The latest toll from CNN is more than 20k deaths, 160k injured, 15k still missing, 5 mil homeless, 4400 aftershocks, and unspecified number of dams are in danger, what can we learn from this natural disaster?  China has successfully minimized, thus far, the domestic political fall out of this natural disaster, can China turn this natural disaster into a contribution to the rest of us?  Will China use this event to let the Tibetan issues drop off the radar?  This could be one event that China... Read Full Story

China finally accepted some foreign rescue teams to their earthquake rescue effort.  China now accepted Japan’s rescue team, Taiwan’s team.  These are the only 2 countries where experts have been allowed to aid the relief effort.  All other countries’ aids are material assistance.  UK, Poland, Russia, Saudi are among the donors list.  However, the name US has not been surfaced.  China also appealed, for the first time, for “earth-moving equipment” according shanghaiist.com. Myanmar is... Read Full Story

Updated information about China Earthquake And Your Money is edited into the same link.  Myanmar is not accepting aid staff.  What about China?  There is no news about China accept to date.  China still has 26,000 people under debris.  However, we do not see any media response to this refusal.   In fact Thailand got a very firm answer that Myanmar will not be accepting aid either.  There was an international outcry.  Robert D. Kaplan, a national correspondent for The Atlantic and a fellow at... Read Full Story

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) yesterday said that his panel on Thursday will consider a draft housing bill that would allow the Federal Housing Administration to insure up to $300 billion in refinanced mortgages, and create a new regulator for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. Under the legislation, lenders would, among other things, volunteer to substantially reduce the amount of the original mortgage note. In exchange, the FHA would insure a... Read Full Story

CNN continues to report the newest death toll caused by China’s earthquake.  What stocks are affected by this earthquake?  This natural disaster in China is a lot closer to America than Myanmar’s simply because China is a lot more involved in the global economy.   More than 2 dozens of Chinese public traded companies can be found in the States either as stocks or as ADR.  The PetroChina (NYSE: PTR) is the first one to be affected because it has fields in Sichuan, the province where the quake... Read Full Story

The earthquake in China will certainly have a death toll of over 10,000.  This quake can be felt as far as Taiwan and Thailand.  UN aid relief agencies have very limited roles in China.  Most charities still rely on Hong Kong to work with Chinese goverments.  Of all agencies, UNICEF has the best working relationships with China.      Is this a man made disaster?   The epic center is 600 km away from the Three Gorges Dam, the largest in the world.  It holds 9.5 cubic miles of water (Denver... Read Full Story

Although McCain may not be as much of a moderate as you think he is, McCain is out of line from his Republican party than Obama can be from his Democrat party.  Although McCain’s platform may not be as environmentally friendly as Obama’s platform, McCain is trying harder to sell his environmental policies than Obama, see CNN.  It all means McCain is trying to define the stage the environment better: to choose his battle field to his advantage.     Environmental crisis is more than oil... Read Full Story

Humanitarian crisis stops at three too.  CNN reports North korea is having yet another famine.  North korea is now having famine as often as Japan is changing its prime minister.  By being a nuclear power, why isn’t this famine getting the attention from the US as Myanmar?  North korea is just as close to china as Myanmar.  Its strategic value should worth to the US than silence.    The big difference is the position of South Korea.  Ever since 2008 election, the new South Korea government... Read Full Story

Wikizines are interactive magazines that anyone can create or edit - and this one is called "jmk". Here you can find fresh voices and respond in real time. Some members write articles about recent news and trends related to the wikizine's topic, others recount relevant personal stories or share their favorite pictures and video clips. Got an interesting idea or story to share with other members of this wikizine? Well, then put on your journalist's cap and add your own article... Read Full Story

Nancy Pelosi (House Majority Leader) says the race should go on because of high turn out rate it is drawing in all the states.  Pressure has been on Clinton to quit as it would be divisive.  Pelosi is the first politician who acknowledges the positive benefit of a long race.  This is consistent with this blog’s philosophy (2008.04.07, 200804.23).  Why is Pelosi saying that?    She is looking at the seats in the House of Representatives.  She wants to shake more Republican seats.  And she... Read Full Story