Top Scientist Rails Against Hirings.
Bush Appointees Land Career Jobs Without Technical Backgrounds. {It will be very hard, and costly, to undo such appointments.}

By Juliet Eilperin and Carol D. Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, November 22, 2008; Page A03

The president of the nation’s largest general science organization yesterday sharply criticized recent cases of Bush administration political appointees gaining permanent federal jobs with responsibility for making or administering scientific policies, saying the result would be “to leave wreckage behind.”

“It’s ludicrous to have people who do not have a scientific background, who are not trained and skilled in the ways of science, make decisions that involve resources, that involve facilities in the scientific infrastructure,” said James McCarthy, a Harvard University oceanographer who is president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. “You’d just like to think people have more respect for the institution of government than to leave wreckage behind with these appointments.”

His comments came as several new examples surfaced of political appointees gaining coveted, high-level civil service positions as the administration winds down. The White House has said repeatedly that all gained their new posts in an open, competitive process, but congressional Democrats and others questioned why political appointees had won out over qualified federal career employees.

In one recent example, Todd Harding — a 30-year-old political appointee at the Energy Department — applied for and won a post this month at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There, he told colleagues in a Nov. 12 e-mail, he will work on “space-based science using satellites for geostationary and meteorological data.” Harding earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Kentucky’s Centre College, where he also chaired the Kentucky Federation of College Republicans.

Also this month, Erik Akers, the congressional relations chief for the Drug Enforcement Administration, gained a permanent post at the agency after being denied a lower-level career appointment late last year.

And in mid-July, Jeffrey T. Salmon, who has a doctorate in world politics and was a speechwriter for Vice President Cheney when he served as defense secretary, had been selected as deputy director for resource management in the Energy Department’s Office of Science. In that position, he oversees decisions on its grants and budget.

Their recent career moves, along with those of several other Bush appointees, highlight the extent to which personnel who started their federal careers as presidential picks are making the transition into civil service. That practice, known as “burrowing” by career government workers, has been a regular occurrence in the waning days of previous administrations, as well.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said the administration was not involved in orchestrating any hires of political appointees, and he defended the right of political aides to apply for career positions.

“The White House has no policy on individuals applying for career jobs,” he said. “There is no deliberate effort to shift political staff into career jobs.”

At least one agency yesterday initially referred questions about the personnel moves to the White House, but Fratto said that was because the agency was wary of the media.

“We expect agencies to follow the rules as laid out” by the Office of Personnel Management, he said. “If there is an instance where those rules are not followed, OPM has the obligation and the responsibility to follow up with the career officials at those departments and agencies and take corrective measures.”

But Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), raised concerns about the shifts in an interview yesterday.

 From:    mehling at celm.de
Subject: Call for Papers: Legal Aspects of the CDM
Date: November 21, 2008

Call for Papers: Legal Aspects of the Clean Development Mechanism

Carbon & Climate Law Review
A Journal on Climate Regulation and the Carbon Market [CCLR]

Dear Climate-L Readers,

Carbon & Climate Law Review is welcoming abstracts for a special issue on Legal Aspects of the Clean Development Mechanism, scheduled for publication in March 2009. It will be edited by Elisabeth DeMarco, Karl Upston-Hooper and Michael Mehling.

With a substantial project pipeline and more than 200 million CERs issued to date, the CDM has rapidly become a central pillar of the international carbon market. While this success testifies to its appeal for investors and project developers, growing criticism has been directed against a number of perceived shortcomings, from disappointing environmental and development benefits to cumbersome approval procedures and flawed governance structures.

Contributions should address regulatory and policy aspects relating to the CDM, including, but not limited to:

1.     Substantive Reform: e.g. sectoral approaches, improved sustainability criteria, evolving relationship of policies, programmes and projects;
2.     Institutional Governance: e.g. role, composition and accountability of the CDM EB, streamlining approval procedures, accreditation of verifiers;
3.     Role of the CDM Post-2012: e.g. status and recognition of CERs in a revised EU ETS beyond 2012;
4.     Case Studies: role of national legal frameworks, successful contractual arrangements, investor rights and legal standing in case-law.

Abstracts should be sent to  mehling at lexxion.de by 1 December 2008. Authors will be informed by 15 December 2008 on the outcome of the initial review process. Final manuscripts will be due by 1 February 2009.

In order to ensure quick turnaround and policy relevance, articles should be concise, ranging from 2.500-4.500 words in length. Commentaries on recent judicial decisions, new legislation, and other developments can range from 1.500 to 2.500 words.

Carbon & Climate Law Review is the first international journal on climate regulation and the carbon market. Published on a quarterly basis under the guidance of a distinguished editorial board, it brings together representatives from the legal discipline and other stakeholders in one specialized journal, allowing them to engage in a dynamic debate on the law of climate change. Past issues have addressed the role of forests in the carbon market, emerging carbon markets in North America, the relation of climate policies and international trade law, and legal aspects of the post-2012 debate. For further details on the journal and an archive of past issues, please visit the website at: www.lexxion.eu/cclr.

For further information on the editorial process, submissions on other topics or general questions relating to the journal, kindly contact the editor at  mehling at lexxion.de. Please feel free to forward this call for papers to interested colleagues.

With sincere regards,

Michael Mehling
on behalf of the editorial board

________________________________

Carbon & Climate Law Review
A Journal on Climate Regulation and the Carbon Market
Emerging responses to climate change necessitate recourse to legal mechanisms for adequate implementation, with implications ranging from legislative decision-making to judicial litigation. As the only journal devoted to the legal dimensions of climate change, the Carbon & Climate Law Review [CCLR] provides academics and practitioners with a forum for this important debate. For further information on this journal and online access to sample content, please visit www.lexxion.eu/cclr.

From:        welfareacademy at umd.edu
Subject:     Multinational Conference on Environmental Policy — Call for Papers
Date:             November 21, 2008

Greetings, I am writing on behalf of Doug Besharov, president of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM), and professor of public policy at the University of Maryland (in the United States). In association with the KDI School of Public Policy (Seoul), APPAM, and the University of Maryland, a conference on “Environmental Policy” (see below) will be held in June of 2009. The invitation for the “call for papers” is also below. Would it be possible for you to send this “call for papers” to members of your organization or school and other related email listservs? And would it also be possible to forward this invitation to other organizations in the region that might be interested in sending out to their listservs? Please let me know if either of these actions might be possible. (”Call for papers” follows this email.)

Asia’s growing economic and geopolitical importance has led to increased interest in its environmental policies. How, for example, do the diverse countries of the region frame and respond to questions of pollution, climate change, urban planning, environmental regulation, transboundary environmental disputes, and so forth?

As these issues rise on national agendas, graduate schools in the region are developing and strengthening their environmental policy concentrations to prepare the next generation of environmental policy analysts, managers, teachers, and scholars. In this context, how should graduate environmental policy curricula be designed, and what teaching methods should be used to ensure the highest quality of graduates? Graduate public affairs schools elsewhere have been grappling with similar challenges, and cross-pollination may facilitate the global institutional evolution of environmental policy education.

To explore these and related topics, the KDI School of Public Policy and Management and the University of Maryland School of Public Policy in collaboration with the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) will hold a conference in Seoul, from 11 June (starting with dinner) through 13 June 2009.

The conference is designed to attract a worldwide audience, including academics and professionals from universities, think tanks, government agencies, the private sector, civil society, and beyond. Papers should address issues of environmental policy or graduate environmental policy education linked to particular Asian countries or across them, or be comparative in nature. Papers will be presented in topic-oriented panels with both Asian and non-Asian presenters and discussants. The conference will explore lessons from Asia that may be applicable in other parts of the world and lessons Asia may be able to draw from experience in other regions.

The conference agenda is broad. Possible topics for papers include, but are not limited to, the following.

Analyzing environmental policy

• Environmental policy processes, practices, and analytic tools
  How has environmental policymaking evolved in response to changing social demands, politics, and policy experience? What are the strengths and weaknesses of rule-based and incentive-based policies, and under what circumstances are they likely to be effective or ineffective? What are the strengths and weaknesses of cost-benefit, risk-benefit, and other analytic tools?
  
• Climate change
  What are the projected threats to Asian countries from climate change, and how might these countries best adapt to such expected changes? What are Asian countries’ climate change politics and policies, and how do they compare to those of Europe, the U.S., and other regions?
  
• Pollution—local, national, and transnational issues
  What are the key pollution problems in the region for air, land, and water, and what are the strengths and weaknesses of current policy approaches? What are the problems and policies linked to waste management, including solid waste, toxic waste, recycling, incineration, landfills, etc.? How are transnational conflicts linked to pollution addressed, or not addressed?
  
• Natural resource management
  How are freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems managed? What are the problems and policies related to biodiversity conservation, protected area management, and tourism? What are the effects of international trade and international environmental agreements in the region?
• Human dimensions and public participation
  How has public participation in environmental policymaking changed, and what impact have these changes had on policy outcomes? Are problems linked to environmental justice recognized, and if so how are they assessed and mitigated?

 

Teaching environmental policy

• External and institutional pressures shaping environmental policy programs
  How have institutional strategies affected the development of graduate environmental policy programs? How have general curricular and specific subject requirements evolved in response to changes in external and institutional factors? What is the role of public policy schools in policy community responses to environmental challenges?
• Graduate environmental policy curriculum design
  What should be included in the core curriculum? Are there standard sets of electives that should be offered? What foundational and special skills should be required (e.g., statistics, econometrics, GIS, computer modeling, conflict resolution, etc.)? What level of scientific knowledge should be required (e.g., atmospheric chemistry, biogeochemical cycles, toxicity, conservation biology, etc.)?
• Teaching and classroom management
  What are the most effective ways to teach environmental policy? What teaching practices, beyond the lecture, can enhance learning (e.g., field trips, internships, simulations, role-plays, student-directed group projects, etc.)?

• Student issues
  What are current and projected future employment trends for environmental policy graduates? What are appropriate policies for student recruitment and financial aid? What are the trends in student diversity?

Abstract Submissions: All abstracts should be submitted online through the APPAM website: http://www.appam.org/conferences /international/korea2009/index.asp.
Abstract instructions: For instructions, please click here.

Deadline: The deadline for abstract submissions is 7 January 2009.

Language: Please note that English will be the official language of the conference. Papers and presentations are expected to be delivered in English.
Schedule:

7 Jan. 2009: Deadline to submit proposals
25 Feb. 2009: Proposal status notifications
25 Feb. 2009: Early registration begins
30 Mar. 2009: Early registration ends, regular registration begins
15 Apr. 2009: Papers due for distribution/Program available online
19 May 2009: Regular registration ends; all additional registrations must be made on-site
11 Jun. 2009: Opening night conference dinner and keynote address

Registration will be available beginning 25 February 2009 through the APPAM website http://www.appam.org/conferences/international/korea2009/register.asp. Early registration will close on 30 March 2009. Regular registration will close on 19 May 2009. After this date, registration will be available on-site at the conference.

Persons in low-income countries: You may be eligible for a waiver of the registration fee. Instructions for applying for a waiver will be available when you complete the registration process.

Grants: The KDI School will be offering a limited number of grants covering the cost of travel, accommodation, and registration for participants living in Asia. Applications for the grants must be made through the KDI School. For more information, send your request to: environment@kdischool.ac.kr.

Travel reservations and side trips: The KDI School will organize field trips for interested participants. More detailed information will be announced later.

Hotel accommodations: The KDI School is coordinating hotel accommodations in Seoul for the conference. To learn more and to make reservations, please click here.

Post-conference publication: Papers from the conference will be considered for publication in the Oxford University Press Series on “Comparative Policy Analysis.” Information about the series is available at: http://www.welfareacademy.org/pubs/international/policy_exchanges/oup.shtml.
Program co-chairs:

Prof. Chin-Seung Chung
KDI School of Public Policy and Management
Chairman, Ministry of Environment Affairs Oversight and Evaluation Committee
Former Vice Minister at the Ministry of Environment, Korea

Prof. Douglas J. Besharov
School of Public Policy, University of Maryland
President, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
Co-editor, Comparative policy analysis series, Oxford University Press

Program committee: For detailed information about Program Committee members, please click here.

Contact information: For more information about the conference, please visit the conference website: http://www.appam.org/conferences/international/korea2009/index.asp. Email inquires about paper proposals, opportunities to support the conference, registration, or administrative matters may also be made through the website.
Contact Person:

Dr. Peter J. Balint
Program Coordinator and Editor
Associate Professor of Environmental Policy
Department of Public and International Affairs
Department of Environmental Science and Policy
George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
Email: Please select “Seoul Conference-Program” on the APPAM contact form.
Phone: +1-703-993-1404
Fax: +1-703-993-1399

(Please click here for the webpage.)

    From:        sam_milton at harvard.edu
    Subject:     Fellowship announcement: Energy Technology Innovation Policy at Harvard University
Date:             November 20, 2008

Dear Colleagues,

The Energy Technology Innovation Policy (ETIP) research group in the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School is soliciting applications for post-doctoral fellowships in the following areas:

1)       Carbon capture & storage technology and policy;
2)       Energy technology and policy in India;
3)       Energy technology and policy in China;
4)       U.S. transportation policy;
5)       Climate policy, and
6)       Energy-technology innovation policy

ETIP strives to determine and then seek to promote adoption of effective policies for accelerating the development and deployment of cleaner and more efficient energy technologies, primarily in China, India, and the United States.

Fellowship 1: Carbon Capture & Storage Technology and Policy

ETIP is seeking to fill a Research Fellowship or Visiting Scholarship with a focus on carbon capture and storage (CCS).  The Research Fellow or Visiting Scholar for CCS will contribute to ETIP’s efforts to identify and to promote policies that will enhance carbon capture and storage activities mainly in the United States.  The Fellow will report directly to ETIP’s Director and may lead research efforts in one or more of the following subject areas: geological mapping for carbon storage areas, regulation and legislation affecting CCS, legal liability and insurance issues, international cooperation, and opportunities and challenges for CCS in China and/or India.  The Research Fellow or Visiting Scholar will be expected to produce at least one publishable article, present her findings before internal and external audiences, and play a substantive role in the dissemination process of any findings.

Required Education, Experience and Skills

Applications for the Research Fellow for CCS are welcome from recent recipients of the Ph.D. or equivalent degree.  University faculty members, and employees of government, military, international, humanitarian, and private research institutions may be considered for visiting scholarships. The ideal candidate will have academic and/or professional experience examining issues related to carbon capture and storage technologies, and what policies might be designed to incentivize their development.  Candidates will also have excellent skills in presenting complex material to a wide range of audiences. Candidates who have focused on other aspects of energy policy in their doctoral work, or who hold a Master’s degree and have extensive experience, will be considered.

Fellowship 2: Energy Technology and Policy in India

ETIP is seeking to fill a Research Fellowship with a focus on energy technology and policy in India.  The Research Fellow will contribute to ETIP’s efforts to identify and to promote policies that will enhance India’s adoption of cleaner and less carbon-intensive energy technologies.  The Fellow will report directly to ETIP’s Director and may lead research efforts in one or more of the following subject areas: identifying opportunities for enhanced efficiencies in Indian thermal power plants, better understanding of available energy resources, institutional development in the Indian energy sector, opportunities for carbon capture and storage in the Indian context, cleaner transportation, or climate policy.  The Research Fellow will be expected to produce at least one publishable article, present her findings before internal and external audiences, and play a substantive role in the dissemination process of any findings, which could include interactions with policymakers in both the United States and India.

Required Education, Experience and Skills

Applications for the Research Fellowship for Energy Technology and Policy in India are welcome from recent recipients of the Ph.D. or equivalent. He/she will have excellent skills in presenting complex material to a wide range of audiences and will be able to take initiative in interacting with other researchers and policymakers. Candidates who have focused on other aspects of energy policy in their doctoral work, or who hold a Master’s degree and have extensive experience, will be considered.

Fellowship 3: Energy Technology and Policy in China

ETIP is seeking to fill a Research Fellowship with a focus on energy technology and policy in China.  The Research Fellow will contribute to ETIP’s efforts to identify and to promote policies that will enhance China’s adoption of cleaner and less carbon-intensive energy technologies, especially cleaner coal or cleaner vehicle technologies.  The Fellow will report directly to ETIP’s Director and may lead research efforts in one or more of the following subject areas: analyzing barriers to development or deployment of cleaner energy technologies, assessing costs of cleaner energy technologies in the Chinese context, identifying RD&D strategies for cleaner energy technologies in China, including for CCS, or other energy or climate policy topics.  The Research Fellow will be expected to produce at least one publishable article, present her findings before internal and external audiences, and play a substantive role in the dissemination process of any findings, including interacting with policymakers or other people of influence in the United States and China.

Required Education, Experience and Skills

Applications for the Research Fellowship for Energy Technology and Policy in China are welcome from recent recipients of the Ph.D. or equivalent.  The ideal candidate will have academic and/or professional experience of 3-5 years minimum.  Candidates will have excellent skills in presenting complex material to a wide range of audiences and will be able to take initiative in interacting with other researchers and policymakers. Candidates who have focused on other aspects of energy policy in their doctoral work, or who hold a Master’s degree and have extensive experience, will be considered.

Fellowship 4:  U.S. Transportation Policy

ETIP is seeking a Research Fellow to contribute to work related to assessing and promoting policy options for reducing oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the U.S. transportation sector.  The Fellow will report directly to ETIP’s Director and may lead research efforts in one or more of the following subject areas: modeling economic, environmental and other impacts of policy options, examining regulatory scenarios related to various policy options, exploring the role of consumers in reducing the impact of transportation sector, and examining the role of biofuels.  The Research Fellow will be expected to produce at least one publishable article, present his findings before internal and external audiences, and play a substantive role in the dissemination process of any findings.

Required Education, Experience and Skills

Applications for the Research Fellowship on U.S. Transportation Policy are welcome from recent recipients of the Ph.D. or equivalent. The ideal candidate will have academic and/or professional experience analyzing policy for the U.S. transportation sector; investigating specific transportation-related challenges, and/or developing strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. Candidates will also have excellent skills in presenting complex material to a wide range of audiences. Candidates will ideally hold a Ph.D. in public policy, economics, political science, or a related field. A clear focus on transportation will be a plus. Candidates who have focused on other aspects of energy policy in their doctoral work, or who hold a Master’s degree and have extensive experience, will be considered.

Fellowship 5: Climate Policy

ETIP is seeking pre-and post-doctoral research fellows to work on domestic or international climate policy. The Fellow will report directly to ETIP’s Director. Candidates interested in working on climate policy in China, India, or the United States are particularly encouraged to apply, as well as candidates with a special focus on the intersection between climate policy and energy technology development and deployment.  Technology transfer/cooperation for low-carbon technologies is of special interest. The Research Fellow will be expected to produce at least one publishable article, present his findings before internal and external audiences, and play a substantive role in the dissemination process of any findings. The Research Fellow will be expected to produce at least one publishable article, present his findings before internal and external audiences, and play a substantive role in the dissemination process of any findings.

Required Education, Experience and Skills

Applications for the Research Fellowship on Climate Policy are welcome from recent recipients of the Ph.D. or equivalent degree. The ideal candidate will have academic and/or professional experience analyzing climate.  Candidates will also have excellent skills in presenting complex material to a wide range of audiences. Candidates will ideally hold a Ph.D. in public policy, economics, political science, or a related field. A clear focus on transportation will be a plus. Candidates who have focused on other aspects of energy policy in their doctoral work, or who hold a Master’s degree and have extensive experience, will be considered.

Fellowship 6: Energy Technology Innovation Policy

ETIP is seeking fellows to work on energy technology innovation (ETI) policy. The ETI fellows will be committed mainly to a three-year project with three related but distinct goals: 1) producing a comprehensive set of recommendations for the next U.S. administration for a greatly expanded federal energy innovation budget; 2) preparing annual budget commentaries and recommendations to policy makers on current ERD&D spending priorities ; 3) producing a report comparing energy-technology innovation activities in the public and private sectors in the United States and internationally. Fellows will work toward one or several of the above goals.

ETI fellows participate in Congressional briefings, meetings with relevant stakeholders in business, industry, academia, and elsewhere, and interviews with the media.

Required Education, Experience and Skills

Applications for ETI fellowships are welcome from recent recipients of the Ph.D. or equivalent degree. The ideal candidate will have professional experience analyzing policy for publicly-funded ERD&D; developing and analyzing federal budgets for ERD&D; or strategic planning for ETI. Candidates will also have excellent skills in presenting complex material to a wide range of audiences. Candidates will ideally hold a Ph.D. in public policy, economics, political science, or a related field. A clear focus on ETI will be a plus. Candidates who have focused on other aspects of energy policy in their doctoral work, or who hold a Master’s degree and have extensive experience, will be considered.

Application procedures

Applications are due January 15, 2009. ETIP fellowships are for a one-year period, though they may be renewed.

Please visit http://belfercenter.org/fellowships/ for complete application information.

For more information about the Energy Technology Innovation Policy research group, please visit www.energytechnologypolicy.org.

We encourage applications from women, minorities, and citizens of all countries.  Although we are mainly interested in the above topics and regions, other applications will be considered.

_______________________________________________

Sam Milton, MALD
Project Coordinator, Energy Technology Innovation Policy
Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs
Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
79 JFK Street, Box 53, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
(617) 496-5584 phone, (617) 495-8963 fax
  Permalink | Printer Friendly |  Email This Article
Posted in Reporting from Washington DC, China, Reporting from UNFCCC Meetings, European Union, Job Offers, India, Bangkok, Massachusetts

del.icio.us Digg Reddit Google Technorati Windows Live Yahoo! | what's this?

Discuss this article

“INNOVATION AFRICA”

The volume (405 pages) was edited by Pascal C.Sanginga, Ann Walter-Bayer, Susan Kaaria, Jemimah Njuki, and Chesha Wetlasinha.

Earthscan, is a publishing house for a sustainable future, based in Dunstan House, 14a St. Cross st., London EC1N 8XA, UK - with a branch at 22883 Quicksilver Derive, Sterling, VA, USA.

www.earthscan.co.uk

The project, meeting and book, were sponsored jointly by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation under the roof of the “Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). The goal is tp promote African agricultural development through capacity-building, research and pilot testing of interventions.

At the Kampala meeting participated 140 practitioners and the best 24 articles appear in the 5 parts of this volume.

The conclusions led to five observations,  and I will mention here just the fifth - that says that real innovation emerges by encouraging creativity, and that is not achieved by over-engineering a multiple level of bureaucracy that poses the risk of stifling real discovery. So, it is better to create enabling conditions and incentive structures that encourage information exchange, cooperation and policy changes that unleash bottom-up or lateral innovation.

The first article is of 26 pages on “Conceptual and Methodological Developments in Innovation,” presented by Niels Roeling.

I found interesting his use of “innovation” as a noun - denoting a technology or even a product i.e. hybrid maize. Then he talks about the “diffusion curve” of introducing this innovation for gain by the users. That was the way the subject was taught in the American Mid-West. Eventually he mentions that his thinking was affected by the observation from Landcare in Australia, that “erosion, salination, desiccation and other environmental problems” resulted from the introduction of European farming practices to a continent to which they were not suited. Thus we reach out to grassroots innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the book presents many ways of organizing this sort of development of agricultural knowledge and information systems.

The book ends up presenting many conceptual and methodological developments in promoting innovation by showcasing on-the-ground experiences in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Malawi, South Africa, Nigeria.

The volume mentions the changes in global agriculture, the use of biofuels, the increase in meat consumption, droughts and extreme weather caused by climate change, and the resulting increase in the price of food, and asks if those events will make African smallholders competitive in African urban markets. The author is nevertheless not over optimistic. It is the global “treadmill” that prevents African farmers from contributing to global food security and African countries from gaining food sovereignty. The imports of food haveinterfered with the marketting of the local produce beyond the subsistence level.

November 23, 2008

From: Jazz Promo Services
 http://www.chamber-music.org/

PRESENTS   FIRST TUESDAYS

Using New Technology
A FREE WORKSHOP WITH JIM EIGO
President/Jazz Promo Services

December 2, 2008, 3:00-5:00 P.M.
Saint Peter’s Church
619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street
New York, NY

 http://www.jazzpromoservices.com/

Back by popular demand, Jim Eigo broadens his PR workshop to speak about the ins and outs of the music business, with an emphasis on artists who self-produce. He will discuss promotion, marketing, using the Internet, and making the transition from sideperson to bandleader.

Seating is limited; reservations preferred.
R.S.V.P by Wednesday, November 26
 MGIOSI at CHAMBER-MUSIC.ORG  <mailto:  mgiosi at chamber-music.org>

FIRST TUESDAYS is a joint project with Midtown Arts Common and Saint Peter’s Church. It is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Seminar recordings are available at www.chamber-music.org through the support of the MetLife Foundation.

President Bush is now in Peru, telling the leaders of the large Asia-Pacific region how to manage the world economy that his Administration destroyed.

Robert Reich posts that Obama is on track for starting rescue activities on day one of his Presidency, January 20, 2009. http://www.truthout.org/112308Z

On the Fareed Zakaria www.CNN/GPS program Niall Ferguson, who just released “The Ascent of Money” said that in the British system you have elections and when you win you move in on day one. watching what goes on now in the US - the British system is much better. Watching the deliberations in Congress and the way the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Paulson, threw around money without clear attempt at seeking results, it seems  VACUUM is the order of the Washington day. The stock-market was nose diving and the mere hint of an Obama new man, January 20, 2008 at the helm, brought some relieve to the disoriented market.

Gail Collins, wrote in the New York Times: “Time for Him to Go” http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/22/opinion/22collins.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Gail%20Collins&st=cse. We agree!

****

The Fareed Zakaria CNN/GPS second section today was titled GLOBAL MELTDOWN. His guests were Thomas Friedman, Niall Ferguson, and Anne-Marie Slaughter and they discussed the Present Economic Crises. He also had an exclusive interview with former VP Al  Gore.   http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/fareed.z…

Thomas Friedman started out with the question: ” Are we supposed to sit now for two months and do nothing? The bailout has not worked and 2 mo. we may be in a hole that next Administration is finished before it starts.”

We have a depression each century and this might be the one for the 21st century. He then proceeded by pointing at  four issues that converged on us now:

a. the degree of leverage,

b. the degree of globalization,

c. the degree of complexity,

d. it all started in America.

The last point means that we cannot escape from the consequences and we are the responsible factor at a time that globalization made things universal and the amount of leverage and the complexity of our mechanisms caused us to export our problems, even though others might be even more leveraged then we are. It is the derivatives that we put on the global market that became our version of weapons of mass destruction and the game has now forced a situation of MAD between the US and China. We buy their tennis shoes and they buy our derivatives.

But Anne-Marie, who worked last year in China, brought up the possibility of the evolution of a China market for China’s products. That is the internal huge market they can develop and which then makes them independent of us - then why should they continue to buy US treasuries? That will send the US running to the printing presses and it will create even a worse situation here.

***

In his interview with Al Gore, Zakaria wanted to know what he thinks about the post-Cheney Vice Presidency, and he answered that actually it was Walter Mondale who gave meaning to the job, and he himself modeled his office after Mondale. Now, about Cheney, it was not the powers but the way the authority was assumed by the VP that was the problem. This was a clear hint to the Bush insanity in letting in a self-recommended VP who was not going to even compete eventually for the Presidency. G.W. Bush did not do in only country and world, but even his own party.

On the automotive Industry Detroit debacle, Al Gore said it is tragic  that GM let deliberately Toyota have a 7 year head start on the hybrid drive train used in the Prius. Shifting to electric cars is the best way to make sure that the US does not continue to be dependent on the Persian/Arab Gulf which is above all a security problem. AL GORE LOVED WHAT HE HEARD FROM PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA - THAT IN THE ENERGY AREA WE WENT “FROM SHOCK TO TRANS.” Above means that only a 4-dollar/gallon of gasoline gets us to work on alternatives, but as in the past, it will be all forgotten when the price of the gasoline falls.

Further he said that clean coal is an idea that was never proven in the US, and like in other cases, this might just be the same technic as used by Detroit when they were showing models of great vehicles that were never built - the clear slow-it-down technic that brought us down to our knees.

***

Prior to the GPS program, the regular Wolf Blitzer CNN program had Mr. Robert Reich, while Malcolm Forbes, and Joe Lieberman where on other programs.

Reich knew to tell us that the original Obama idea for a stimulus package amounted to $175 billion - now it will be between $500-700 billion. he longer we wait - the more it will cost as the economy gets worse.

***

The problem with the Lieberman approach is that he wants President Bush and Mr. Obama agree to an immediate joint approach to the size of the stimulus package - in short, he thinks that Bush should invite Obama to step in and coo-own the disaster with him. We think that would be crazy for Obama - we feel that Gail Collins has a much more sound view of the kind of cooperation that is feasible in a system that allows one President-at-a time and creates these insane waiting periods. If Bush Resigns, Obama could take over via an intermediary Pelosi Presidency.

Further, Lieberman brought to live the old joke of “the Operation was successful but the patient died.” He actually said that with the $700 billion the financial institutions were sound but no money was being made available for loans.

***

On another program, Mort Zuckerman said that the loss of wealth is close to 16 (sixteen) billion dollars. The CitiGroup might be in trouble also - nobody knows what are their losses from the credit-cards business. The reality is that nobody is spending money and nobody is now borrowing either. So, his conclusion is also that Obama not be allowed to stay on the sideline and wait out his time.

Pat Buchanan chipped in that the recession is already baked into the cake and will continue for 1-2-3 years and that the extreme spending that was started under Bush will continue under Obama.

***

Steve Forbes concluded that Paulson is the “worst Treasury Secretary we have ever had.” To which Robert Reich added - “I have no trust in his policies, he was not transparent and got the $700 billion under false pretenses.”

About the Auto Manufacturers, Steve Forbes said that they make smaller more efficient cars overseas, for the local markets there, but were never allowed to bring the to the US. So the blame is with the US labor unions we assume.

Regarding an explanation of the “Derivatives” Ponzi scheme - please see our third attachment. Why did nobody act on what Warren Buffett described as a time-bomb already in 2003? Those derivatives were an economic
weapon of mass destruction of self-destruction that is!

***

Following above interesting exchanges, it is crystal clear that only a policy revolution in the US governing philosophy will do - no hybrids please. When it comes to the empty debate if Obama’s appointees are from the left of center or the right of center - it is obvious that moving right or left will not do - it must be a move FORWARD. That is the only kind of move that will do and he must have the field to himself - so again - the patriotic thing for President Bush to do now is to have Cheney and himself resign, and let the Constitution take its course without delay. Ms. Pelosi could then take over nominally and let Obama’s cabinet start working without the insane delay.

—————————————-

How Obama Is Already Taking Charge
Saturday 22 November 2008
by: Robert Reich, Robert Reich’s Blog, as reported on truthout and also verified on Sunday’s TV programs.

Barack Obama with weeks left before he takes office faces a country involved in two wars and the US economy in crisis. (Photo: Alex Brandon / AP)

Obama’s immediate challenge is to fill the leadership vacuum created by a lame-duck president with historically-low approval ratings who seems to have lost interest in his job (at this writing, he’s out of the country) and who’s disappeared from the media, and a Treasury chief who has all but punted on coming up with any workable solution to the crisis. But Obama doesn’t become president until 12 noon eastern standard time on January 20 - and the national economy is imploding right now.

How does Obama manage this feat? Two ways: (1) appointing a highly-capable economic team, and (2) telling the nation what he plans to do starting the afternoon of January 20. Specifically:

(1) The members of Obama’s new economic team fit the bill. They’re reported (I have no inside knowledge) to include Tim Geithner at Treasury, Peter Orszag at the Office of Management and Budget, Jack Lew and Jason Furman at the National Economic Council, and Austan Goolsbee at the Council of Economic Advisors. All have several things in common. They’re relatively young, in their late 30s or 40s, representing a generational change and a fresh start. Despite their youth, they’re also experienced; almost all were up-and-comers in the Clinton Treasury, NEC, and OMB.

All are pragmatists. Some media have dubbed them “centrists” or “center-right,” but in truth they’re remarkably free of ideological preconception. All have well-earned reputations as hard workers, well-versed in the technical details of public and private finance. They are not visible veterans of the old battles over supply-side economics or deficit reduction, nor are they well-known to the public. They are not visionaries but we don’t need visionaries when the economic perils are clear and immediate. We need competence. Obama could not appoint a more competent group.

(2) The President-Elect has also signaled the country what he wants to do: enact an “Economic Recovery Plan” that will mean 2.5 million more jobs by January of 2011. In his words (from Saturday’s radio address) a plan “big enough to meet the challenges we face … a two-year, nationwide effort to jumpstart job creation in America and lay the foundation for a strong and growing economy.” Again, I have no inside knowledge, but I’d expect it to be about $600 to $700 billion.

Its focus will be on infrastructure of a sort that will not only put people to work but also improve the productivity of the economy. His words: “We’ll put people back to work rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, modernizing schools that are failing our children, and building wind farms and solar panels; fuel-efficient cars and the alternative energy technologies that can free us from our dependence on foreign oil and keep our economy competitive in the years ahead.”

In short, Obama’s job-stimulus plan will be a down-payment on his larger plan to increase the nation’s public investment. “These aren’t just steps to pull ourselves out of this immediate crisis,” he says, “these are the long-term investments in our economic future that have been ignored for far too long. And they represent an early down payment on the type of reform my Administration will bring to Washington.” He could not be more specific, at least while still President-Elect.

At a time when aggregate demand is shriveling because consumers aren’t spending and investors have stopped investing, and exports are shrinking, Obama recognizes that government must be the spender of last resort. He will combine old-fashioned Keynesian economics with newly-fashioned public investments to pull the economy out of its slump.

By putting his economic team in place barely three weeks after he was elected, and telling the nation what he plans to do immediately after he takes office, the President-Elect is asserting leadership at a time when the the Bush administration has all but abdicated.

————–

OP-ED COLUMNIST
Time for Him to Go: Thanksgiving is next week, and President Bush could make it a really special holiday by resigning.

By GAIL COLLINS
Published: November 22, 2008, The New York Times.

Seriously. We have an economy that’s crashing and a vacuum at the top. Bush — who is currently on a trip to Peru to meet with Asian leaders who no longer care what he thinks — hasn’t got the clout, or possibly even the energy, to do anything useful. His most recent contribution to resolving the fiscal crisis was lecturing representatives of the world’s most important economies on the glories of free-market capitalism.

Putting Barack Obama in charge immediately isn’t impossible. Dick Cheney, obviously, would have to quit as well as Bush. In fact, just to be on the safe side, the vice president ought to turn in his resignation first. (We’re desperate, but not crazy.) Then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would become president until Jan. 20. Obviously, she’d defer to her party’s incoming chief executive, and Barack Obama could begin governing.

As a bonus, the Pelosi presidency would put a woman in the White House this year after all. On the downside, a few right-wing talk-show hosts might succumb to apoplexy. That would, of course, be terrible, but I’m afraid we might have to take the risk in the name of a greater good.

Can I see a show of hands? How many people want George W. out and Barack in?

A great many Americans have been counting the days all year on their 2008 George W. Bush Out of Office Countdown calendars. I know a lot of this has been going on because so many people congratulated me when the Feb. 1 Bush quote turned out to be from one of my old columns. (“I think we need not only to eliminate the tollbooth from the middle class, I think we should knock down the tollbooth.”)

This was not nearly as good as Feb. 5 (“We ought to make the pie higher”) or Feb. 21 (“I understand small business growth. I was one.”) But we do what we can.

In the past, presidents have not taken well to suggestions that they hand over the reins before the last possible minute. Senator J. William Fulbright suggested a plan along those lines when Harry Truman was coming to the end of a term in a state of deep unpopularity, and Truman called him “Halfbright” for the rest of his life. Bush might not love the idea of qu