Sunday, November 20, 2011
Photos: Occupy Oakland Takes 19th and Telegraph on 11/19
Photos: Occupy SF Bank of America Occupation
The Basic (aka, is Eric Chavez in the 1%?)
How many people is 1% of the country, and how much does the top 1% make?
As of today, there are 312,592,330 in the US. One percent of that is 3,125,923. These 3 million or so folks are who we're are talking about when we say "The 1%".
The average yearly income per family of the top 1% is $1,137,684.
The average yearly income per family of the top 10% is $164,647.
The average yearly income per family of the bottom 90% is $31,244.
So generally speaking, anyone who pulls in 7 figures a year is in the 1%, and there are about 3 million of these folks.
What do these people do?
31.6% of the top 1% are executives, managers and supervisors in non-finance fields
15.7% are in the medical profession
13.9% are in finance
8.4% are lawyers
etc etc etc on down the line, until we get to:
1.6% of the top 1% are in "Arts, media, sports." This is 50,015 people. That's kind of crazy. You put together all the movie stars, celebrities, athletes, famous TV producers, etc, who make more than a million dollars a year, and it is only 50,000 people.
Conclusion:
Yes, by all means, Eric Chavez is in the 1%. And so is Norv Turner, and Rex Grossman. And they are all horrible at their jobs.
As of today, there are 312,592,330 in the US. One percent of that is 3,125,923. These 3 million or so folks are who we're are talking about when we say "The 1%".
The average yearly income per family of the top 1% is $1,137,684.
The average yearly income per family of the top 10% is $164,647.
The average yearly income per family of the bottom 90% is $31,244.
So generally speaking, anyone who pulls in 7 figures a year is in the 1%, and there are about 3 million of these folks.
What do these people do?
31.6% of the top 1% are executives, managers and supervisors in non-finance fields
15.7% are in the medical profession
13.9% are in finance
8.4% are lawyers
etc etc etc on down the line, until we get to:
1.6% of the top 1% are in "Arts, media, sports." This is 50,015 people. That's kind of crazy. You put together all the movie stars, celebrities, athletes, famous TV producers, etc, who make more than a million dollars a year, and it is only 50,000 people.
Conclusion:
Yes, by all means, Eric Chavez is in the 1%. And so is Norv Turner, and Rex Grossman. And they are all horrible at their jobs.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Reports Indicate Iran's Two Main Opposition Leaders Arrested
Unconfirmed reports have begun to emerge in the past several hours that the two main figures of Iran's Green Movement opposition have been arrested and imprisoned. BBC News and other outlets have relayed word that Mir Hossein Mousavi, Mehdi Karroubi, and their wives were taken from their respective homes, where they had been placed under house arrest, and brought to Heshmatiyeh prison in Tehran.
The original report came from the Kaleme.com website, translated to English by the blogger BanooyeSabz. Both high-profile opposition leaders had been calling for mass demonstrations in Iran in light of the wave of uprisings sweeping the Middle East and North Africa. Mousavi and Karroubi gained international recognition as leaders of the 2009 Green Movement in Iran that was born from protests claiming that the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad was flawed.
Iran's Fars news agency, closely tied to the ruling Revolutionary Guard, quotes an unnamed government official who has denied that Mousavi and Karroubi were arrested. The Guardian UK reports that the two men had been under house arrest for over two weeks, and that their imprisonment could spark mass protests from the oppostion.
These reports come as Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi held talks Monday with the European Union's Foreign Policy head Catherine Ashton concerning Iran's nuclear program, according to Reuters. Salehi is preparing to address the United Nations disarmament body Tuesday.
The original report came from the Kaleme.com website, translated to English by the blogger BanooyeSabz. Both high-profile opposition leaders had been calling for mass demonstrations in Iran in light of the wave of uprisings sweeping the Middle East and North Africa. Mousavi and Karroubi gained international recognition as leaders of the 2009 Green Movement in Iran that was born from protests claiming that the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad was flawed.
Iran's Fars news agency, closely tied to the ruling Revolutionary Guard, quotes an unnamed government official who has denied that Mousavi and Karroubi were arrested. The Guardian UK reports that the two men had been under house arrest for over two weeks, and that their imprisonment could spark mass protests from the oppostion.
These reports come as Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi held talks Monday with the European Union's Foreign Policy head Catherine Ashton concerning Iran's nuclear program, according to Reuters. Salehi is preparing to address the United Nations disarmament body Tuesday.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Who Do the Protesters Want to See Lead Next?
There has been much talk in recent days as to possible successors to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, if and when he steps down. American and European journalists and pundits have limited the scope of possibilities to those recognizable to Western observers. The first name brought up worldwide was Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency and Nobel Laureate. A pro-democracy dissenter for many years, ElBaradei is a recognizable figure to many in the West. However, due to his many years living abroad and current home in Vienna, Austria, he is not well known in much of Egypt. Another favorite figure of the West is Amr Moussa, former Foreign Minister and head of the Arab League.
So which leaders do the Egyptian people actually want? Al Jazeera English posted this video in their live blog today, an interview with a young protester showing his wounds and declaring that he will not leave Tahrir Square until Mubarak steps down. The most interesting part comes halfway through, when he lists three people that he thinks would be good leaders. The Al Jazeera reporter asks the young man who he wants to lead after Mubarak, and what type of government he wants to see. The protester responds, "A government of Egyptians, with the best men here." He lists three names: Mohammed al-Baltagi, Ayman Nour, and Mustashar ("Advisor") Mahmoud al-Khodairy.
These are three very interesting choices, and shine light on the nature of these demonstrations. All three are familiar names in the Egyptian opposition movement, yet are very different people. Dr. Mohammed al-Baltagi is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood party and a Member of Parliament. He has been a vocal supporter of judicial reform in recent years, and has spoken out against the government's decision to bar former British MP and Palestinian activist George Galloway from entering the country.
Ayman Nour is by far the most famous figure of the three that were mentioned. He is the leader of the El Ghad ("Tomorrow") party, a liberal opposition party with a strong focus on democracy and human rights. The Egyptian government officially recognized El Ghad in 2004. Nour, a Member of Parliament at the time, ran for President the next year. He was arrested in January 2005, and then released in March after international outcry and intervention from the European Union. After his release he mounted a presidential campaign that managed to garner seven percent of the vote despite the fact that the elections were widely recognized as being fraudulent. Mubarak then had him arrested again in December, and he served four years in prison before being released in 2009 due to health issues. He joined the protests two weeks ago and was injured when he was hit in the head by a rock on January 28th.
Mahmoud al-Khodairy is a judge and an attorney, a Muslim Brotherhood member who was formerly the vice president of the Egyptian Court of Appeals. Al-Khodairy, referred to here as "Mustashar" (a term of respect meaning "advisor"), was in support of the Muslim Brotherhood's decision to withdraw from the 2010 elections in protest of the ruling National Democratic Party's rigging of election results.
El Ghad and the Muslim Brotherhood would seem to be diametrically opposed, yet this protester would like to see both groups' ideas expressed. After he shows the camera his burns and bruises, he vows not to leave Tahrir Square until he and his peers can decide the future of their country themselves.
So which leaders do the Egyptian people actually want? Al Jazeera English posted this video in their live blog today, an interview with a young protester showing his wounds and declaring that he will not leave Tahrir Square until Mubarak steps down. The most interesting part comes halfway through, when he lists three people that he thinks would be good leaders. The Al Jazeera reporter asks the young man who he wants to lead after Mubarak, and what type of government he wants to see. The protester responds, "A government of Egyptians, with the best men here." He lists three names: Mohammed al-Baltagi, Ayman Nour, and Mustashar ("Advisor") Mahmoud al-Khodairy.
These are three very interesting choices, and shine light on the nature of these demonstrations. All three are familiar names in the Egyptian opposition movement, yet are very different people. Dr. Mohammed al-Baltagi is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood party and a Member of Parliament. He has been a vocal supporter of judicial reform in recent years, and has spoken out against the government's decision to bar former British MP and Palestinian activist George Galloway from entering the country.
Ayman Nour is by far the most famous figure of the three that were mentioned. He is the leader of the El Ghad ("Tomorrow") party, a liberal opposition party with a strong focus on democracy and human rights. The Egyptian government officially recognized El Ghad in 2004. Nour, a Member of Parliament at the time, ran for President the next year. He was arrested in January 2005, and then released in March after international outcry and intervention from the European Union. After his release he mounted a presidential campaign that managed to garner seven percent of the vote despite the fact that the elections were widely recognized as being fraudulent. Mubarak then had him arrested again in December, and he served four years in prison before being released in 2009 due to health issues. He joined the protests two weeks ago and was injured when he was hit in the head by a rock on January 28th.
Mahmoud al-Khodairy is a judge and an attorney, a Muslim Brotherhood member who was formerly the vice president of the Egyptian Court of Appeals. Al-Khodairy, referred to here as "Mustashar" (a term of respect meaning "advisor"), was in support of the Muslim Brotherhood's decision to withdraw from the 2010 elections in protest of the ruling National Democratic Party's rigging of election results.
El Ghad and the Muslim Brotherhood would seem to be diametrically opposed, yet this protester would like to see both groups' ideas expressed. After he shows the camera his burns and bruises, he vows not to leave Tahrir Square until he and his peers can decide the future of their country themselves.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Fair Trade and the local food movement
In recent years, people in the United States have become increasingly aware of the source of their food: where and how it is grown, and how that affects the planet. Organic production led the way, yet more recently the local food movement has moved to the forefront. While it would seem as though the local food movement and the Fair Trade movement would be at odds, they actually complement each other extremely well. For consumers in the United States, their best option for the planet is to buy locally. But there are many products and foods that people use on a daily basis that can’t be grown locally, due to differing climates. Buying local lettuce and apples is ideal, but what about coffee, tea, chocolate or mangoes? Fair Trade fills that void. Fair Trade certification ensures that environmentally, economically and socially sustainable practices were upheld. The concepts behind eating locally can also benefit impoverished farmers in the developing world. Growing and eating locally can help farmers in the global south guard against the growing food scarcity crisis and rising world food prices. For many, Fair Trade can create the freedom make that happen.
This past Friday, December 3, Ghana celebrated Farmer’s Day. In a small country where much of the population lives in rural areas, the definition of farmer is versatile and the role vital. An estimated 2.74 million families grow food or keep livestock throughout the country. The theme of this year’s day of recognition is “Grow more food,” a call for increased sustainable farming practices in the face of global food insecurity. As environmental and economic factors force a shift in the status quo, Christian D. B. Mensah of Agro Eco Consultancy in Ghana advises that “Ghana must grow more food, while using less land and water and reducing emission of greenhouse gases, to respond to the challenge of climate change and growing world populations.” Knowing that resources are becoming scarcer, self-sufficiency is a necessary precursor to development.
This call for sustainable agriculture could have come from any developing country in the global south. Global agricultural markets, as well as energy markets, are highly connected, and one decision ripples quickly around the planet. The current food price crisis can be traced back to the Bush administration’s decision in 2006 to heavily subsidize corn ethanol as a partial replacement for gasoline. As local food guru Michael Pollan put it in a 2008 Newsweek article, it “created a situation where American SUVs are competing with African eaters for grain.” As fossil fuel prices have risen, so to have grain prices. Modern agro-business is heavily dependent on oil for all aspects of production and transportation. The only way for people in the developing world to take oil out of the equation and to mitigate the influence of energy policy on grain prices is to grow and eat locally.
However, conditions under which small-scale farmers can grow subsistence crops have traditionally been scarce. Farmers in the global south, be they banana farmers in Ecuador or cocoa growers in Ghana, are up against an unfair market. They must put all their time and energy into growing their one cash crop, which then gets sold at a low price to exploitative middlemen or an international corporation. This is where Fair Trade comes in. The market linkages that Fair Trade creates, as well as floor prices that guard against fluctuating markets, allows farmers the freedom to have more time to work on growing subsistence crops. Fair Trade family farms and cooperatives are better able to create crop diversity and food security, and growing their own food locally means less of a carbon footprint.
Mensah points to certifications as a potential solution for Ghanaian farmers. “These labels give the customers the guarantee that the cocoa beans which are used to make their chocolate are sustainably sourced and that in the origin countries like Ghana, biodiversity is conserved and sustainable livelihoods are ensured. We cannot run away from the power of the market to change behavior.” In a world that is highly interconnected, daily decisions on a local level can have a major impact globally.
This past Friday, December 3, Ghana celebrated Farmer’s Day. In a small country where much of the population lives in rural areas, the definition of farmer is versatile and the role vital. An estimated 2.74 million families grow food or keep livestock throughout the country. The theme of this year’s day of recognition is “Grow more food,” a call for increased sustainable farming practices in the face of global food insecurity. As environmental and economic factors force a shift in the status quo, Christian D. B. Mensah of Agro Eco Consultancy in Ghana advises that “Ghana must grow more food, while using less land and water and reducing emission of greenhouse gases, to respond to the challenge of climate change and growing world populations.” Knowing that resources are becoming scarcer, self-sufficiency is a necessary precursor to development.
This call for sustainable agriculture could have come from any developing country in the global south. Global agricultural markets, as well as energy markets, are highly connected, and one decision ripples quickly around the planet. The current food price crisis can be traced back to the Bush administration’s decision in 2006 to heavily subsidize corn ethanol as a partial replacement for gasoline. As local food guru Michael Pollan put it in a 2008 Newsweek article, it “created a situation where American SUVs are competing with African eaters for grain.” As fossil fuel prices have risen, so to have grain prices. Modern agro-business is heavily dependent on oil for all aspects of production and transportation. The only way for people in the developing world to take oil out of the equation and to mitigate the influence of energy policy on grain prices is to grow and eat locally.
However, conditions under which small-scale farmers can grow subsistence crops have traditionally been scarce. Farmers in the global south, be they banana farmers in Ecuador or cocoa growers in Ghana, are up against an unfair market. They must put all their time and energy into growing their one cash crop, which then gets sold at a low price to exploitative middlemen or an international corporation. This is where Fair Trade comes in. The market linkages that Fair Trade creates, as well as floor prices that guard against fluctuating markets, allows farmers the freedom to have more time to work on growing subsistence crops. Fair Trade family farms and cooperatives are better able to create crop diversity and food security, and growing their own food locally means less of a carbon footprint.
Mensah points to certifications as a potential solution for Ghanaian farmers. “These labels give the customers the guarantee that the cocoa beans which are used to make their chocolate are sustainably sourced and that in the origin countries like Ghana, biodiversity is conserved and sustainable livelihoods are ensured. We cannot run away from the power of the market to change behavior.” In a world that is highly interconnected, daily decisions on a local level can have a major impact globally.
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