LyrArc Article Gist
Readers of the NYT reflect on the Syria-Iraq conflict and the experience in Vietnam. Stuart Gottlieb, who teaches American foreign policy and international security at Columbia University, describes Logevall and Goldstein's Vietnam analogy for Syria as a situation on how one can go wrong by relying on historical reference when new thinking is required based on existing challenges. Others point to the situation in Vietnam as Kennedy's war with 16,000 advisors already on the ground. Kennedy's words "let every country know whether it wishes us well or ill, that we will support any friend, oppose any foe...," were part of the Cold War in the early sixties that Kennedy inherited from Eisenhower and Truman starting with a Communist Iron Curtain falling over Eastern Europe and threatening Western Europe. The situation today is quite different in a Middle East with little to do with Russia and China, at the same time sectarian with Sunni and Shia, and aspirations of Arab people for freedom from dictatorships....

LyrArc Article Gist
China's central bank the PBOC lowered the reserve requirement ratio for commercial banks, the amount of deposits set aside for financial safety, by half a percentage point to 19.5% on Feb. 5, 2015. The move is intended to get banks to lend more to stimulate growth. Growth is slowing in China, with GDP up 7.4% in 2014, and expected to go below 7% in 2015. With China's debt up to an estimated 282% of GDP, the PBOC has resisted efforts for monetary easing that would make the debt problems worse. The lowering of the reserve requirement ratio by half a percentage point gives commercial banks an additional 500 billion yuan or $81 billion to lend out to customers. Another 160 billion yuan comes from measures targeted at small business and agriculture. With the soft business conditions worldwide China's manufacturers may be reluctant to borrow more at this time, making it uncertain how much actual lending will take place following the move.

LyrArc Article Gist
Unilever is facing higher prices for the vegetable oil, such as palm oil it uses for making soap and margarine. It is passing on the costs to consumers. Nestle and Danone SA are passing on the higher prices to consumers. Nestle increased the average wholesale price for all its products by 5.3%. Higher feed costs make it more expensive for Danone to keep cows, raising milk prices and with it prices of yogurt, cheese and other milk products. As a result food inflation is running at 5% in the USA and prices are higher in Europe and in other parts of the world. Because of the increasing demand for better nutrition levels and better food in diets in China and India and other parts of the world, and low grain production levels, and the increasing amount of land diverted to other uses, including ethanol production in the USA, there are food shortages and higher prices for corn and other grains.

LyrArc Article Gist
A critical point mentioned is that for a heavy polluter like China, the slowdown means less production of heavy industry like cement and steel that produces few jobs and has large emissions. The slowdown is an opportunity to make a transition to a greener economy that creates more jobs. The spokesperson for the European Commission says it depends on the vision and foresight of European, American and Chinese leadership whether they use the transition as a short term bitter apple to create new sectors that help in conservation, the environment, and for jobs, all at the same time. Government incentives and mandates, education, and leadership may be critical to doing this. Business and the private sector and markets can be shortsighted in this respect, and lack the will and staying power to see it through, leading to suboptimal results at best or destructive results as critical time is lost in indecision or inaction.

LyrArc Article Gist
The China Banking Regulatory Commission points to dangers of the Non Performing Loans ratio rebounding and serious risks in the financial sector from bad loans. CBRC chairman, Liu Mingkang, points to the risks associated with local-government financing platforms, and the real estate sector and industries with excess capacity, in the 128 page report for 2009 shown on its website. And he points out that fundamental cracks and flaws internationally, that were exposed by the global financial criis of 2008, have still to be resolved. He cites the regulatory issues, "too-big-to-fail" issue for large financial institutions, cross-sector and cross-country risk contagion toxic assets, and the budget deficits facing European countries, as major issues posing systemic risk.

LyrArc Article Gist
An effort by educated Chinese in business, government, and other professions to have informal discussions in small groups through getting together for dinner. This helps educated Chinese find ways to communicate their concerns about corruption, abuse of power by public officials, contamination of food, air and water pollution.

LyrArc Article Gist
Station from Christopher Beanland published in the UK shows unique rail stations from all over the world. They tell a lot about the place, modernistic art in Shibuya, Tokyo, curvy modernistic in white purple in Chengdu Metro, China, to the classical European facade in Helsinki and Prague, and mix in St Pancras of the industrial age, glitzy orange in Los Angeles Union station, and reviving the 1930's Soviet era in Ivanov northeast of Moscow.  This includes rail stations of Helsinki, Prague for architectural significance from the period after 1900. St Pancras in London which was saved from demolition and was restored mixing the modern with the historical setting. As it says in the Times the upper levels are quiet and pianos are playing at the lower levels with a gateway to Belgium and France. The Ivanova station 150 miles northeast of Moscow is restored to 1930's style along with hammer and sickle murals and design of that period with wooden benches rehabilitated. The glitzy Union station in Los Angeles is all orange looking ceilings that have a flower sculpted design. Next there is Shibuya station in Tokyo with huge mural modernistic paintings. ...

LyrArc Article Gist
Lael Brainard, head of the National Economic Council, and former Vice Chair at the Federal Reserve answers questions at the Council of Foreign Relations in Dec. 2024. Points she made are- The inflation we experienced was correctly diagnosed by Powell and the Fed as caused by Supply shocks from the pandemic not 1970's style embedded expectations inflation.  The response was to free up the supply by freeing up the clogged Los Angles Ports with labour and logistics coordination, and other actions. It also included redoing the supply chains to reduce dependence on China as only supplier. The 2017 tax cuts mean revenue will be 1.5 percentage points lower than the historically 18% of the GDP. This will increase the deficit. Biden administration had kept the deficit in control and reduced it by making offsetting adjustments when investment in certain areas such as childcare was done. The childcare tax credit is important for American families. Action is needed to increase the supply of housing. These are reminders of what is needed for the new DJT administration to keep the American economy on a strong footing says Brainard.     ...

LyrArc Article Gist
This You Tube video in The Indian Express shows Indian leaders Modi, Sitharaman, president Murmu, vice president Dhankar, Chandrabbu Naidu and party leaders paying homage to the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee who led the formation of the first non Congress coalition government in 1996 followed by one in 1998 and 2000-2006. Music played on this occasion were favorites of Mahatma Gandhi- Vaishna Vajana thene re kayiye- he who we call a true Vaishnava- the qualities of a true Vaishnawa. This is the classic of the 30's and 40's that won independence for India by bringing forward a new generation of leaders that would bring India forward in the 20th century. These hopes rested on the shoulders of Congress and Jawaharlal Nehru yet fell by the wayside after the early 1960's with China's invasion in 1962, India faltered with socialist ideologies and the License Raj, stymying the energies of the people, corrupt political life leading to stagnation. By late Atal Bihari Vajpayee offered an alternative and hope following the models set by Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel in word and deeds with the first non Congress governments setting the stage for Modi in 2014. ...

LyrArc Article Gist
US president DJT meets Indian PM Modi on the first day of his visit to the US. PBS shows the joint press conference of the two leaders as India and the US embark on a new journey. India to reach out for 1.4 billion people- and as a model for 1.7 billion people including Indonesia- reach out for Developed modern India by 2047, the 100th anniversary of India's independence from the British Empire. The US as the leading western economy meeting new challenges from China as it partners with India for 2.4 billion people living in South Asian and North American democracies and the UK/Canada/Australia/Japan the largest group of people with a common history and institutions of government based on a shared history with Britain and the Modern World it created by pioneering the Scientific and Industrial Revolution. And a shared civilization where the Bhagavad Gita meets the Authorized Version of the Bible in the religion and civilizations that provide a common heritage of the spirit. To conduct the affairs of man in ways that provide good honest governance and a shared interest in peaceful development for the welfare of humanity. ...

LyrArc Article Gist
Trump rally for 100 Days in Warren, Michigan, at a community college gymnasium, April 29, 2025. DJT also visits Selfridge Air Force Base and says it will get 15 new F-16 jets to replace old jets.  DJT says we're "getting woke lunacy and transgender ideology the hell out of our government." Border crossings of 8400 in February 2025 and 7200 in March 2025 are the lowest since the 1960's, one of the lowest ever, compared to 140,000 in March 2024 under Biden. DJT says he is protecting the middle class and Main Street. The millions of jobs lost to China, DJT says he is bringing them back. He talks about creating manufacturing jobs and restoring the industrial base of America that was lost in the last 30 years.  Trump lists the cost of everything from eggs to gasoline at the pump. He says there are three states where gas at the pump is below $2.00 a gallon. He cites the 345,000 jobs created in 100 days and the lowering of inflation.   ...

LyrArc Article Gist
Alluring scenery but hollowing out. Rail station in Dunedin New Zealand looks like it is from the 19th or early 20th century. New Zealand wages are 27% lower than Australian wages in 2025. New Zealand's weak, economy cuts in public services in 2025 affect jobs and employment. New Zealand sees emigration of 69,000 for the year to Feb 2025, highest on record.  Australia has mining and huge demand from China and India for its coal to support it's economy. In a paradox black coal in the interior supports a healthy lifestyle with weather and sports in the coastal belt of Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and further up the coastline in Perth and Adelaide. New Zealand life means higher grocery prices and less quality than Australia, it means health services are not as good, and the public services are being cut to reduce the deficit and borrowing. Most migration is to Auckland and towns in the interior look scenic such as Dunedin but are increasingly seeing people leaving for lack of prospects, lack of pay raises and high cost of living, poor public services. This is a cycle that was felt in 2002 and goes back a long way and is unlikely to change. ...

LyrArc Article Gist
China's prime minister, Wen Jiabao says he supports policies supporting stimulus and growth along with prudent monetary policy and efforts to dampen real estate prices to increase affordability. Efforts to strike the right balance and keep growth of at least 7.5%.

LyrArc Article Gist
The key role being played by Xi Jinping and advisor Liu He in developing economic policy and top down changes for China in 2013-2015.

LyrArc Article Gist
The UN badge and logo for sustainable development goals is becoming highly popular in Japan. It has 17 colors for the 17 Sustainable Development goals set by the UN- ending poverty, reducing inequality, improving education, other aspirations of the people of the world. It is something India, the US, Canada, Britain ,Germany, France and other nations should adopt in the way Japan has done. India has taken up specific goals, clean India, clean water, electrification, and made it available to all 1.2 billion people, in its own version of SDG. Introduced into Japan by 2016, this badge is now so popular that there it is everywhere says this report in NYT. In children's playgrounds, in comic books, on NHK broadcaster's video with about 1 million views, on Buddhist temple websites, and used by businesses. In 2016 it was made official national policy by Mr Abe's government and a task force established on them by the government. In 2017 it was adopted to its charter by Keidanren, the business federation.  In the US very few know about S.D.G.'s but in community oriented Japan it has been taken up with zeal. It is part of the conversation and one survey shows 40% of Japanese business were working towards the goals in 2021. It has been adopted by Education Canada Network and it is a good way to bring this idea in education to schools and colleges in North America, Britain, EU, India and China, as well as Africa and Latin America, other parts of Asia. In India some of the SDG's are already the focus of campaigns by the Modi government Goal 0  Clean Nation one that has not been coined yet one that is called Clean India or Swacch Bharat Goal 1 Zero Hunger was taken up during the vaccination for covid campaign to get free foodgrains and vegetables to all 1.2 billion people. Goal 2  Clean Water and Sanitation or Har Ghar Jal getting clean tap water to all rural homes by 2024. Goal 3 Infrastructure, Industry, Exports Goal 4 Renewable Energy The sequence is different from the UN SDG's. The difference is it is a goal set for universal meaning everyone and delivery meaning by a specific date, and the priorities are set in the numbering. The Indian SDG campaigns under the Modi government and at federal and state levels are unprecedented in history for a population of this size, and now present a model for all nations in Asia, Africa, Latin America on how to go about doing the SDG's in practice. ...