cuban elite are not the ones that are hurt by the embargo. It's ordinary people.
LEOGRANDEThere is some bilateral dialogue between Cuba and the United States in a book that I just recently published with a co-author, Peter Kornbluh called "The Hidden History of -- or "Back Channel To Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations Between Washington and Havana." We show that every administration since Eisenhower has negotiated with Cuba and we've been able to reach a number of bilateral agreements on issues of mutual interest.
LEOGRANDEBut no administration has been able to jump the gap, if you will, to really engage the issue of the embargo and that remains then the core issue between the two countries.
REHMFrank Calzon, since you have -- and perhaps you don't agree, but do you agree it's the ordinary Cubans who are being hurt by the embargo?
CALZONThe real embargo, again, is the embargo of the Castro government against the Cuban people. If one looks at the history of embargo, you will find that for the first 15 or 20 years, which is right after the embargo was placed, Fidel Castro kept saying that the embargo was a joke. Fidel Castro said that he was not going to change a cow for a goat.
CALZONFidel Castro said that his trade relations with the Soviet Union were much better than anything the United States could give him.
REHMIs that still the case?
CALZONNo. It's not the case, but the reason why the shortages much serious shortages now has nothing to do with embargo. It has to do with the fact that the Castro government is a communist government that's mismanaged, as the usual communist economy and the Russians are not giving him everything that he wants.
REHMHow do you see the effects of the embargo, Ted Piccone?
PICCONEI think there's no question that life is very difficult for the average Cuban. But we should mention that in this large comprehensive embargo, there have been some important exceptions made under the current administration. President Obama, in 2009, agreed to relax travel and remittances back to Cuba. And I think that's had an impact and it's helped a lot of people.
PICCONEThe average annual flow of remittances about 2 to $3 billion a year from the United States, in addition to another about $3 billion in goods and other products that average Cuban American families are sending to their relatives on the island and this has helped people get through. It's also been a source of revenue for people to invest in their own small business, which is now something allowed by the Cuban government.
PICCONEI think what we should do is propel that momentum forward and allow all Americans to provide the kind of remittances and technical assistance and even trade with this new micro enterprising portion of the Cuban society.
REHMMauricio, to you. How do you believe the embargo is affecting average Cubans?
CLAVER-CARONEWell, the historical fact is that Cuba has received the two largest subsidies in modern-day history, first from the Soviet Union, then from Venezuela. And the result has been very poor. The Cuban people have not enjoyed any of those benefits. Moreover, to this day, over 100 countries in the world do business and transact, trade with Cuba and that hasn't benefitted the Cuban people in any way.
CLAVER-CARONESo those are the facts. I mean, we've seen how that's had an effect. Now, in regards to what lifting the embargo would do is essentially take the example of all those countries throughout the world. Every single transaction that's done, trade wise, with Cuba is only done with one entity in Cuba, With the state. Even humanitarian transactions, and Ted mentioned the agricultural and medical sales that have taken place...
REHMMauricio, I'll have to stop you there. We need to take a short break. When we come back, we'll hear more about whether to lift the trade embargo against Cuba.
REHMAnd welcome back as we talk about conversation that is going on in Washington certainly about the possibility of lifting the trade embargo against Cuba. Bill LeoGrande, could the president do that unilaterally?
LEOGRANDENot entirely. The Helms-Burton Act of 1996 wrote the embargo into law, but it also wrote into law the president's executive authority to license certain transactions with Cuba. So the president can and has made exceptions to the embargo through that licensing authority. How far he could go is a matter of legal debate I think, but the kind of exception that Ted was talking about earlier of licensing trade with the non-state sector of the Cuban economy is certainly something the president could do if he wanted to.
REHMI'd like to hear about Alan Gross, Frank Calzon. He was arrested nearly five years ago. He's a government subcontractor. Why was he arrested?
CALZONHe was arrested because he there to give a laptop and a satellite telephone to a Jewish group in Cuba. The -- he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, which is the same number of years that Fidel Castro was sentenced.
REHMBut why?
CALZONBecause the Cuban government wants to discourage people from taking a laptop or a telephone. When your other guests go to Cuba, they don't take a computer and they don't give it to the dissidents. Alan Gross -- besides that, something very important happened. A lot of the people that talk about Alan Gross today, what they really want is a Cuban spies exchange. When a Cuban spy asked to go to Cuba to see a sick relative, the Obama Administration, to his credit, let him go, let the Cuban spy go to Cuba.
CALZONWhen Alan Gross asked to go to America to see his dying mother, Raul Castro said, no. None of the people that talk about Alan Gross so much today raised their voice and said to Raul Castro, please, let Alan Gross come to see his dying mother, and she died.
REHMTed Piccone.
PICCONEI think you have to put the Alan Gross case in a wider context. There are some specific issues you could point to. For example, working with the Jewish community in the island but not telling them that he was a USAID contractor working with U.S. government money. So that was a bit of a problem. But more broadly, his work was part of a larger regime change democracy promotion program that the U.S. congress funds every year to the tune of $20 million a year. So we have already allocated or spent over 2, $300 million on this program trying to promote democratic change in Cuba.
PICCONEHas it worked? I don't think so. I think there's been some very important assistance to human rights defenders in Cuba and the difficulties they face. And I think we can all agree that the way the Cuban government treats human rights activists on the island is atrocious and should be corrected. The question is, how do we go about doing that? How do we go about changing that? And I think the embargo has only helped create sympathy for the Cuban regime.
PICCONEThe UN, again for the 23rd year in a row, has condemned the U.S. embargo. There were only the United States and Israel voting against that resolution. So we've isolated ourselves from the international community and are really unable to have real influence on the island.
REHMSo I'm to understand exactly why Alan Gross went to Cuba, Bill LeoGrande.
LEOGRANDESo he had a subcontract with DAI International or DAI, Inc. which had a contract with USAID under this democracy promotion program.
REHMOkay. All right.
REHMSo he was there to push democracy on behalf of the U.S. government.
LEOGRANDEYes. I mean, he was an implementer, if you will, of this broader program which is authorized by the Helms-Burton legislation and is specifically aimed at changing the Cuban government.
REHMSo say the reverse were to happen, that a Cuban spy came here because in effect, is that what he was doing?
LEOGRANDEWell, he wasn't engaged in espionage in the classic sense. He was...
REHMIn the classic sense.
LEOGRANDEWell, in the classic sense of trying to steal Cuban government secrets. What he was doing instead was trying to empower Cubans to change the Cuban government, which the Cuban government regards as subversion and which, in fact, is a violation of Cuban law. We may not think that that law is an appropriate one, but it is a violation of Cuban law. So to say he's a hostage as if he was just snatched off the street is really a mischaracterization.
REHMFrank Calzon.
CALZONWell, that's what former Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico calls him, a hostage. He is a hostage. He's not a spy. If a Cuban comes to America and gives anybody here a laptop or a telephone...
REHMYeah, but the laptop is sort of symbolic. What he was doing was promoting democracy in Cuba.
CALZONYeah, but people -- Diane, people don't go to prison for doing symbolic things. The fact is that what he did is not a crime anywhere in the world.
REHMExcept in Cuba.
CALZONExcept in -- and North Korea. And North Korea is a close ally of Cuba. And now we're -- as we speak here, there is a meeting in New York at the United Nations because Cuba is doing everything it can to prevent the UN from taking North Korea to the international court for everything that Cuba has done.
CALZONWhen we talk about Cuba we need to talk about Korea -- North Korea, we need to talk about Syria. That's where Cuba is involved.
REHMAll right. Mauricio, I know you wanted to jump in there.
CLAVER-CARONEYes, please, please. I mean, kind of this conversation had me -- we want to condemn someone because they're promoting democracy. The United States has democracy programs and promotes democracy not only in Cuba, but in Syria, in Iran, in North Korea, in Burma, in all kinds of authoritarian states throughout the world.
CLAVER-CARONEWhat Alan Gross was doing in Cuba is protected under Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which allows for the establishment of free communications regardless of frontiers. Now this is the same also that the United States did during the Cold War. Do we condemn the fact that the United States helped people and dissidents in the solidarity movement and in the former Czech Republic that had Morse Code equipment? Now it's a little bit more sophisticated because we wanted internet connectivity.
CLAVER-CARONEThe reason why Alan Gross is in prison is because he challenged the monopoly, the internet monopoly that the Cuban wants to have over the Cuban people. He was helping a community on the island establish freely to the internet. And that's something that is illegal in Cuba. The Cuban government arrests hundreds of Cubans per month for trying to have a satellite dish performing a home -- a house-made satellite dish in order to get Wi-Fi or internet connectivity or satellite reception from abroad. That is a crime in Cuba because they believe there's a monopoly.
CLAVER-CARONEAlan Gross helped those Cubans be able to get this free communication. And by challenging them he was put in prison. And he is a hostage in a sense that the Cuban government has made absolutely clear that his release will be conditioned upon the release of these Cuban spies that were duly convicted in federal court including for the murder or for conspiracy to murder against Americans. That is a hostage. That's the definition of a hostage taking.
REHMAll right. All right. Is there that kind of trade under discussion, Ted?
PICCONEI think there have been various efforts to get Alan Gross out of his Cuban jail. I think the United States government should do much more to try to negotiate a way through this problem. I'm not sure a swap is the best way. There are -- that is one option. There are others that have been discussed. The problem is that there's certain pro-embargo voices, including congress, who say we should not negotiate at all with the Cuban government. To get Alan Gross out the Cuban government should just do this unilaterally out of humanitarian concern.
PICCONEThat would be a nice gesture if the Cubans did that. I'm not sure it's going to work. So I think we better get started on a serious senior high-level negotiation in which we could talk about this and many other issues that we need to address with Cuba.
REHMBill LeoGrande, how does Ebola fit into this debate?
CLAVER-CARONEMay I answer that real quick, Diane?
LEOGRANDEWell, the Ebola crisis in West Africa has really created an opportunity for the possibility of Cuban-U.S. cooperation. After the earthquake in Haiti in January of 2010, the United States and Cuba had initially very good cooperation in providing assistance to Haitians.
LEOGRANDERight now in the Ebola case, it's very similar. The United States is in the process of building infrastructure in West Africa to treatment centers, hospitals and so on. The Cubans are sending medical personnel who could staff that infrastructure. So the possibility -- the complimentarity of the assistance that we are giving and that Cuba is giving would enable us to cooperate in a real humanitarian crisis. And I think it's something that could be done and should be done regardless of all these other issues.
REHMFrank Calzone, how do you see that? Here the Cuban people working with the American coalition trying to help here.
CALZONDiane, the Cuban people have never been asked whether they want to do one thing or the other. The Castro brothers would decide. It's the Castro brothers who tell those doctors, you must go. It's the Castro brothers that want to keep Alan Gross in prison. It is not accurate to say that there's a lot of efforts on the hill to prevent the United States from talking to Cuba. The United States continues to talk to Cuba. You just heard that the United States is cooperating with the Cuban doctors in Africa.
CALZONSo that -- I mean, there's a lot of -- there is an ongoing public relations effort that Havana has a lot something to do. I think we ought to compliment Dr. LeoGrande here because he just returned from Havana where he presented a book. But a Cuban who writes a book in Cuba goes to prison for writing a book.
PICCONEI would just say on the Ebola issue, there is an opportunity here to show that there can be good cooperation between Cuba and the United States. There is -- There are some questions we should ask ourselves and ask the Cubans in the way they do their medical diplomacy. There's been great value to it but it has some costs. And I think it's right to ask those questions.
PICCONEBut at the same time, they do have one of the better medical services in the developing world. And it gives Africans an opportunity to receive that kind of support. It's also a gesture that they make and work -- very important actually for the Cuban government to receive currency from countries like Venezuela and Brazil and others where Cuban medical workers go and provide medical services. I think there's some challenges to how they do that but it shows how desperate the Cubans are for some kind of income given the embargo they live under.
REHMAll right. we're going to open the phones. I'll go first to Miami, Fla. and Eugene. Hi there, you're on the air.
EUGENEGood morning. Thanks for taking my call.
EUGENEInteresting topic. Thank you for taking it. I happen to have the opportunity to go to Cuba last year for a week and spent some time in Havana and saw firsthand what the embargo is like. I mean, I grew up the son of Cuban immigrants before the revolution. Long story short, I think Castro is not interested in lifting an embargo. Castro uses that embargo in order to state that, you know, the United States is the big evil and that we can -- he can, you know, point the finger at us instead of himself and his inadequacies.
EUGENEIt's also big business. I mean, it's big business on both sides of the fence. There's a big black market in Cuba regarding the president's embargo as well as companies or people, especially down in South Florida, that make money in terms of the flights and the over baggage. I know when I left for Cuba I had to pay a significant amount of money in terms of over baggage. And that money's going in the pockets of people on both sides of the fence. And I was wondering if your panel could comment on that thought process.
REHMAll right. Thanks for calling. This whole business that Castro brothers remain in control because they can continue to blame the U.S.
LEOGRANDEWell, you know, Fidel Castro made a political career out of wrapping himself in the Cuban flag and mobilizing Cuban nationalism in the face of the hostility of the United States. And he even admitted at one point that if they had normal relations with the United States it would diminish his prestige somewhat.
LEOGRANDEAnd yet nevertheless, over the years he actually did reach out to U.S. presidents repeatedly to try to get a better relationship. Raul Castro is different though. He does not spend a lot of time bashing the United States in his speeches in the way Fidel used to. He talks about the problems of Cuba as being a result of Cuban policy and the need to change it.
REHMWilliam LeoGrande. He's professor in the School of Public Affairs at the American University. And you're listening to "The Diane Rehm Show." Let's go now to Santiago in Kalamazoo, Mich. Hi there, you're on the air.
SANTIAGOThank you.
REHMGo right ahead, sir.
SANTIAGOMy question for the people in the panel is this, how do you understand the concept of sovereignty? And by what right does the U.S. government fund efforts to overthrow the governments, not just of Cuba but also Nicaragua and Venezuela and Ecuador and Argentina.
REHMAll right. Frank Calzone.
CALZONYeah, I'm a political scientist. I understand the question very well but sovereignty goes back to the people. The Cuban people are not sovereign. The day that the Cuban people decides their own destiny, there would not be any problem between Washington and the United States. The problem is not with the Cuban people. The problem is with the Cuban dictatorship. It's too long. Fifty some years denying human rights in Cuba and throwing people in prison and killing dissidents is too long.
REHMWhat do you think would happen, Frank Calzon, if in fact the embargo were lifted?
CALZONIf embargo -- if we're talking about the American embargo, what people want, that want to make money, is for the American taxpayer to subsidize the Cuban government by providing credits. Cuba can buy a lot of stuff in the United States. Cuba has very little to sell to the United States. Everything that Cuba can sell they can sell. The Cuban government will claim that this is a great victory. The message will be sent to Latin America that anybody who wants to steal American property, billions of dollars in American property, you could do that. And you wait 50 years and then everything is forgotten.
REHMI don't understand your point. I really don't.
CALZONWell, the point is that the Cuban government, Fidel Castro, nationalized, confiscated all properties in Cuba including American properties, factories, stores, a couple of billion dollars.
REHMSo if the embargo were lifted, what would happen?
CALZONThe message will be sent to other governments hostile to the United States that it's okay for a foreign government to take over without compensation American properties and that everything eventually will be forgotten.
REHMTed Piccone.
PICCONEI mean, the sovereignty issue is a critical one because it goes to the core of the Cuban identity and how they have over these years of Cuban independence feel quite proud of what they've achieved, especially in the face of such hostility from their neighbor. At the same time, I think I agree that sovereignty should depend on the will of the people as expressed through free and fair elections. And Cuba doesn't have that. And so that is an ongoing challenge.
REHMThe question is, how do we best support that change? Is it by imposing impunitive embargo and doing these stealth programs of supporting programs on the ground? I don't think so. I think we've tried that for 56 years. It hasn't worked. We need to try something new. Cuba has started to begin a process of economic change. We should use that to support middle classes in Cuba expanding.
REHMTed Piccone of the Brookings Institution. Short break here. When we come back, more of your calls, your email. I look forward to hearing from you.
REHMAnd welcome back. Mauricio, I want to read you an email we have from Grand Rapids, Mich. Gloria says, "Prior to the embargo, I believe Cuba had a higher literacy rate and lower infant mortality rate than the U.S. How has the embargo affected this?
CLAVER-CARONEWell, I don't think the -- I don't think the embargo's had any affect in that regards. I mean, you know, we could have been -- obviously if it was a free country it would have continued to progress. And in that regard, since it already had such high levels under the Castro regime, it did make a certain, significant progresses in that regards. But if I can touch upon -- since I don't have the opportunity too much on your last question -- what would happen if the embargo is lifted.
CLAVER-CARONEYou know, we're seeing it. We would see -- we're seeing firsthand. We don't have to theorize about this because we're seeing it firsthand play out in Burma. When what happens when you prematurely lift sanction. The government gets -- the military dictatorship there get all the economic benefit and then they decide, hey, you know what? I'm not going to do anything more. Repression has increased. They've pulled back on the reforms and the pro-democracy movement has been sidelined.
CLAVER-CARONESo we're seeing firsthand what would happen if you prematurely lift sanctions. Moreover, in regards to what Ted had mentioned in regards to Alan Gross, I would point out -- and the Congress -- I would point out that North Korea just released three American hostages. They did so unconditionally and unilaterally. There was no quid pro quo. There was no negotiation.
CLAVER-CARONEAnd the United States purposely sent Admiral James Clapper as a security official, so that it wouldn't be a diplomat. Therefore, not giving the wrong impression that there was some type of diplomatic entreaty for it. So what we currently have here is the Cuban government looking more recalcitrant than the North Korean regime in this regards.
PICCONEWell, would we -- would you support our sending a senior level official to Cuba to try to talk directly to the senior level officials in Cuba about Alan Gross's case? We haven't seen that yet.
CLAVER-CARONEThere have been more senior -- there have been more senior level U.S. officials traveling to Cuba, sending messages from the administration, including former presidents of the United States, like Jimmy Carter. From Jimmy Carter to Jessie Jackson to half of the United States Senate and Congress have been to Cuba trying to do this. (unintelligible)…
PICCONEThey're all formers. How about a standing official? How about a senior level current official?
CLAVER-CARONEWhen Alan Gross was first taken hostage, the assistant secretary of state went to -- actually, the principle deputy assistant secretary of state at that time, Roberta Jacobson, went to Cuba right then in that (unintelligible) three months after and tried to negotiate for his release. And to Cuba. And she came back empty handed because the Cubans already saw the value. Because since we did not take consequence for this hostage-taking and instead…
REHMAll right.
CLAVER-CARONE…tried to appease the regime, they said, hey, this has a high value so we're going to ask for the spies release.
REHMAll right. Bill LeoGrande?
LEOGRANDESo, you know, I think there's a -- there are a lot of precedents for negotiations to exchange prisoners. And when we saw the exchange for Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, the release of Taliban prisoners. A couple of years ago we released 10 Soviet spies in exchange for several spies in the Soviet Union who'd been working for the United States. In the case of Cuba, we had a prisoner exchange in 1963. We had another one in 1979.
LEOGRANDESo there's a lot of precedent for having at least a serious negotiation with the other side to see if we can get prisoners released. I agree that there's not equivalency in terms of what the Cuban spies were doing and what Alan Gross was doing. But there is a humanitarian equivalency. These are all people who've been in jail for a very, very long time, separated from their families. And both of these cases now are a major obstacle in terms of U.S. national interest moving forward.
REHMAll right. And here's an email from Jan. "On a basic level, did the embargo accomplish its initial goals? If not, why continue a failed policy?" Frank?
CALZONThe goal of embargo has changed throughout the years. When the embargo was put in place it was because the Cuban government stole American properties in Cuba. Then the United -- then Cuba allied closely with the Soviet Union. Then there were atomic weapons in Cuba. And later, Cuba send Cubans to get -- and get killed around the United States -- around the world. Right now, as I indicated before, Cuba is a close ally of North Korea. Cuba plays a significant role against Israel at the United Nations.
REHMFrank, you're not answering the question that has been posed.
CALZONThe question…
REHMOn a basic level…
REHM…did the embargo accomplish its goals? If not, why not and why continue a failed policy?
CALZONThey -- well, I don't know as I -- I wouldn't say it's a failed policy, but the embargo had an intention, which is to punish a Cuban government for stealing American property.
REHMDid it succeed?
CALZONIt did not -- well, it succeeded in preventing…
CALZONIt succeeded Cuba from having additional resources, to suppress a Cuban people, to -- against the United States. And why it did not succeed to the extent that many wanted? Because the Soviet Union came and gave them all -- everything that he wanted.
REHMBut the Soviet Union is no longer there to give them
CALZONNow, Russia is there. And Russia is reestablishing its ties with Cuba. I think Mauricio is -- he's trying to get on the line.
CLAVER-CARONEIf I may, I'm happy to answer that question, Diane.
REHMSure. Go ahead.
CLAVER-CARONEIf I may. I mean, first and foremost, as Frank mentioned, the Cuban sanctions have met this punitive factor. But putting into perspective -- and sorry, I apologize that I don't like series, too much. But if we see -- let's say, just as an example, over the last 14 years we have sold all kinds of humanitarian projects, agriculture and medical products to Cuba. There's been 340 American companies that have done so. There's only been one Cuban counterpart. A company owned by Fidel Castro called (unintelligible). That's the monopoly.
CLAVER-CARONENow, you lift the embargo and that -- and just put that on steroids. That would (unintelligible) indefinitely. In other words, doing business with those monopolies. The sanctions towards Cuba is essentially (unintelligible) United States, that the United States does not want to do, chooses not to do business with Castro's monopoly. And the facts show that historically, what the Cuban government does with that money and those monopolies do with that money, whether it was the one from the Soviet Union or now from Venezuela or from the over 100 countries that trade with only Castro's monopolies, is that it's not put to good use. It's put to repress the Cuban people, etcetera.
CLAVER-CARONEBut now from a geopolitical perspective, in this Western hemisphere, in 2001, we signed -- along with 34 out of 35 countries in the hemisphere what was called the Inter-American Democratic Charter. And it said representative democracy was going to be the centerpiece of our inter-American relations. If tomorrow we life sanctions towards Cuba, it is going to send a message to all the authoritarians in the region that have all these authoritarian ambitions, the one thing that keeps them is to show that, hey, look, Cuba is what happens to you if you decide to cross the board and go back to dictatorships like we did (unintelligible).
REHMTed Piccone?
PICCONEI think it's important to recognize that Cuba's foreign policy has changed over time so that the original reasons for imposing the embargo are no longer valid. So including the relationship with the Soviet Union and support to armed groups in Central America and Africa, that has gone away. The Cubans are in a situation now where they no longer fulfill the conditions for what -- the original reasons for the embargo. The real reason we have the embargo is because we want them to change their regime and also return U.S. property.3
PICCONEThe first part is not negotiable. The second part is negotiable and I think there would be a process in which property claims would be resolved in a process of negotiations. But I would also mention the state sponsored terrorism list is another area that -- Cuba is currently on that list and receives additional sanctions as a result and does not belong on that list. It is not supporting terrorism acts abroad. And has shown that over and over again and needs to be taken off that list.
REHMAll right. And joining us now is Tom Udall, Senator from New Mexico. And good morning to you, sir.
SEN. TOM UDALLGood morning, Diane. Thank you for putting me in. I just back from Cuba. Spent -- we did a bipartisan co-dell with Senator Flake from Arizona. And met for two hours with Alan Gross. And I agree with a lot of your panelists there that the embargo has been a failed policy. I believe we should be lifting the travel ban. I've been fighting for those things since I've been in the House of Representatives. And we're now doing that in the Senate in a bipartisan way. And I think one of the remarkable things is that we had a race for governor in Florida, where Charlie Crist came within 1 percent of winning.
SEN. TOM UDALLAnd he was for lifting the embargo. So I think the circumstances have changed dramatically here in the United States and it allows us to look at new foreign policy opportunities and new trade opportunities and doing business with Cuba in a whole different way. And…
UDALL…lifting up both countries.
REHMCan you tell me about your meeting with Alan Gross?
UDALLWell, I -- as I said, we met with him for two hours. I don't want to get into a lot of the details, but first of all, he wants to come home, more than anything.
REHMOf course.
UDALLHe doesn't think he did anything wrong. He -- I think this USAID program that he was in got him into serious trouble. And I'm glad that USAID is reconsidering these programs that push people out there in such a way that they could be accused of breaking local laws and then put in jail. But…
REHMAnd did you also manage to speak with Cuban officials about his release?
UDALLWe sure did. We met with several Cuban officials in the foreign ministry.
REHMAnd what kind of reaction did you get?
UDALLWell, they're -- where they're at -- the official party line -- and this is what you usually get from Cuban officials, is that they endorse exchange. But I -- the exchange that's been publically out there in the New York Times…
REHMAnd what would that exchange involve?
UDALLWell, the -- what people are talking about -- the New York Times has endorsed this on the editorial page, is the Cuban five who were convicted of a conspiracy, two of them are now back in Cuba, but there's still three left. And the exchange would be that three of the Cubans that are held in American jails would be exchanged for Alan Gross. I'm not so sure that that's the right construct, but it's one possibility. I think we should be -- as several of your panelists have said -- we should be having serious discussions with them about this and try to find the avenue that's going to work.
UDALLIt may be the exchange, it may be something else. We thought that this was a real opportunity to be down there, be on the ground, visit with Alan Gross and also represent to Cuban officials that this was holding back our ability to work with each other, to move down the road, to open new opportunities, to open a new page in American/Cuban relations.
REHMAnd do you believe -- and have you talked with President Obama about what actions he might take to lift the embargo?
UDALLI'm going to be doing that. We're opening avenues there. And saying this is a page you could turn. There are opportunities now, I think, for the next couple of months that may not be there when we get in the midst of a presidential campaign and people have declared their positions. And so I hope this administration, with our urging, will look at all sorts of avenues. They've done some very good things in terms of the travel ban and lifting parts of that. And it's making a big difference in the private sector, just to suggest one thing that they -- is a new avenue.
UDALLCuban Americans are traveling down there in record numbers. They're remittances where they pay money -- Cuban Americans pay money to their Cuban relatives or to others who are in business. And so they're opening up opportunities for the Cuban people. So I think this is a ripe time to be talking about this. I really complement you, Diane, in terms of focusing on this issue because I think the next four or five months could be absolutely crucial.
REHMThank you.
UDALLAnd I think the New York Times sees that also and is writing stories and editorializing it also.
REHMLet me ask you one last question. Tell me about the health of Alan Gross.
UDALLI had -- the -- all of the reports that I was seeing in the media, I expected to see a man that was in much poorer health. I did not see that. He was healthy. He carried on a coherent -- very coherent conversation with two U.S. senators for two hours. He was very plugged in to what was going on in Cuba and what was going on in the United States. He was very up to date on current events. And he was very sad, in terms of his wife and his family and his inability to be able to see his mom before she died and things like that. But I didn't think that what I had been seeing, in terms of reports, that he was -- I expected to see somebody who was in worse health.
REHMDo you expect action to come soon on Alan Gross?
UDALLI hope so. I don't have any specific evidence that suggests that something is going happen tomorrow, but I think if all of us work on this -- I'm going to work with Senator Flake. If all of us work on this in a bipartisan way and convey things to the administration, I think something can be done in the next four or five months to change the equation here and really open up -- if we can get over this hurdle, we can open up many more opportunities.
REHMSen. Tom Udall, of New Mexico. Thank you for joining us, sir.
UDALLThank you. Thank you for doing this program on -- Cheers. Take care. Bye-bye.
REHMAll right. Bye-bye. Frank Calzone, I know you want to comment.
CALZONYeah, of course, the senator means well. And he wants to talk to Mr. Obama. He should be pleading with Raul Castro to let this man who's innocent come home. On the issue of spies, it's very important to realize that at least one of the spies is convicted of having been involved in sending information that resulted in the killing of American citizens. This is someone who helped kill Americans by Cuban war planes. And I don't think American justice is served when people who kill Americans would be simply released on a political situation.
REHMBill LeoGrande, do you want to comment on that issue?
LEOGRANDEI do. In 1979 the United States released four Puerto Rican nationalists who were in prison, in exchange for four CIA agents imprisoned in Cuba. The Puerto Rican nationalists, three of them were involved in opening fire on the Congress of the United States, wounding five congressmen. The fourth was involved in the attempted assassination of President Harry Truman, in which a Secret Service officer was killed. So in those cases, who are in some ways much more egregious than the case of the Cuban five.
REHMAll right. We're going to have to leave it there. We'll see what comes in the next few months. Thank you all, Ted Piccone, Frank Calzone, William LeoGrande, Mauricio Claver-Carone. And thanks for listening. I'm Diane Rehm.
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120 format color negative, boasted to be the world's finest grain film! CineStill 50D is an ISO 50/18° speed daylight balanced (5500K) motion picture emulsion. Technology borrowed from from Hollywood's wunderkind, Kodak 50D, prepped and rolled for safe C-41 standard development as an ISO 50 film.
Our new and improved manufacturing process now extends the shelf life, with less noticeable artifacts after expiration! The same advanced motion picture emulsion, safe to process in standard C-41 photo lab machines or at home! This emulsion is optimized for a hybrid workflow, ideal for scanning, and produces a complimentary contrast curve for optical printing on RA-4 paper when processed in C-41 chemistry. Treat this film as a 50 ISO film when processing in C-41 and push process whenever needed.
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Leading international data center, hosting and cloud players will gather in Hong Kong on 6th November this year for the annual Finance and Investment Forum for Datacenters, Hosting and Cloud Asia, with global providers Digital Realty and Savvis, a CenturyLink Company announced as joint Patrons. The event will take place in the luxurious hotel Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.
Official media partner of the event is Datacentres.com and a variety of eminent persons within the data center and hosting business have already been announced as speakers during the one-day forum. Among them: Steve Wallage – Managing Director of BroadGroup Consulting, Jonathan Leung – Vice President and Head of Hosting Services Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Mark Smith – Managing Director Asia Savvis, a CenturyLink Company, Jonathan Atkin – Managing Director RBC Capital Markets, LLC, and Kris Kumar – Senior Vice President & Regional Head Asia Pacific Digital Realty.
Investor breakfast
The objective of the one-day forum is to bring together stakeholders and players in the sector across the finance and investment community, to assess datacenters, hosting and cloud, identify key opportunities emerging in Asia and China, the types of finance available, mergers and acquisitions, debt versus risk and mezzanine financing. Discussion will also cover the different types of funders, lessons from the US and Europe, and financial and business model assumptions.
An investor breakfast will also take place as a prelude to the main conference. Entering the "den" of potential investors, a series of short pitches will be made to the audience from companies currently seeking investment for a variety of datacenter projects.
"Digital Realty is delighted to participate in the Finance and Investment Forum for Datacenters Asia," says Kris Kumar, Senior Vice President and Regional Head of Asia Pacific. "As the biggest provider of datacenter solutions, we support industry efforts to discuss the opportunities and outlook for the sector and look forward to contributing to the debate. With 122 properties located in 32 markets throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Australia we believe our perspective will add tremendous value to the event."
"Asia has reached an exciting stage of development in datacenters," says Steve Wallage, managing director of BroadGroup Consulting. "This event creates a unique platform for the key opportunity sectors across the region that will drive investment and innovation."


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Man Enrages Elderly Conservative Family Members by Announcing They'll be Having Chicken Instead of Turkey on Thanksgiving
DES MOINES, IA – Local man Gerald Bibb, has enraged his elderly conservative family members today after he informed them that he'll be serving chicken for their thanksgiving dinner instead of the traditional turkey dinner.
"I thought why do we always have to have turkey. We only have it once a year. If we liked turkey, we would have it a lot more often than that. So why not have some good chicken. We love chicken and eat it all the time," said Bibb.
"This is an outrage. I hate change of any kind at all. We absolutely must have turkey on thanksgiving. We must always stay the same and do things the same as we always have. I have demanded that my grandson serve turkey or I will be disowning him," said grandfather Lou Bob Bibb.
We told Lou Bob that he can eat turkey any day of the year that he wants but that only enraged him further as he punched a hole in the wall. Gerald says if the chicken is a hit on thanksgiving with the majority of his family members, he may serve it again on Christmas instead of the traditional roast beef or ham.