It was not an ordeal, for the weather was generally good and how difficult can it be to ride around in a cart over well manicured grass. Guess where I am today? Tomorrow, back to Honolulu.
I was mildly chided for ignoring my serialization of SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity. Of course, you can purchase the book, but, to continue on Chapter 1, I present Part 36...and it was a long time ago when I started summarizing this book.
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The United Nations
But before getting to the punch line, as the world will need a coordinating entity to organize the peace, let us start with some interesting facts:
o The World population took twelve years to increase from 5 billion in 1988 to 6 billion in 2000, and will take another dozen years to reach 7 billion, in 2012.
o There are 194 countries, 192 with membership in the United Nations, plus the Vatican and Taiwan, which in July 2007 again was rejected. (In parallel, I am now capsulizing each country, alphabetically.)
o China and Russia each border 14 other countries.
o The Gross World Product is $66 trillion (2006), with that of the United States being $11 trillion, so GWP/person is $10,000/year, compared to GNP/person of $37,000 for the U.S.
o Globally, the median age is 28, and the current life expectancy at birth is 66 years.
o One-third are Christians and one-fifth are Muslims.
The only global organization with any kind of influence today was founded in 1945, replacing the League of Nations. Franklin D. Roosevelt is credited with first suggesting the name, United Nations. The headquarters are located in New York City on land purchased from funds donated by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and the Secretary General is Ban Ki-moon of South Korea.
Much of the global climate change leadership came from the 1992 UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The UN also has convened conferences on population, trade efficiency, disarmament and social development. Peacekeeping (with a staffing of 70,000), human rights development, international law adjudication and humanitarian assistance are leading missions of this organization.
The UN budget is intricate. While in 2006 the U.S. was assessed 22% (the maximum) of the nearly $2 billion, or $424 million ($1.42 per American citizen), it is estimated that we actually are contributing about $3 billion ($10/person) / year because of special assessments, primarily for peacekeeping. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, as an example, was an added cost to the UN of $260 million. Japan paid $374 million ($3.94/citizen) to the regular budget, the second most by far, and Liberia provided $19,000. Yes, the U.S. is arrears on some payments as a protest in principle, and also is regularly tardy, but late payments are standard international practice.
Many families don’t manage their affairs too well. So too can be said for villages, companies, universities and governments. The UN is the worst of all, but understandably so. Reforming the UN has become a mantra: membership on the Security Council, bureaucracy, transparency, accountability, efficiency, etc. Thus, in 2005, the UN convened a World Summit involving the heads of state of member countries to make a once-in-generation attempt to craft bold decisions on areas of development, security, human rights and reform. The conferees agreed to:
o create a Peace building Commission and a Human Rights Council;
o step-in when any national government does not fulfill their responsibility to protect their own citizens from atrocity crimes;
o increase internal oversight ;
o commit significant funds toward achieving Millennium Development Goals;
o condemn terrorism; and
o found a Democracy Fund.
In 2004, President George W. Bush, at the UN General Assembly, said:
Because I believe the advance of liberty is the path to both a safer and better world, today, I propose establishing a Democracy Fund within the United Nations. This is a great calling for this great organization…To show our commitment to the new Democracy Fund, the United States will make an initial contribution.
The U.S. provided $10 million, the same as India and Qatar, although an additional $8 million was promised. One hundred forty-one ministers meeting at the Community of Democracies in Santiago, Chile the following year embraced the concept, and on July 4, yes, Independence Day for the USA, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced the establishment of a UN Democracy Fund. The program will promote and consolidate new and restored democracies.
Well, that’s terrific, but, alas, unless Mars Attacks, nothing much will happen and things will continue to proceed as poorly as they have, forever. That said, the UN remains our best hope to lead the way to eternal peace.
But before getting to the punch line, as the world will need a coordinating entity to organize the peace, let us start with some interesting facts:
o The World population took twelve years to increase from 5 billion in 1988 to 6 billion in 2000, and will take another dozen years to reach 7 billion, in 2012.
o There are 194 countries, 192 with membership in the United Nations, plus the Vatican and Taiwan, which in July 2007 again was rejected. (In parallel, I am now capsulizing each country, alphabetically.)
o China and Russia each border 14 other countries.
o The Gross World Product is $66 trillion (2006), with that of the United States being $11 trillion, so GWP/person is $10,000/year, compared to GNP/person of $37,000 for the U.S.
o Globally, the median age is 28, and the current life expectancy at birth is 66 years.
o One-third are Christians and one-fifth are Muslims.
The only global organization with any kind of influence today was founded in 1945, replacing the League of Nations. Franklin D. Roosevelt is credited with first suggesting the name, United Nations. The headquarters are located in New York City on land purchased from funds donated by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and the Secretary General is Ban Ki-moon of South Korea.
Much of the global climate change leadership came from the 1992 UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The UN also has convened conferences on population, trade efficiency, disarmament and social development. Peacekeeping (with a staffing of 70,000), human rights development, international law adjudication and humanitarian assistance are leading missions of this organization.
The UN budget is intricate. While in 2006 the U.S. was assessed 22% (the maximum) of the nearly $2 billion, or $424 million ($1.42 per American citizen), it is estimated that we actually are contributing about $3 billion ($10/person) / year because of special assessments, primarily for peacekeeping. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, as an example, was an added cost to the UN of $260 million. Japan paid $374 million ($3.94/citizen) to the regular budget, the second most by far, and Liberia provided $19,000. Yes, the U.S. is arrears on some payments as a protest in principle, and also is regularly tardy, but late payments are standard international practice.
Many families don’t manage their affairs too well. So too can be said for villages, companies, universities and governments. The UN is the worst of all, but understandably so. Reforming the UN has become a mantra: membership on the Security Council, bureaucracy, transparency, accountability, efficiency, etc. Thus, in 2005, the UN convened a World Summit involving the heads of state of member countries to make a once-in-generation attempt to craft bold decisions on areas of development, security, human rights and reform. The conferees agreed to:
o create a Peace building Commission and a Human Rights Council;
o step-in when any national government does not fulfill their responsibility to protect their own citizens from atrocity crimes;
o increase internal oversight ;
o commit significant funds toward achieving Millennium Development Goals;
o condemn terrorism; and
o found a Democracy Fund.
In 2004, President George W. Bush, at the UN General Assembly, said:
Because I believe the advance of liberty is the path to both a safer and better world, today, I propose establishing a Democracy Fund within the United Nations. This is a great calling for this great organization…To show our commitment to the new Democracy Fund, the United States will make an initial contribution.
The U.S. provided $10 million, the same as India and Qatar, although an additional $8 million was promised. One hundred forty-one ministers meeting at the Community of Democracies in Santiago, Chile the following year embraced the concept, and on July 4, yes, Independence Day for the USA, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced the establishment of a UN Democracy Fund. The program will promote and consolidate new and restored democracies.
Well, that’s terrific, but, alas, unless Mars Attacks, nothing much will happen and things will continue to proceed as poorly as they have, forever. That said, the UN remains our best hope to lead the way to eternal peace.
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The Dow Jones Industrials dropped 102 to 8410 and world markets were mixed. Gold dropped a buck to $910/toz and oil slipped a bit (see right). Interestingly enough, gasoline dropped below the price of ethanol, signalling a boost for this renewable fuel...as much as I think ethanol is bad for the economy and Planet Earth.
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Tropical Storm Kujira, after killing 27 in the Philippines as a typhoon, is continuing to dissipate east of Japan, and will further weaken. Flights from Hawaii, to Tokyo, though, could be affected. Typhoon Chan-Hom made landfall and has now broken up in Northern Luzon. Considerable rain in Manila, and a lot more further north.
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