Academic / It Actions -Continue to keep Internet freely accessible to Iranians -Flow of information still critical Economic/Consumer Actions -Drive Electric -Stop trading in oil futures and invest in energy stocks selectively -Support and invest in renewable energies -Down size your car -Get a bicycle -Do not purchase products from companies that you believe sell critical IT to security forces for eavesdropping -Do not buy petrol from companies that invest or buy Iran oil Cultural/Political actions -Join Green movement -Support Sherman Kirk Amendment -Support Sen. Charles Schumer & Lindsey Graham in their bill barring federal government from doing business with entities that sell critical IT to security forces for eavesdropping -Ask admin to activate executive Order 13224 -Support Dutch Iran Committee (NGO) in their work with Shell -Restrict freedom of movement of Iran political leaders (incl. advisers) -Support actions refraining leaders from political events -Disregard attempts to create tensions/splits of world by Iran political leader . . . .
Overview: The doubling of the oil price from early March to mid June has led to suggestions that as in 2008, financial speculation could be exacerbating market moves including the significant volatility in the crude oil market. News that a London-based rogue trader contributed to a price spike in 2009 may return attention to the role of non-commercial traders in price discovery. The recent rally in oil prices like that of many commodities has been fueled in part by the increase in liquidity, search for dollar hedges and expectations of an improved macroeconomic enviroment * FT: a rogue trader for PVM, an oil trading company may have accounted for half the oil price spike Tuesday June 30 which had previously been attributed to a geopolitical supply shock (pipeline outages in Nigeria). A single trader placed a $10 million (7 million GBP bet in the Brent crude market and then other traders followed the rally and trading volume surged to 16m barrels from the approximately 500,000 barrels that tends to trade at that time. * Regulators are in the process of closing loopholes that may have facilitated speculation. Policy responses include redefining the blurred line between commercial (those that have an interest in trading oil for hedging purposes in their businesses) and non-commercial traders. Regulatory changes involve more oversight for OTC trading platforms like the ICE. Pending legislation establishes tougher disclosure rules and position limits How Much Do Speculators Affect Prices? * Masters: Index speculators are the primary cause of the 2008 price spikes in commodities * Lukken (via Bloomberg): Jeff Masters lacks access to data needed to draw his conclusions * Thoma: July reclassification of large trader Vitol meant that 49% of all crude-oil bets outstanding were held by non-commercial traders * CFTC, Dale/Zyren: Noncommercial traders follow and exacerbate price trends but they don't set them * Norges, Hamilton, Krugman: If speculators were driving oil prices above the physical market equilibrium, then inventories would be higher than what oil consumers demand. Speculation in paper oil doesn't change physical supply/demand balance * Hussman: It doesn't matter that speculators don't take delivery. What matters is the extent that speculators take one-sided trend-following positions - their purchase of a futures contract crowds out the purchase that a hedger would otherwise be able to make from a producer * Soros (via Senate): Bubble in housing and oil are part of a 25yr-old super-bubble built on belief that markets tend toward equilibrium and deviations are random * WP: Highest oil price forecast is by Goldman Sachs, which runs the largest commodity index fund, provides oil investment advice and trades oil on its own account - too many institutional conflicts of interest * CIBC: Sometimes exuberance is perfectly rational. Short-term prices may spike above level that clears market but in the longer term, prices must ultimately meet a real world market test - physical, not paper, oil supply/demand Overview: The doubling of the oil price from early March to mid June has led to suggestions that as in 2008, financial speculation could be exacerbating market moves including the significant volatility in the crude oil market. News that a London-based rogue trader contributed to a price spike in 2009 may return attention to the role of non-commercial traders in price discovery. The recent rally in oil prices like that of many commodities has been fueled in part by the increase in liquidity, search for dollar hedges and expectations of an improved macroeconomic enviroment * FT: a rogue trader for PVM, an oil trading company may have accounted for half the oil price spike Tuesday June 30 which had previously been attributed to a geopolitical supply shock (pipeline outages in Nigeria). A single trader placed a $10 million (7 million GBP bet in the Brent crude market and then other traders followed the rally and trading volume surged to 16m barrels from the approximately 500,000 barrels that tends to trade at that time. * Regulators are in the process of closing loopholes that may have facilitated speculation. Policy responses include redefining the blurred line between commercial (those that have an interest in trading oil for hedging purposes in their businesses) and non-commercial traders. Regulatory changes involve more oversight for OTC trading platforms like the ICE. Pending legislation establishes tougher disclosure rules and position limitsv
Act with Wallet and support Iran people Don't forget to act with your wallet and spread the word. The wise and savy internet user is very well informed and can truly vote with his/her wallet
Academic / It Actions -Continue to keep Internet freely accessible to Iranians -Flow of information still critical * Current Situation: Iran government is blocking the free flow of information * Root Cause: Oppression of people and protection of government economic interests * Solution: Continue to help keep open communication channels and freedom of speach * Result: Government cannot maximize oppression and has difficulty in forcing its views and economic interests on others. Economic/Consumer Actions -Drive Electric * Current Situation: Consumers are energy dependent and suffer from high prices * Root cause: Energy concerns and governments are vying for limited strategic oil reserves * Root cause: Iran and Russian gov't interested in conflicts in order to maximize profits * Solution: Reduce energy dependence on oil * Result: A more peaceful world and a geopolitical balance -Stop trading in oil futures and invest in energy stocks selectively * Current Situation: Few traders are ensuring high prices for consumers * Root Cause: Bad financial regulation allowing commodity bubbles * Solution: Don't trade in oil futures * Result: Increased energy stability and ability to make long term energy plans -Support and invest in renewable energies * Current Situation: Alternative energies require long term investment * Root Cause: Energy Lobby * Solution: Start making long term consumer choice decisions in order to break out of the energy trap * Result: Increased energy stability and lower monthly costs -Down size your car -Get a bicycle -Do not purchase products from companies that you believe sell critical IT to security forces for eavesdropping -Do not buy petrol from companies that invest or buy Iran oil Cultural/Political actions -Join Green movement -Support Sherman Kirk Amendment -Support Sen. Charles Schumer & Lindsey Graham in their bill barring federal government from doing business with entities that sell critical IT to security forces for eavesdropping -Ask admin to activate executive Order 13224 -Support Dutch Iran Committee (NGO) in their work with Shell -Restrict freedom of movement of Iran political leaders (incl. advisers) -Support actions refraining leaders from political events -Disregard attempts to create tensions/splits of world by Iran political leader
What about artists and designers? Is there any way our work could be used in coordination with the green movement? I am a graphic designer, so I am sure there is some way I could design campaigns to help increase awareness of what is going on in Iran to people here in the west. Anyone have any ideas?
Allowing your art to show images of be symbolic of Irans drive for freedom would be great. Perceptions in the West are rather short lived and people tend to forget once media frenzy is ended. People tend to think about things that are fed to them by the media. A quest for information is lacking. Anyway, contribute to forum > Inside Iran>Protest Advice>Brainstorming Ideas for the Green Movement. You may teach a few things or pass on some of your experience. Also, you can link up with Iranians in the West.Just be careful with who. Understand their motives first. Good Luck
Were still waiting for the media frenzy to start. The counterrevolution will be televised. Yeah yeah, be careful, but Solidarity types are not difficult to discern. They have passion and act human. This is a common sense test.
Act within your own democracies In a way this was also mentioned, but I thought it could be worth to mention again: Within your own democratic systems, vote for people who will work for issues concerning Iran and "future Irans" It's important to realize that in our globally interconnected world, we have the power to cast our votes not only for issues that benefit directly ourselves, but also for issues that benefit people in other countries. While many countries have internally working governmental institutions, we are very much lacking on the international front. When the leadership of a country acts against its own constitution and against its own people, we should, as a global community, be able to solve this without bloodshed. Maybe we need completely new global institutions, maybe we can achieve much progress by empowering the ones we already have.
yes and thanks for your help. Start out by posting your Iran protest graphics on this bbs and other blogs that are sprouting like wildfire. Use the img tags to embedd them in the post. Get feedback and collaborate or fly solo. If it's great people will hang on to it. Search for the Protest Art thread, and threads relevant to your design.
Boycott Nokia Siemens Products -Do not purchase products from companies that you believe sell critical IT to security forces for eavesdropping Source from Iran claims sales of Nokia mobiles. Down 50% Please help in the West and do not purchase products from companies related to IT censorship in Iran. We need you to support us economically.
*IF* we believe what Nokia says about Nokia Siemens Network's Iranian venture, they did not sell to Iran anything that not all the other telco companies in the world would also have sold (if not against local/international law they operate under): as a part of the telco infrastructure also the possibility for (what is called) lawful intercept, which in the Iranian case means the possibility to listen in to mobile and landline voice calls. *IF* we believe what Nokia says then I think it is likely that there were quite a few other companies bidding for this same functionality, and quite obviously Iran (or almost any other country in the world) would never invest in any telco infrastructure that does not include this capability. Considering the amount of vital news information that has been created in Iran by using (I guess also Nokia) mobile phones to take pictures and record videos, and *IF* we believe what Nokia says, then I think they deserve some credit as well. On the other hand, boycots and voting with your money and taking your business to companies you respect are good things to do (especially if we don't believe what Nokia says). In addition to this, I think, it would be good to try to act through our democracies as well and make sure that the EU/US export/import restrictions take better into account the human rights conditions in the foreign countries. As a person living in Finland I'm, of course, slightly biased.
Hi, I agree with you and suggest that Nokia sign up to terms of corporate responsibility. There are many more countries operating same as Iran and Europeans continue to do business. So, please do not allow Nokia to get away with just releasing a statement. They also need to act on corporate responsibility. This is by the way not only a valid point for Nokia but also many European oil multinationals. Lets hope that business as usual is not continued and that our corporate leaders understand their responsibilities clearly. Their consumers enjoy human rights which is the basis for communication throughout the world. Repression should not fit into their corporate portfolio. It is actually very dangerous for them. I have many friends from Finland and I am certain they are very concerned about the current situation.
Could someone repeat what Nokia did or is alleged to have done - and if they did it only in Iran or for any customer.
I am sure they went out of their way to get a contract. They must have added many goodies to get contract in Iran. Everybody in Iran knows how business is done. It sure ain't through competitive pricing nor can it be done withiout a little commission for Iran politicians & bureaucrats. 30% black money is the usual. Why do you think we have 25% inflation in Iran. It sure isn't because of the population having a very high income.
The mobile handset market is set for recovery after the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, according to Nokia, the world's largest maker of cell phones. The cell phone market has been hit particularly hard by the worldwide economic slowdown. And companies such as Nokia and Sony Ericsson have taken a beating. The second quarter of 2009 was particularly hard for Nokia. The company's earnings were ugly with a 25 percent drop in revenue, a 15 percent drop in handset shipments, and a more than 70 percent decline in operating profits, compared to the same quarter in 2008.
Barikala - Great One of the world's largest engineering firms, Siemens, could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in sales to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) because it sold Iran equipment used to spy on dissidents. California politicians and Iranian human rights advocates say in awarding contracts, officials should take into account the fact that the German company participated in a joint venture with Nokia in 2008 to sell Iran's telecommunications company a monitoring center that, according to the joint venture's own promotional literature, can intercept and catalog e-mails, telephone calls and Internet data. Political pressure because of Iran's recent crackdown on postelection protesters - as well as the country's advancing nuclear program - could affect a vote next week on who will supply rail cars for Los Angeles County. "At a time when the city and the board of supervisors are urging divestment from Iran, it would be hypocritical of our board to make a deal with Siemens or anyone else who is doing business in Iran," said Richard Katz, a member of the MTA board. Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian human rights lawyer and winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize, told The Washington Times Thursday that she is urging Los Angeles County not to award Siemens the contract. She also urged Californians to write letters to their local representatives to boycott Siemens. "I don't think the City of Los Angeles should award contracts to companies such as Nokia or Siemens who participate in the violation of basic human rights including the right to free speech and privacy," she wrote in an e-mail. "Just as it is the duty of governments to uphold values and contracts honoring universal human rights, it is as important for companies and large corporations to do the same." Saying that Nokia and Siemens participated in censorship in Iran, she added, "If such companies are faced with consequences that effect their 'bottom line' they will be less enticed to enter in to business agreements with any government attempting to restrict the basic human rights of their people." Next week, the Los Angeles MTA board will vote on whether to extend options to an Italian company, Ansaldobreda (AB), to make 100 rail cars for the Los Angeles subway. However, senior MTA officials have been dissatisfied with the Italian company's performance and Siemens has been considered the strongest other contender.
Pressure on multinational energy corporations should not come only from America and allied governments abroad. Millions of Americans and other freedom-loving people worldwide can help weaken Iran's economy by ensuring that private and institutional money is not invested in companies that do business with Iran. Many of America's leading banks and public pension funds are heavily invested in some 300 publicly traded international companies that do business with Iran. Some 20 years ago, a U.S.-led campaign of shareholder activism denied South Africa the funding required to sustain its apartheid regime. When public pension funds and other institutional investors divested from South Africa, the regime began to collapse. To replicate that success against Iran, investors must have access to crucial information. Congress should require the Department of Treasury to publish a list of companies whose subsidiaries continue to make energy deals with Iran. It should also post the names of foreign companies that have more than $1 million invested in Iran's energy interests. Finally, Congress should require Treasury to list the pension and retirement plans, mutual funds, and other financial instruments that hold investments in these U.S. and foreign companies. Such transparency would allow the public to pressure these institutions to deny resources to companies that work with Iran, thereby expediting the decline of Iran's energy sector. In the interim, DivestTerror.org is a website the public can access until Washington publishes its own list. In some cases, public pressure has already worked. In 2005, Halliburton opted to pull a subsidiary out of Iran after years of operating through a sanctions loophole. Last year, Inpex, a Japanese oil company, cut its stake in a $2 billion project to develop the Azadegan field, in the southwestern province of Khuzestan. Leading financial institutions like UBS and HSBC also curtailed dealings with Iran. According to the aforementioned AEI report, while the overall value of deals in Iran climbed from $21 billion to $47 billion between 2000 and 2007, the number of new deals fell from 101 to 18. Indeed, investors are growing more scrupulous about Iran investment.
Send a Message to Russia Tehran chants "Marg bar russie" - Death to Russia instead of the government sponsored chants. Stop interference of Russia in Iran Politics. Russia interfered in G-8, UN,... Iran people do not forget history.
Put political pressure on Russia- Pressure is starting to work 0745 GMT: It looks like that Russia may be growing uncomfortable with its backing of President Ahmadinejad. The “conservative” news site Khabar Online writes, “A specialist from the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies has acknowledged significant irregularities in the election results, concluding that Ahmadinejad may have won but not with such a great margin”.
Support AnsaldoBreda and industrial jobs in LA Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA - Negotiations heated up Monday between Los Angeles County transportation officials and an Italian firm seeking to extend its contract so it can build 100 light-rail cars, a deal worth $300 million. With a decision by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board expected Thursday, agency CEO Art Leahy released a memo recommending against exercising AnsaldoBreda's contract options for the 100 cars. Hours later, the head of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor countered by urging board members to back the Italian firm because of the potential for hundreds of new jobs in the Los Angeles-area in the midst of a recession.
Sweden EU chair acknwoledges legitimacy issue Bildt said the EU's relationship with the Muslim word is "a huge issue," adding he believes a more positive relationship has now been made possible as a result of U.S. policy changes. The Swedish foreign minister also paid homage to the "highly significant nation" of Iran, saying the EU wants to reach out to the country's people. But Bildt also defended the EU's determination not to cut links with the Iranian government -- although he acknowledged the regime in Tehran faces "legitimacy" issues in the wake of the violently contested elections last month. "We need to deal with all of the issues connected with Iran, deal with what has been seen happening on the streets, deal with the consular and other related issues that we've done in the last few weeks and days and will continue to do in a couple of highly important cases," he said. "But [we need] also to see if there is any way in which we can reach an accommodation on important issues, notably but not isolated to the important nuclear dossier." EU needs to be clear about the cost of talking to illegitimate government. I am sure that Iranian people will give a clear message to any government dealing with illegitimate Iran. Long term business interests of EU will be wiped out. 70% of Irans population is young and looking forward to a free country and will then be able to choose and products of their preference.
Both shifts of Iran Khodro went on strike today. The labor movement is doing its part for freedom Great work and respect for your courage
LA County - Make sure you also support MTA vote for consistency The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is due to vote on a Iran divestment motion. The motion, which is expected to be voted on Tuesday, asks the county pension fund to divest from any assets or funds in companies doing business in Iran. It is aimed solely at companies assisting the Islamic Republic’s energy sectors. “Iran has been identified by the State Department as the chief sponsor of international terrorism,” Supervisor Michael Antonovich, a sponsor of the motion with Zev Yaroslavsky, noted in a statement. “Economic sanctions, risk warnings, credit restrictions and other measures announced by the United States, European nations, and the United Nations, make business in Iran’s oil and natural gas sector an increasing fiduciary risk.”
LA County passes divestment plan Scores of residents and local Jewish leaders applauded this morning as Los Angeles County supervisors voted unanimously to direct the county pension fund to divest from the Iranian energy sector due to the country’s volatility and status as a state sponsor of terrorism. “L.A. County’s divestment will send a powerful message to other corporations doing business with Iran,” said Michael Yadegaran, a board member of Los Angeles-based 30 Years After, an Iranian American Jewish nonprofit organization. “It is time that we punish those who deny their citizens freedom, liberty and basic human rights.” v
Artists for Freedom (call to action) Everyone can submit their work to the Artists for Freedom project: Artists 4 Freedom: Artists for Freedom This project is going to get a huge media coverage since Dj Spooky has choosen this project to release a new track, with Iranian singer Sussan Deyhim, for free download. U2 is currently projecting the song lyrics on their tour. You can contact Artists for Freedom directly at info [at] artists4freedom [dot] net Peace! Artists for Freedom
Just checking the first post. I'm proud my Senator (Schumer) didn't ignore the call. I happen to like Graham, too. I know Congress passed some kind of good law like that in one of the houses. Shall we keep up the pressure on the (US) government or is there something else to do that's more important right now?
Keep up the pressure. This is a fight over money. Not ideology or anything. The reality of whole situation can be summed up in one phrase. "Redistribution of wealth"
WASHINGTON, DC, Aug. 21 -- The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced further amendments on Aug. 20 to terms under which ICE Futures Europe may makes its electronic trading and order matching system available to exchange members in the US. CFTC said the new conditions were designed to enhance the US commodities trading regulator’s ability to conduct market surveillance and oversight. The InterContinental Exchange division lists cash-settled natural gas contracts for trading which settle based on prices of contracts trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange, which the CFTC regulates. The conditions will apply to any ICE Futures Europe contracts currently linked to a CFTC-regulated exchange contract and those listed in the future, CFTC said. Under the conditions, it continued, ICE Futures Europe will be required within 120 days to provide CFTC’s staff with trade execution and audit trail data for the US regulator’s trade surveillance system for all of ICE Futures Europe’s linked contracts; on-site visits to oversee the exchange’s ongoing compliance with its no-action relief; advance copies of all rules, rule amendments, circulars, and other notices which it publishes; and copies of all disciplinary notices involving its linked contracts upon closure of the action. CFTC added that in the event that it directs NYMEX to take emergency action with respect to a linked contract, ICE Futures Europe would be required to take similar action with respect to the linked contract on its exchange. The moves followed CFTC’s July 30 announcement that it would begin to integrate ICE Futures Europe’s large trader data into the regulator’s commitment of traders report. The US commodities regulator said the new actions, which were embodied in a revised “no-action letter,” supplemented a June 17 amendment to ICE Futures Europe’s no-action relief which added conditions including requirements to report large trader positions, publish daily trading information in the linked contracts, and establish position limits or accountability levels comparable to the ones for the counterpart linked NYMEX contracts. The new conditions also built on a November 2006 memorandum of understanding between the CFTC and its British counterpart, the Financial Services Authority, which concerns consultation, cooperation and the exchange of information related to market oversight and the detection of potential abusive or manipulative trading practices that involve trading in related contracts on British and US derivatives exchanges. The two regulatory agencies agreed on Aug. 20 to strengthen that agreement.
Rising challenges to AN Three months after the disputed June election and one month after President Ahmadinejad's inauguration, protests against his government are again on the rise. The election was met with two months of protests. He begins his second term amid international criticism of the violence against protesters and widening rifts with reformist groups. Conservative groups also opposed his first vice presidential pick and divisions may deepen further in the next two weeks as Ahmadinejad forms his new cabinet. The Political Landscape After the Election # September 19 2009, thousands of opposition protesters overwhelmed a government rally focused on the Palestinian cause. It was the first coordinated action in more than a month. (Financial Times). # Election results suggest that Ahmadinejad was re-elected with 62.6% of the vote, with his leading challenger Hossein Moussavi receiving 33.7%. The interior ministry says turnout was a record 85% of eligible voters (turnout was 48% in 2005 and 80% in 1997). # August 5 2009: 13 of the 70 reformist clerics were present at Ahmadinejad's inauguration and foreign governments sent secondary officials. The opposition maintains defiance against the administration and more students may swell the ranks of protesters as the new school year begins. (NYT) # August 3 2009: Leading clerics such as Rafsanjani and Khatami were noticeably absent from Khamenei's formal endorsement of Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad is expected to be sworn in for a second time, however enduring violence against dissidents are polarizing Iranian society further. (CFR) # July 26: Ahmadinejad rescinded his vice presidential pick after initially defying calls of disapproval from Khamenei and other conservative clerics. Two ministers close to Khamenei were then removed suggesting a show of power from Ahmadinejad and cracks within the fundamentalist structure. Over half of Ahmadinejad's original cabinet from 2005 have either resigned or been fired, requiring the president to seek approval from parliament on the composition of the new cabinet. Some in the opposition camp believe the cabinet upheaval is being used as a diversion from the contested election results. (Washington Post) # July 5: A clerical body in the holy city of Qom is challenging the election results. The clerics do not have much political authority but their shift may "carry moral weight" after the brutal government response on protests. (WSJ) # June 30: The Guardian Council's confirmation that the election was fair was merely a formality to put an end to calls for a formal review of the election. (GI) # Cordesman (CSIS): The Supreme Leader has backed Ahmadinejad and the election and any reliance on the Council of Guardians to review the election puts the review firmly under those loyal to the Supreme Leader. Since Khamenei controls the media, security forces, military, intelligence, and justice system this should ultimately give him the power to suppress popular protests -- particularly if he continues to rely on quiet, selective arrests rather than the kind of open repression that could trigger a true popular uprising # Ballen/Doherty: Nationwide public opinion survey of Iranians three weeks before the vote showed Ahmadinejad leading by a more than 2 to 1 margin -- greater than his actual apparent margin of victory in Friday's election # Mr. Ahmadinejad spent the last four years traveling across the country courting the rural and small town votes. There is even evidence that his programs to distribute income and wealth more evenly have begun to bear fruit. Thus he might have received a victory across the nation as a whole if not in Tehran where social not economic issues are seen as more important and where Mousavi concentrated his campaign (Salehi-Isfahani) What is the Significance of the election? # Rasool Nafisi (RAND Corporation): The June 12 election was more like a military croup rather than a democratic election, the Iranian government is now a "regular military security government with a facade of a Shiite clerical system." The Revolutionary Guard, Basiji members and their families receive a wide range of privileges and compose a major voting bloc which may have helped propel Ahmadinejad into a second term. (NYT) # The power of the traditional ruling elite -- men such as Ayatollah Rafsanjani -- has been effectively challenged by Ahmadinejad and his supporters. His new term may translate into continued social and political repression, economic mismanagement and more assertive foreign policies, making U.S. engagement with Iran more difficult than many had expected. Decisions will ultimately be taken by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (Nader, Rand via Reuters) # Although it is unlikely there will be a reversal of election results, Ahmadinejad's new government will be marred with a "crisis of legitimacy" that undermines the Islamic Republic's "claim to democratic authority." (GI) # Protests over the election results highlight the divisions between conservatives and reformists in Iran's ruling elite. The post-election riots indicate how out of touch Khamenei is with the Iranian youth and moderates that want a more open society and a modernized economy. These chasms threaten Khamenei himself as his closest rival, Ayatollah Rafsanjani, backed Mousavi and the long term sustainability of ultra-religious theocratic rule is put in question. (Der Spiegel) # Iran's international isolation and the oil and gas industry's crippling lack of modern technology and know-how will likely continue. (GI) # The return of Ahmadinejad might make it more difficult for the U.S. to engage with Iran given his hard-line approach and also concerns about the way the election took place. # While the costs of Ahmadinejad’s economic mismanagement and foreign policy adventurism may compel the Islamic Republic to correct itself once again and usher in a new era which focuses on competent management and economic growth, but such shifts have usually happened after two presidential terms (Carnegie) Economic implications # Economic woes (such as high inflation and unemployment) are putting pressure on the incumbent president at a time when the correction in oil prices reduces available funds for spending. (FT) # In the short term, the turmoil may hurt the economy, since few will invest until things settle down. Ahmadinejad's incoherent economic policies aren't likely to change which may exacerbate vulnerabilities. Many expect him to ram profligate spending programs through parliament, including direct cash payments and subsidies for rural people and the urban poor, where he draws his support. Such handouts will stoke inflation and strain Iran's public finances. He's also likely to continue allowing imports of cheap goods from China and elsewhere in Asia, putting more heat on struggling Iranian manufacturers and spurring higher unemployment. Business elite may flee the country (Business Week) # Contracts given to supporters rather than undergoing a bid process further increases corruption. Quasi-state organizations (i.e. the Revolutionary Guard) are buying state-owned companies which will depress profit potentials for the private sector and increase the government's deficit. (MEES) # Ahmadinejad does not have a strong track record implementing sustainable economic reform. Subsidies quadrupled and are equal 25% of national GDP under his presidency; parliament also rejected an attempt to cut subsidies for the 2009-2010 budget. (NDI) # A fresh mandate for Mr Ahmadinejad would, say his critics, consecrate the “revolution within a revolution” in which the radical and hyperactive populist has used the tacit backing of his fellow conservative, Mr Khamenei, greatly to ex
France Action France boosts electric cars to cut emissions, oil imports Oct 2, 2009 Doris Leblond OGJ Correspondent PARIS, Oct. 2 -- Ecology and Sustainable Development Minister Jean-Louis Borloo wants to make France a world leader in the electric car market and reduce the country’s oil imports by 5 million tonnes by 2030. In 2008, France’s oil consumption amounted to 85 million tons. The push to develop electric cars is part of the French government’s plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 17.5 million tonnes by putting 2 million “decarbonated” vehicles on the country’s roads by 2020. That would represent a 3% drop from emissions in 2007. Of the 30 million cars now in France, only a few thousand are electric or hybrid vehicles. France wants to have 4 million such vehicles by 2025. The government’s ambitious plan includes financial support for research into the manufacture of electric batteries, production of electric and hybrid plug-in cars competitively priced with conventional vehicles, and construction of a nationwide network of battery-charging stations, Borloo said Oct. 1. Moreover, the electricity needed to power these cars must not be generated from fossil-fueled plants. The program will be funded in part by billions of euros of government investments and loans, including €1.5 billion for electrical plugs for public use in recharging vehicles. The government expects a total of 4.4 million private and public electrical plugs to be installed across France by 2020 at a total investment of €4 billion. Private investment of €2 billion will be needed to fit out households and workplaces. French auto manufacturers foresee the launch of a French electric car by end 2010, with the first hybrid plug-in cars on the road by 2012. Just a few weeks earlier Borloo announced France would invest €7 billion to reduce road traffic through rail transport of freight. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said last month a new carbon tax of €17/tonne of carbon dioxide emitted will be imposed in 2010 on business and individuals.
Your Actions worked Controversial rail contract approved by MTA board; Italian firm pledges to build plant in downtown L.A. September 24, 2009 | 3:07 pm The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board today awarded a contract to the Italian firm AnsaldoBreda for 100 additional light-rail cars, clearing the way for a new rail manufacturing plant that the company has promised to build in downtown Los Angeles. The decision was a victory for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has made green jobs a centerpiece of his agenda. He said the rail plant would serve as the southern anchor of his proposed clean technology corridor east of downtown. Board members approved the $300-million deal on an 8-3 vote — with two members absent — after impassioned speeches by union workers who said many of their colleagues were out of work and losing their homes. Art Leahy, the MTA's chief executive, had recommended against approval of the controversial deal. But at the last moment, AnsaldoBreda circulated an e-mail that provided additional financial guarantees from the firm's parent company, Finmeccanica.
