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The governor of the Punjab province during the Jallianwala massacre in Amritsar was an Irishman. Ireland was a troubled spot in Britain during the French revolutionary wars and France even attempted landings to liberate Ireland. Forward to 1900 and the Irish Easter rebellion leading to the Irish Free State in 1906. Read this article in the BBC for a nuanced understanding of history. As the writer an Irishman says Irish people following the European project called the European Union are now able to sit on equal terms with the British. Old conflicts are not uppermost even in the IRA that won the recent Irish election with its focus on economic issues.  This is good reading for anyone in Pakistan or India also as old conflicts can only be sustained for so long before economic, social and development issues such as education, healthcare and services take prominence in people's minds. It is also good reading in India as it looks at the British period in India, to realize that India now sits astride the Indian Ocean. What Britain accomplished in the eighteenth and nineteenth century with its  Royal Navy is now the task of the Indian Navy in alliance with the American Navy, and the Australian Navy on the world's seas. Indians like Irishmen can sit with the Americans or British on equal terms. ...

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Problems facing India as it searches for a way to modernize the country, build infrastructure, and create strong jobs growth. Glaring weaknesses are evident in a number of areas which have not been addressed: a weak public education system, food poverty for people at the lower end worsening with today's 10% food inflation, child malnutrition, weak infrastructure building capabilities, growth in services but not enough in manufacturing to create jobs, a growing black economy, and a general acceptance of illegal behaviour that has increased with the increase in opportunities for corruption and bribes in a growing economy. The political governance is weak. The dependence on smaller regional parties in ruling coalition governments weakens initiative at the federal government level. The general lack of new political leadership, and the failure to develop new leaders in the Congress party because of the six decades long presence of the Nehru family. Some striking facts- the role of the black or underground economy has actually increased over the years. Arun Kumar, chairman of the Center for Economc Studies and Planning at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, says his estimates show it was 40% of GDP by 1996, and 50% by 2006. This means more business activity evades direct taxes, and less money is available for investments in education, infrastructure and healthcare. It also indicates a widespread tolerance of illegal activity and corruption. The other striking facts are that the calorie consumption by the bottom of the 50% of the population has been declining since 1987, according to a 2009-10 economic survey by India's Ministry of Finance. The modernization of the country appears not to be following the path taken in East Asia- by Japan, S. Korea and now China- where people moved in large migrations from farms and rural areas to cities and manufacturing jobs, resulting in gradual urbanization. Manufacturing in India is only 16% of GDP in 2009, the same as in 1991, according to the World Bank. Certain regions are doing better than others- Gujarat and the Punjab in the north, Tamilnadu, Karnataka in the south- with large population areas in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar lagging behind badly. ...

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Victoria Azarenka won the Australian Open tennis championships twice in Melbourne then lost in the first round of the Australian Open in 2018. She struggled for two seasons with a foot injury, personal challenges off the court and a child Leo in 2016. Her slump took her to 208 in the world rankings. She had to fight her way back- "I have never really learned to struggle before, so it's a lesson." She says it required hard work, and changing her mindset, conquering her anxiety to return to the semifinals of the Australian Open. Another approach that helped her was to be open minded and to try new things and see what happens.

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What will the workplace of the future look like? What has happened during the pandemic that will change the way we look at work and life? These questions are answered in this WSJ report. There will be a greater mix of people of all ages, it says, as people live and work longer. Companies competing for workers will offer travel, sabbaticals, parental care, and flexibility for remote work around the world depending on an employee's needs and preferences. Some software firms already offer 60 days of remote work overseas, as travel is seen as broadening and good for mental health. Meditation, mindfulness, mental health assistance are seen as part of services companies will give employees.

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China's president expresses the need for greater cooperation between China and Germany during Scholz's Beijing visit and says "we jointly oppose the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons." Scholz for his part said "it is right and good that I am in Beijing today," that in times of change bilateral meetings were all the more important. China's president Xi said that "in times of change and turmoil" nations of influence should work together for world peace. This is the first time after the covid lockdowns that Chinese leaders are meeting a leader from a large western nation, and this is generally welcomed in China.

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The US economy declined by 0.2% in the second quarter of 2022 or 0.9% on an annualized basis. What does this mean? NYT provides a look with a breakdown of where this comes from. Business and residential construction went down by 11-12% as they are interest rate sensitive sectors and the Fed has raised interest rates by 0.75 of a percentage point twice in 12 months. Yet consumer spending was holding up and increased by 1% in the second quarter. 

Fed chairman Powell told a conference yesterday that he still sees a pickup in spending in the second half of 2022 as buyer balance sheets are good, the labor market is strong, and wages are increasing.

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The defamation lawsuit of Dominion Voting Systems company against Fox News Network is at one level about what is and is not reported on the presidential election and the credibility of the reporting. It is also in a larger sense about the democratic process and the transition between one government to the next in the nation that comes next only to Britain in setting up democratic framework of government in 1787. Without distortions in reporting that may lead people in a direction opposite to what is chosen through the democratic process. 

The case now goes to a jury. Judge Davis says- "The evidence does not support that FNN television network conducted good faith, disinterested reporting."

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Two professors from the University of Nebraska offer ideas on spouses connecting with each other during retirement. Recognition of the new situation where old roles at work are behind and new relationships have to be cultivated is part of the answer. Building on the good emotional parts that went before is one way to build a connection. Recognizing that taking away work and children makes this different. That one has to build something new and exciting to replace that, to create new pathways to each other and to relearn some things, and build joy in a relationship by talking to each other and recognizing one's frailties openly, creating new meaning from old memories of doing things together.

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This Swiss scientist was one of the first of many scientists who asked questions about the origins of the coronavirus. Ms. Lentzos says not because we are conspiracy theorists, but because this is our profession. She says the scientific community that has disregarded different possibilities have strong vested interests, people who feared for their careers or their grants. Lentzos points out that in the scientific community like other communities it is not all about an idealized version of science, there are conflicts of interests, agendas, it is a social activity with good players and bad players. 

The WSJ did a lot of work on this, the Washington Post also, the New York Times totally silent, she says.

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Many people ask how prime minister Modi can maintain a high level of energy while having such a busy schedule. Modi had 20 meetings in 65 hours in his 3 day trip to the US. Many of these meetings were important ones, including one with Quad leaders, meeting with Mr. Biden, his speech at the United Nations, meetings with US CEO's.

Modi drinks a lot of water to stay hydrated. He also tunes his body and sleep cycle to the time zone of the destination. Yoga, exercize, and good nutrition habits, also play a part in Modi's ability to maintain that level of energy. Concentration, discipline, determination, play a part in how he handles work.

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Globalization is being replaced with government support for attracting new investment and industry. Germany is providing $11 billion for 2 Intel semiconductor plants. The Biden administration $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act investment by the US sets the new pathway for government to support industry to increase investment and create good paying jobs inside the US. This reverses decades of neglect of American manufacturing by administrations from the time of president Reagan through the Bush, Obama and Trump administrations. A new world order is being shaped that enables the EU and the US to compete with China with direct government support for industry.  The US and the EU gain, the UK and Singapore lose out in the new arrangement.

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After the disaster of the Japanese Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011 following a tsunami and earthquake chancellor Merkel made the decision to close nuclear plants. Germany will close 3 nuclear plants in December 2021. Decommissioning will take 20 years and 1.1 billion euros per plant. In 2022 Germany will have only 3 nuclear plants in Bavaria, Baden-Wurttemberg, and Lower Saxony, equivalent to power of 4 gigawatts from 1000 wind turbines. Gas prices are up 10 fold in 2021 as Germany makes the shift to wind and solar. Economy and Climate Protection Minister Habeck of the Greens party in the new German government sees a continuation of the policy removing nuclear plants and shifting to wind and solar.

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These days even the Lincoln Center is changing. Diversity can represent excellence, says Darren Walker of Ford Foundation, of the changes under Henry Timms breaking the walls that separate Lincoln Center from the neighborhood. The neighborhood under what was San Juan Hill changed with the building of the Lincoln Center, and Lincoln Center stayed aloof from the community around it. Timms was born in Exeter, England and went to school at Durham University, in 2008 he headed programming at the 92nd street Y. David Geffen Hall built to house the New York Philharmonic opened last year in $500 million renovation. Timms is changing the way New Yorkers approach their cultural institution and making it one for the community.

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Tesla at $24 per hour faces a challenge when Toyota which increased wages by 9% for non unionized labor pays $34 per hour for assembly line workers. Toyota did this after the new settlement with the UAW for 146,000 workers at Ford, GM and Stellantis. What it means is that instead of setting the wage standard Tesla will be a less attractive option for workers as other foreign automakers Nissan, VW and BMW increase their wages. The UAW union does not have to organize at Tesla for fair wages as Tesla's 20,000 workers would become the lowest paid, and least attractive option for workers. And Tesla would become an exception to fair wages in a cost of living crisis.

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Millenials group ages 18-49 who have decided to have zero children post pandemic is growing, as shown in this story in The Washington Post- with many graphs about what is really happening. A 2021 Pew Research poll shows 44% of childless adults ages 18-49 saying they do not want kids, or are not likely to have kids. This is up from 37% in 2018. And 56% of these people simply give no reason, just that- no kids. The difficult economic environment is part of this, so is the difficulty in raising kids that do better than their parents, the huge resources needed to raise good kids, all leading to this view among millenial women.

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"The economy is performing well, and the near term prospects are good" says Mark Zandi of Moody's, in his speech on the US economic outlook at an event of the National Economists Club. He is optimistic about the economy and sees moderating inflation and higher consumer confidence. Investments in the CHIPS act and the Inflation Reduction Act in science, in chip manufacturing, in renewable energy manufacturing, other investments in infrastructure, he sees as building a stronger economy with job creation and improved potential for growth. Oil prices could pose a risk. Increased supplies of US oil, and stable production by the Saudis are needed for stable oil prices after recent turmoil in the Middle East.

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Microsoft leaders for reasons of climate change action and aid to poor African and Latin American nations see the positives in Harris-Walz focus on investment in the future. A similar situation exists with JP Morgan Chase bank leaders. Intel and Ford Motor Company leaders see the Biden administration investment in American companies for stronger competition with Chinese or Taiwanese companies, and for climate change action by investing in EV industry technologies, in the same way. Overall cutting corporate taxes is not as big a priority for American business as government assistance and support to match the hidden subsidies Taiwan and China, South Korean governments give to their companies in Chips and EV's, other advanced technologies industries.

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Trade unions at Ford Motor Company plant near St Petersburg, Russia. Inflation is running at 11% in Russia and workers at the Ford plant are on strike and asking for a 35% raise. Ford pays workers about $800 a month.The Ford Union is independent of other unions and is a grasssroots effort. A one day walkout led to a pay increase of 14-20% in Feb 2007 and more holidays.

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Three very important point about a soda tax. First, obesity was rated as the No 1 problem of concern for business leaders at a WSJ conference for business leaders at the beginning of the Obama administration in January 2009. If obesity related costs are taken out of health care, and even though they are not collected as statistics they must be significant, it would reduce the costs of providing universal health insurance. Especially considering that most diseases are exacerbated by obesity, and in some obesity figures as one of the leading causes. Second, Centers for Disease Control Data shows that a typical person now consumes 190 calories a day from sugary drinks, up from 70 a day in the late 1970's. That 120 calorie increase, an almost threefold jump in consumption of sugary sodas, represents one-half of the total daily caloric increase during that span per person, according to C.D.C. data. This is a crucial finding. Just one product alone can cause so much disruption in people's lives. Just as thrifty ways of living are becoming popular in America, better education in schools and communities on good nutrition and eating habits can become popular to reverse the bad habits acquired in the last 20 years, habits that are careless and reckless. Third, research shows that soda drinkers are price sensitive, so that in the past when soda prices went up by 10%, consumption dropped about 8%. So a tax on sugary sodas would make sense. The huge soda sizes at fast food places are one of the signs of the excess of this age with no regard for the consequences to health. living habits....

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The recent appointment of fast food executive Andrew Puzder as Labor Secretary has caused great concern among union leaders. Puzder supports a $9 minimum wage compared to $15 supported by Democrats. Unions now represent 7% of the labor force, down from a high of 20% during Reagan's time when Reagan appointed a construction company executive as Labor Secretary and cut regulations.  Globalization has thinned the ranks of workers in unions. And the failure of Democratic administrations to stem the shift of factories overseas to China, Mexico and other places, as part of global supply chains focussed on cost, has weakened Democratic support among workers since the period of Bill Clinton. It eroded to the point where Obama won 65% of support among unions and Hillary Clinton won 56% in 2016. Interestingly the Republican Romney gained 33% versus 37% for Trump, showing voters were more inclined to move away from Democrats and only a smaller number willing to support Republicans, but the shift enough to give Republicans a win in 2016 for the presidency. The figures are from a Election Day survey of trade union AFL-CIO, and a larger proportion in midwestern states showed disaffection with policies from Clinton to Obama. In fact Obama spent years promoting another free trade agreement TPP that favored tech more than auto and older industries, just as Bill Clinton had promoted NAFTA, without giving thought to what this was doing to its worker base of support. A similar situation happened with Social Democrats in Germany as a SPD administration moved to the centre and handed Christian Democrats led by Merkel a win in parliamentary elections. As Democrats such as former Labor Secretary Reich, a professor at UC Berkeley who served under Bill Clinton, describe the problems of working class people their is less reflection on the impact of the changes from globalization and how Democrats handled or mishandled it, and more on the politics between the two parties.   ...

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Greek yogurt sales have doubled every year since 2006. It is praised by nutritionists for its flavor and protein content. The market leader is Chobani, founded by Hamdi Ulukaya, of Turkish origin, who has dairy plants in Johnston, New York. Chobani's sales were $196 million, as of Oct 3, 2010, having nearly tripled from the prior year. The irony is hat Chobani bought Kraft's yogurt plant to set up this business. Kraft had decided to exit the yogurt business in 2005. Now with sales climbing rapidly, Kraft is back in the business. Kraft has introduced its new Athenos brand Greek yogurt at Wal-Mart stores. General Mills introduced Greek Yoplait yogurt in March 2010. A change in American eating habits is driving this trend, as more people are substituting yogurt for breakfast instead of cereal. Overall yogurt sales are up 7.8% over the past year, according to UBS analyst Palmer. The CEO of Yoplait, General Mills, says there is room for continued growth, as Americans eat yogurt less per person than people in the U.K., Australia or Canada. The No 2 yogurt maker is brand is Fage, which started in a small dairy shop in Athens. Fage began exporting to the US in the 1990's, and set up a dairy plant in New York state. To reach the main demographic for yogurt- health conscious women- this brand advertised in Women's magazines Vogue and Elle, and ran banner ads on the New York Times website, as well as ads on food and wine sites. Fage's sales were up 50% by Oct 3, 2010, and reached $123 million in the US market....

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It is not just in the US that statistically inflation is receding. In the UK prices were down 0.3 percent or three tenths of one percent this year in August compared to last year.Yet make no mistake lower income families and students in the US and in the UK, and in Germany and France across Europe are living from paycheck to paycheck, or simply struggling to make ends meet.This is the problem that Starmer in UK and Biden-Harris Harris-Walz now face with the need to bring housing and food prices down and hold them in check to improve the lives of students, working people.

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That Chrysler was pushing its new Dodge Ram pickup with a cattle drive through the streets of Detroit in January 2008, and GM and Ford were counting on new redesigned pickups to help them through the year shows how badly the three companies miscalculated the market and how costly it will end up being. The Big Three may end up being the Big Two as Chrysler depends even more on larger vehicles like vans, SUV's and pickups and sales decline is the highest on Chrysler vehicles in June, and Chrysler does not have the money to come up with a completely new product line like its competitors. It also does not have the overseas operations that are earning money. For all three companies its finance arms which used to bring in earnings now are at a loss especially as loans go sour and the resale value of pickups and trucks is in a sharp decline. See the Manheim US auction prices May 2008, source of graph Morgan Stanley.

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President Obama ordered the surge in 2010 for 30,000 additional troops in Afghanistan. There are now 150,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan. Of these two thirds are Americans. The goal of the surge was set by President Obama as " disrupting, dismantling, and defeating al Quaeda and its extremist allies" in Afghanistan. Yet the fact remains that official estimates on the coallition side are for only about 100 or so al Quaeda militants operating in Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan is being fought with Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan who also live in the mountainous region that comprises Pakistan and Afghanistan, and has some form of clandestine support from sections of the Pakistani military and intelligence services- the Pakistani military having played a critical role in the formation of the Taliban from its inception to act as Pakistan's proxy in that region. With the democracy protests in the Arab world in 2011, al Quaeda does not fit into the existing mood in the Middle East and the Muslim world. Considering these facts- and the mood favoring American disengagement on the part of America's allies in the Afghan government and Pakistan's military, and the American public mood favoring disengagement, the Taliban seeing their conflict as purely domestic and little to do with al Quaeda- the situation is likely to move in the direction of phased American withdrawal. ...