LyrArc Article Gist
China's Nobel prize winner Mo Yan says he hopes democarcy activist and dissident Liu Xiaobo is released soon.

LyrArc Article Gist
Tom Horton's role in the merger of American AIrlines with U.S. Airways. Tom Horton was the chairman of American Airlines, and helped execute the merger, which was very favorable to shareholders.

LyrArc Article Gist
Mary Barra, 49, is appointed as the new leader of global product development at GM. Her background is in engineering, manufacturing and human resources. Barra is an electrical engineer who has been with GM for 30 years, was a vice president for global manufacturing and engineering, and manager of a Detroit assembly plant.

LyrArc Article Gist
Joel Peterson describes how he got his start at Trammel Crow, a real estate developer company, seeing an ad on the bulletinn board at school for somebody fluent in French to go and work in the south of France. He says a big part of his relationships with lenders and partners in the business was about trust. He describes trust as coming from listening from the heart, genuinely interested in what people have to say, not some listening techinque. Its also about you as a person, authenticity, openness, being able to see things as they really are, and being direct. Its listening without an agenda, because any sort of frame in the mind means one is thinking about one's response is to what someone said, and one needs to listen fully and process what someone says to listen well. He describes it as being allowed entry in that person's world, which helps to build trust.

LyrArc Article Gist
The International Energy Agency says in areport that China's policy shift to develop green energy projects will reduce global greenhouse emissions by 2020. Lower economic growth worldwide and thefaster development of green energy will reduce the emissions by 5% by 2020. Instead of recent growth in emissions the lower economic growth will lower greenhous emissions by 3% this year.

LyrArc Article Gist
Expensive new fuel saving technology investments at BMW to meet new pollution control standards in Europe (130 grams per kilometer) and boost fuel efficiency in the US. This year only 40% of its cars will meet 140 grams per kilometer. With a production total of 1.4 million cars BMW faces sizable investments with smaller car volume than the likes of Toyota and Honda. R&D costs have climbed 22% in first half 2007 to 1.5 billion euros. BMW has agreements to jointly develop some of the new technology with Daimler and GM on hybrid gasoline-electric drive cars. Its developing a new 3 liter diesel engine for the US market that cleaner and fuel efficient. BMW plans also to boost advertising budgets to promote itself as a fuel efficient carmaker conscious of the environment, See related article. It plans to expand in India China and Russia to get a share of the expanding markets there. BMW's second quarter profit fell 23% on a 7% gain in revenues underlying the additional investments BMW faces. CEO Reithofer wants to increase profits to above last years 3.75 billion euros. ...

LyrArc Article Gist
The first Democratic debate for the presidential election of 2016 gives Hillary Clinton a huge boost. Democratic voters find her to be more convincing in the debate than Sanders. Without Biden in the race a Oct 2015 ABC News/Washington Post poll shows Clinton draws 64 percent support among Democrats, and Sanders 25 percent, with O'Malley, Webb and Chafee less than 2%. Even on questions such as who "is closer to you" on the issues, who "understands the problems of people like you," Clinton beats Sanders by 53-36 percent and 51-37 percent in the poll. On honesty she is about even with Sanders. The careful low key approach getting a feel for the voters and their concerns appears to be paying off for Hillary Clinton where it really counts. The picture of Clinton in the media accounts is not affecting Democratic voters.

LyrArc Article Gist
The documentary "Last Train Home," directed by Lixin Fan, shows the life of migrant workers and their families in China. Fan sporadically spent 3 years with one family, Zhang Changhua and Cheng Suqin, to capture glimpses of this family's life as one of China's 130 million migrant workers. The family left a village in Sichuan province, to work in a factory in Guangzhou, which manufactures denim jeans. For 7 days a week -once working 15 hours a day for 29 days straight- the Zhang family works continuously, just to send money back home to the grandmother who raises 17 year old Qin and another child. The daughter is rebellious as she is resentful of the parent's absence. This is the story of migrant families throughout China, the quiet hidden ordeal, that is behind the cheap products available in western countries. And Fan documents this well with scenes at the railway station, as the family catches the last trains back to Sichuan, for the yearly trip back to the village. There is a whole society in transition, and there are many sides to this story, this is the human one of families caught up in this transition. Lack of farm subsidies and taking over of farmland for building and construction has hurt life in agricultural areas. The Communist party has made dissent difficult. And the imposition of a decades old registration system that denies education and social services to migrant workers from the villages, creates huge strains on family life. Fan says- before the showing of this film at the IFC Center in Greenwich Village- that he hopes to raise questions in the minds of viewers. Does the blame for this go to the government, the factory owners and companies, or the West, something Fan says he is not able to answer. That there is little official opposition to the film- in the same manner that the suicides at Hon Hai, and the factory conditions there and in other factories across China, are being freely reported- suggests that China is coming to terms with the different angles from which to view the economic transition that has taken place over the last two decades. It is also a belated recogniton of the whole range of questions raised by a singleminded policy of manufacturing for western markets, especially when these markets with debt-laden consumers may present huge uncertainty in the future....

LyrArc Article Gist
Research figures show corporate insiders are not buying into the rally in the U.S. stock market in Feb. 2012.

LyrArc Article Gist
France's Foreign Minister Ayrault says of Boris Johnson: "He lied a lot to the British. Now, he is the one with his back against the wall." He sees missing in Johnson the "clear, credible and reliable" person with whom he can negotiate. Ray Stegner, deputy chairman of Germay's Social Democrat Party says "May looks weaker after such a choice of personnel. Now he is negotiating Brexit. Enjoy the trip." In China he is seen as a celebrity not a serious person. Bildt, ZDF, see in this a part of British humor. Jurgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesman for Christian Democrats Party in Germany had a different take on Johnson- seeing this as an astute move because if the government one day comes to conclude that Brexit should not be completed then having Johnson on board to explain it to the people would guarantee support in her party and with the people of England. In her first speech May emphasized that she was a "Unionist." Her first important meeting was with Nicola Sturgeon of Scotland and made Scotland's agreement necessary before invoking Article 50. Her talk of "burning injustices" for the poor and the underprivileged also goes to address the root of the problems behind the Leave vote. By having Johnson on board she can focus on the issues that really matter and which were on the minds of people in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland- to ensure that the economic system works for all.   ...

LyrArc Article Gist
Only 78 years ago a 4 year old boy Eiji Kishida became in seconds a tangled burnt mass of flesh a mile away from where the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima. It is his second cousin once removed that is meeting leaders of the G7 countries in the same place. It will come as a surprise to know that this is Fumio Kishida the prime minister of Japan. Peter Landers and Chieko Tsuneoka tell this incredible story. Setsuko Thurlow 91 years now living in Canada is the aunt of the boy who saw him just before he died. She was at the army office in Hiroshima which itself was buried in rubble. Mr. Kishida represents Hiroshima in parliament and wrote a book in 2020 about the little 4 year old boy Eiji and the devastation that is seen in a town destroyed by a nuclear bomb. Lyrarc.com supports Mr. Kishida's ideas and vision. First Japan, then China and India have gone through the phase of resisting and overcoming colonial powers. During the phase the influence of Vedanta and Buddhism was eroded, but this does not have to be so, Communism will pass away now that it has done its job of securing for the Chinese people scientific advance and modernization. All three nations are united by the shared links of Vedanta and Buddhism which provide the guiding light for a world that not only turns away from nuclear weapons but away from the wars and conflicts of the period of colonial powers advances of the 18th, 19th and 20th century. To Mr. Kishida's "idealism" we say it is a reality that is within reach. And we remind the world of the Buddha's own words in the Paranibbana Sutta: "But when the blessed One came to the river Ganges, it was full to the brim, so that crows could drink from it. And some people went in search of a boat or a float, while others tied up a raft so they could get across. But the Blessed One as quickly as a strong man might stretch out his bent arm or draw in his outstretched arm vanished from this side of the Ganges, and came to stand on the yonder side." "And the Blessed One saw the people who desired to cross searching for a boat or a float while others were binding rafts. And the Blessed One seeing them thus gave this solemn utterance: They who have bridged the ocean vast.                                       Leaving the lowlands far behind       While others still their rafts bind,     Are saved by wisdom   unsurpassed."     ...

LyrArc Article Gist
Some figures on Ford Motor-$15 billion in secured loans, $8 billion five year credit line from banks, and a $7 billion loan held by instituional investors and hedge funds. Add another $3 billion in unsecured financing, notes convertible to common stock. Thats another $18 billion on top of the $23.6 billion in cash on hand, for $41.6 billion in funds available to finance the recovery. Against this is the $7 billion loss this year. Lets say Ford need 3 years for a fresh product line and the bleed costs another $ 7 billion for 3 years or $21 billion at the worst including extra interest expenses for the loans, then there is still $20 billion available for 3 years to come up with a brand new product line across the board. This is positive development for Ford. see also: Sarah Webster, A Chat with Ford's New CEO, Upbeat but Realistic, Mulally says automaker can succeed, but it must face the facts, Saturday, Nov 11, 2006. See also Susan Tompor on the same Business pages' Ford boss is a convincing car guy. In the same Sat, Nov 11 issue of Detroit News see Daniel Howes - Thursdays with Alan, New Ford Boss demands accountability, results- every week. Sunday Nov 26, 2006 - Sarah Webster, Ford's Go-To Guy. Kuzak's Mission: Developing vehicles customers will want. see also on the same Business pages- Executive says global system lets Ford get vehicles to market faster. Sarah Webster could clarify contents of her interview shown on the pages of the Free Press- what is the target time from concept drawing board to cars rolling off the production line to dealer showrooms, is it the 12-14 months by end of 2008? See also in Nov 28, 2006, Detroit News, Bryce Hoffman, Ford Bets the House, a bit pessimistic in tone and angle of vision and selection of quote expert....

LyrArc Article Gist
William Booth provides a must read insight into why poorly educated young people attempt to cross the border into the U.S. looking for work and opportunity, and why Mexico fails to provide the elementary and high school educational system it needs to increase growth to create opportunity. Mexico's education system is failing when compared with other countries in the Group of 20. Sixth graders get 562 hours of instructional learning compared to 1,195 in S. Korea, according to Mexicans First, a group working to change the way the educational system works. In recent international exams half of Mexican 15 year old students scores ranked them at lower levels in math and only a little better in reading and reasoning. "De Panzazo" is a popular documentary prepared by Mexicanos Primero on the dire situation in the school system. One of the most striking measures of this failure is that only a quarter of the children graduate from high school. This only pushes more poorly educated people to attempt to cross the border into the U.S. looking for work. It means the Mexican economy is deprived of a highly educated workforce to increase productivity and growth. The middle class tries to get their children educated in private academies. And the nation's employers use special training to improve skills for workers to be able to compete in a global economy. Part of the reason rests, say experts, on the ability of the powerful teachers union with 1.4 million members to block change for teacher selection based on merits and competency, and exams for teachers. Instead teacher positions are sold, with an elementary school position tenured for life selling for $20,000 in Cancun, and a rural village position for $2000, according to Mexicanos Primeros. Even president Calderon owed his election to the support of the teachers union. And the current PAN presidential candidate Vazquez Mota, who was Education Secretary for two and half years could only go part of the way. She got the union to agree to have new teachers selected by having them take exams, made public standardized test scores, and pushed state governors to show employment rolls and whether teachers actually taught in classrooms or worked at union offices. Calderon failed to make changes because he agreed with the union that the union would take the lead on changes not the education ministry, and had the union president's son-in-law, Fernando Gonzalez, as deputy secretary of education. Jorge Castenada, a former foreign minister, says Mota was fired because of union demands. In July 250,000 teachers are required to take competency exams, but the union has asked its members to ignore the exams, and the education ministry will not do much beyond using the exam for diagnostic purposes for teachers who take the exam. The problems at the elementary and high school levels are evident also in other countries such as India and Brazil leaving the real potential of the labor force untapped....

LyrArc Article Gist
Ajami cites his own memories of Egypt's Gamal Abdul Nasser, who had a way with crowds and rhetoric in the Arab world, as giving him an insight into the way Barack Obama found his way into the American imagination as a popular leader in 2008. He points out that the coalition of black people who put their faith in him as one of their own, of white educated professionals who liked his cool image, of Hispanics who had hope for better immigration policies, and working class Americans who set aside reservations of elitism to give their support, was put together on the basis of hope and charisma and the uncanny ability of Obama to let himself be seen as all things to all people. Because of the way it was put together it was bound to come apart, particularly for a candidate without enough experience, says Ajami. The aloofness of the president, reliance on Congressional leaders Reid and Pelosi, and relying on a very small circle of advisors whose eyes were focussed on reelection, made this more so. He cites as one example, the controversial decision on Syria's chemical weapons made on a walk with chief of staff Dennis McDonough. Ajami gives a picture of how Obama may be seen from the outside, especially in the Arab and Muslim world- from Turkey and Egypt to Saudi Arabia- a sense of illusions. A European and particularly a German perspective also may have similiar sense of illusions about having gone for the ride and believing the image put out by image handlers. The lack of sensitivity to German sentiments about the tapping of chancellor Merkel's mobile phone- herself a former East German resident of the Soviet backed GDR- bringing this out. A similiar sense seems to have taken hold in Brazil, after Brazilian president Rousseff cancelled a trip because of lack of sensitivity to the tapping of her phone, as she is a survivor of brutal dictatorships in Brazil. This is ironically a full circle, as happens in these situations of euphoria encouraged by politicians inevitably followed by disillusionment, because Turkey, Germany and Brazil were some of the countries where enthusiasm for the new president was highest. More so because president Lula of Brazil, Merkel of Germany,and Erdogan of Turkey were leaders Obama seemed to relate to the most. This acts as a cautionary note for the future....

LyrArc Article Gist
A 2007 video of Obama speaking at Hampton University in Virginia on race relations, on the slow relief sent to Hurricane Katrina affected residents of New Orleans because they were black, praising pastor Wright, and presenting a different view on race relations than President Obama has made in public appearances. The video has surfaced again in the final weeks of the 2012 presidential campaign, especially as polarization has increased in the last four years.

LyrArc Article Gist
Auto sales in the U.S. reached 1.33 million vehicles in May, a 25% increase over the previous year, with the previous years figures skewed by the tsunami in Japan and shortages for Japanese manufacturers. The seasonally adjusted annual sales rate was 13.8 million vehicles. Employment increased to 644,000 workers in the U.S. auto industry, an increase in the first quarter of 2012 of 6% over the prior year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. The basic reason for the increased demand is the aging of cars on the road to about 10.8 years, according to vehicle registration information.

LyrArc Article Gist
A report on the Status of German Unity from the German cabinet, says the eastern part of Germany, formerly the German Democratic Republic, suffers from a declining population and could have benefitted from the addition of young people as immigrants. As it stands the area with the lowest number of refugees or immigrants is where most of the xenophobia anti-immigrant sentiment exists.  It says the eastern part of the country including cities like Dresden need to develop a more receptive culture to attract young people for economic progress.

LyrArc Article Gist
Ron Pinnelli of AutoData says the main difference between automakers doing well and ones that are struggling is a few big successes and a solid product line. The Detroit automakers need a good hit, a home run like the Honda Civic and some solid sellers. This is what Ford, GM need, one or two good hits and a the rest of the line pretty solid. Note auto sales increase 0.6 % overall for Feb. 2006 and the market is holding up. Note also 1) GM is deemphasizing fleet sales- "taking our medicine and going on." - Good thing in the long run. 2) Toyota sales not up by that much 2.6% in Feb. 2006. 3) Honda's success is a result of new Honda Civic sales which went up by 37% in Feb 2006, and helped increase Honda's market share from 7.8% in the prior year to 8.5%, according to Autodata.