Canada’s Local Search Engine, 411 Canada, announced recently it has newly formed a relationship with Pivotal Payments in hopes of saving customers money on credit card services and point-of-sale terminals. Canada 411, the most popular search engine in Canada, is visited by over 2 million locals and causes local business to receive over 13 million inquiries each month. At this time, the website highlights over 1.5 million local businesses in various formats: owner verified, basic and premium listings. By using lucrative advertising approaches that make the most of brand exposure and help drive sales, 411 Canada assists local businesses in their success and growth.

Pivotal payments will present all new merchants free listings on Canada 411 and placement in the Owner Verified program, where business owners gain a higher placement in searches, for three months. Merchants, who keep advertising after three months, will be given $100 discount from 411 Canada that can be used towards a premium or enhanced listing. To boost revenue for both companies, customers will also receive an initial price cut from Pivotal Payments for their payment processing services.  Current Pivotal Payment and Canada 411 customers will be given the particulars of this new relationship soon.

Stephen K. Curry, President and CEO at 411 Local Search Corp, 411 Canada’s parent company, had positive remarks about the new partnership. He said, “This partnership will provide our customers with additional savings in this challenging economic environment.” He also stated that Canada 411 is “committed to offering business owners products and services that simplify their day to day operations and increase their visibility.” This new partnership ushers in a new era of savings and marketing to, both, Canada 411′s and Pivotal Payments’ customer bases and will likely bring in more new customers.

WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Barack Obama recounted the progress made this past week in advancing America’s national security and economic prosperity at the United Nations and the G-20. The administration established the U.S. as a leader in the pursuit for clean energy, and agreed to reform the global financial system to prevent another crisis. Also, the President joined the first meeting between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in nearly a year, chaired a meeting of the UN Security Council, which passed a resolution to secure loose nuclear materials, and stood in agreement with our European allies and Russia that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons.

Watch the video HERE!!!

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
September 26, 2009

This week, I joined leaders from around the world at the United Nations and the G-20 economic summit in Pittsburgh. Today, I can report on what we achieved—a new commitment to meet common challenges, and real progress in advancing America’s national security and economic prosperity.

As I said at the U.N., over the past nine months my administration has renewed American leadership, and pursued a new era of engagement in which we call upon all nations to live up to their responsibilities. This week, our engagement produced tangible results in several areas.

In Pittsburgh, the world’s major economies agreed to continue our effort to spur global demand to put our people back to work. We committed ourselves to economic growth that is balanced and sustained— so that we avoid the booms and busts of the past. We reached an historic agreement to reform the global financial system—to promote responsibility and prevent abuse so that we never face a crisis like this again. And we reformed our international economic architecture, so that we can better coordinate our effort to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

We also established American leadership in the global pursuit of the clean energy of the 21st century. I am proud that the G-20 nations agreed to phase out $300 billion worth of fossil fuel subsidies. This will increase our energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, combat the threat of climate change, and help create the new jobs and industries of the future.

In New York, we advanced the cause of peace and security. I joined the first meeting between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in nearly a year—a meeting that even nine months ago did not seem possible. And we resolved to move forward in the journey toward a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

We also took unprecedented steps to secure loose nuclear materials; to stop the spread of nuclear weapons; and to seek a world without them. As the first U.S. president to ever chair a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, I was proud that the Council passed an historic and unanimous resolution embracing the comprehensive strategy I outlined this year in Prague.

To prevent nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists, the Security Council endorsed our global effort to lock down all vulnerable material within four years. We reaffirmed the basic compact of the global nonproliferation regime: all nations have the right to peaceful nuclear energy; nations with nuclear weapons have the responsibility to move toward disarmament; and nations without them have the responsibility to forsake them.

The United States is meeting our responsibilities by pursuing an agreement with Russia to reduce our strategic warheads and launchers. And just as we meet our responsibilities, so must other nations, including Iran and North Korea.

Earlier this year, we imposed tough, new, sanctions on North Korea to stop their efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction. And we will continue to stand with our allies and partners to press North Korea to move in a new direction.

This week, we joined with the United Kingdom and France in presenting evidence that Iran has been building a secret nuclear facility to enrich uranium. This is a serious challenge to the global nonproliferation regime, and continues a disturbing pattern of Iranian evasion. That is why international negotiations with Iran scheduled for October 1st now take on added urgency.

My offer of a serious, meaningful dialogue to resolve this issue remains open. But Iran must now cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and take action to demonstrate its peaceful intentions.

On this, the international community is more united than ever before. Yesterday, I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our European allies in condemning Iran’s program. In our meetings and public statements, President Medvedev of Russia and I agreed that Iran must pursue a new course or face consequences. All of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and Germany, have made it clear that Iran must fulfill its responsibilities.

Iran’s leaders must now choose – they can live up to their responsibilities and achieve integration with the community of nations. Or they will face increased pressure and isolation, and deny opportunity to their own people.

These are the urgent threats of our time. And the United States is committed to a new chapter of international cooperation to meet them. This new chapter will not be written in one week or even one year. But we have begun. And for the American people and the people of the world, it will mean greater security and prosperity for years to come.

-The White House

The ground stretches wet and shallow in Florida. My homeland is a giant swamp in the shape of a peninsula – surrounded by water on three sides. The summer weather is hot and the shorelines don’t get any more beautiful.

Lion’s Head from the view of the cable-car on Table Mountain.

Cape Town, South Africa has something that Florida does not: mountains. Far exceeding Florida’s highest peak, Britton Hill at 345 ft, Cape Town’s backdrop shows-off three sister mountains – Devil’s Peak at 3,281 ft, Table Mountain at 3,563 ft, and Lion’s Head at 2,195 ft.

Every month a tradition occurs atop the summit of Lion’s Head known as the ‘Full Moon Hike,’ in which locals and tourists alike climb up the spiraling trails up and around Lion’s Head mountain about dusk and peak at the summit in time to watch the glowing-orange sunset and orb-like full moon appear. The rocky paths rounding the mountain allow hikers to view the city in a 360° experience.

Though Lion’s Head was one of the first mountains I climbed upon arriving in Cape Town two months ago, the Full Moon Hike is an experience all on its own. So, some friends and I decided to trek the hike. Since I am a Florida Boy, used to flat fields and sandy beaches, it was a great surprise to me that my body was not thriving with pain and exhaustion like it had the previous time I climbed the rocky trails and cliffs. I suppose I’m getting used to this inclined rocky terrain.

The clouds powder pink and the sun beams a fire-orange. Keeping a consistent pace, I focus my mind on the victorious sunset that I will see at the top and the bottle of red wine in my bag.

As I climb up the jagged rocks that lie just beneath the summit, the wear of the mountain finally catches up with my muscles and bones. At last, I grapple one final stone and heave my pounding body upward as I hear celebratory African singing bellow from the mountain top.

I crack open the bottle of wine and take a seat at a large rock overseeing the city of Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean. My friend and I joke about sailing a boat across the water as I point my index finger northwest and whisper, “Let’s go to Florida.”

The glowing ball of fire that was the sun hides behind the blue ocean horizon, and the yellow-orange lights of the city turn on as Cape Town readies itself for its thriving nightlife. As the sky turns black, we all turn eastward and witness the birthing white moon appear from behind Devil’s Peak.

The full moon emerges from Devil’s Peak.

We all cheer and shoot photos at the hovering sphere that God surely placed in the sky to light the peaks of mountains and our imaginations.

Cape Town comes alive.

]]> http://staugnews.com/2009/07/08/observations-from-observatory-the-full-moon-hike.html/feed 0 http://staugnews.com/2009/07/08/new-online-graphic-novel-tells-the-world-of-iranian-protests.html http://staugnews.com/2009/07/08/new-online-graphic-novel-tells-the-world-of-iranian-protests.html#comments Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:55:23 +0000 Scott Bufis http://staugnews.com/?p=1570

A new online graphic novel comic book has been circulating the web telling the story of the Iranian election protests.  Persepolis 2.0 gives a day-by-day account of the events between June 12-21.  With resounding statements like – “Today we will fight for our rights,” “Tehran is burning,” and “Where is my vote?” – the content blatantly takes the side of the protesters.

The drawings and characters came from Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel, Persepolis, and has been distributed online in its 2.0 version edited by “Paymen and Sina” – two Iranian expatriates.

The story is one intended for children – with its straightforward message and simplistic drawings.  It is said to have attracted 50,000 readers in 150 countries and has been translated into numerous languages.

Persepolis 2.0 especially emphasizes the ultilization of online social networks like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook because of the Iranian government’s shutting-out of mass media.

Literature such as this goes to show that graphic novels and comic books are more-and-more becoming considered legitimate forms of literature and that the unrest in Iran is far from being forgotten.

On Monday, President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met at the Kremlin in Moscow and each promised to reduce nuclear arms in their respective nations.

Obama expressed that the two countries must take a leadership position in the reduction of nuclear weapons.  “It is very difficult for us to exert that leadership unless we are showing ourselves willing to deal with our own nuclear stockpiles in a more rational way,” he said.

The plan Obama and Medvedev laid out promises to reduce strategic warheads to between 1,500 and 1,675 with more restriced policies on delivery systems.

The crackdown may seem minimal, but many are optimistic.  Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, said “What is most important about it is not the size of the reductions … but the fact that there is a continuation of a system of regulation and verification over the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, which today still comprise about 95 percent of the world’s total nuclear stockpiles.”

These promises of nuclear weapon reduction come at a time when certain countries are becoming a growing threat of nuclear armament.  “The U.S. and Russia need to get the non-nuclear-weapons states to work with them to improve safeguards, to clamp down on those countries that don’t comply with their safeguards, like Iran and North Korea, to find ways to work together to limit the spread of the technologies that can be used to make bomb material, highly enriched uranium and plutonium,” Kimball said.  he added, “And the only way they are going to build that support is by fulfilling their disarmament obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.”

Two American reporters, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, were sentenced today to 12 years in a labor prison in North Korea.  The two young journalists were reporting on the trafficking of women when they were arrested by North Korean officials on the North Korean-Chinese border.

The reporters were working for Al Gore’s California-based Current TV.  The former vice president has offered no comment on the situation.

Because they were tried in North Korea’s highest court, there is no chance to appeal the sentence.  However, experts on North Korea like Koh Yu-hwan at Dongguk University in Seoul say that a good chance exists that the Americans will be released as a gesture of goodwill from North Korea to the U.S. and that something in return will be expected from the U.S.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that she was “incredibly concerned” for the young reporters, but did not want to send an envoy during the trial.

JUNE 2, 2009 – The president plans on travelling to Cairo, Egypt to make a speech to the Muslim world about U.S.-Muslim relations. For the record, I don’t think this is a terrible idea. In fact, I think it’s a healthy move for international and inter-religious dialogue as well as a savvy political strategy for the U.S.’s image abroad.

Instead of shutting-out the parts of the world in which our nation does not get along (acting like the ‘badboy’ on the playground whom the other kids are too scared to mess with or talk to) we need to keep the international dialogue open, ESPECIALLY with nations we don’t exactly have a shining rapport with. Prefacing the speech and trip to Egypt, Obama sat down with NPR’s Steve Inskeep and Michele Norris to talk about the U.S. relations with the Muslim world and what the president plans to say.

When Inskeep asked Obama about the concern of speaking to an allied-yet-non-democratic nation, he replied:

“There are a wide range of governments throughout the Muslim world and the non-Muslim world. And the main thing for me to do is to project what our values are, what our ideals are, what we care most deeply about. And that is democracy, rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of religion.

Now, in every country I deal with, whether it’s China, Russia, ultimately Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, allies as well as non-allies, there are going to be some differences. And what I want to do is just maintain consistency in affirming what those values that I believe in are, understanding that we’re not going to get countries to embrace various of our values simply by lecturing or through military means. We can’t force these approaches. What we can do is stand up for human rights. We can stand up for democracy. But I think it’s a mistake for us to somehow suggest that we’re not going to deal with countries around the world in the absence of their meeting all our criteria for democracy.”

This statement seems antithetical to the Bush-era mentality that was captured so well by Tommy Lee Jones’s character in the film, In the Valley of Elah, whose son was mysteriously murdered after returning from Iraq, when he said his son was “bringing democracy to a shithole.” Of course, this is no surprise considering the obvious ideological schism between the Bush and Obama doctrines. In the above statement, Obama does not seem to care so much about saving the world with democracy as he does promoting that which underlies the values of the American people. I relate this to having an informed conversation between a Christian and a Buddhist about why each believes so strongly in his respective religion as opposed to standing on a street corner with a sign that states: “ALL SINNERS ARE GOING TO BURN IN HELL – REPENT!”

The U.S. is not the world police force. It is true that considering our economic and military prowess we are looked up to by other nations to aid in international crises, but we should not take this responsibility up with arms – we should embrace this responsibility with the promotion of health, self-sustaining agriculture, and education.

MAY 29, 2009 – The US military’s security awareness has been on full alert since Thursday when North Korea renounced the treaty keeping peace between North and South Korea since the end of the Korean Conflict in 1953.

Leading up to the renouncement, North Korea displayed military prowess with recent underground nuclear testing and short-range missile firings only three days before the treaty was officially abolished. These displays of military aggression drew condemnation from the UN Security Council and were deemed a “blatant violation” by President Obama.

North Korea’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, ran a commentary stating, “The northward invasion scheme by the U.S. and the South Korean puppet regime has exceeded the alarming level,” and added that “a minor accidental skirmish can lead to a nuclear war.”

The US denies planning military action, but is on high-alert with 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea and another 50,000 in Japan.

Commentary:

So, an aggressive military power with nuclear capabilities has just thrown-out the only political agreement maintaining peace between its two arch-rivals, South Korea and the United States. Though this is an unnerving event to the security and overall well-being of the entire world (we are talking about nuclear weapons here), I feel I must remind you that North Korea is not the only world power carrying nuclear firepower.

The US is the only nation in history that has ever utilized its nuclear powers, but it’s alright because we’re a rational democratic nation, right? Never mind the super-righteous “crusades” of violently invading countries (i.e. Vietnam, Iraq) for the sake of spreading democracy. That’s entirely rational!

However, I will admit that this news put me a bit on edge. Though no governmental system should ever be fully trusted with such devastating potential like nuclear weapons, it does not make me feel warm n’ fuzzy that a megalomaniac with a rainbow of probable psychological issues – if you haven’t guessed I’m referring to N. Korea’s military and political ruler, Kim Jong-il – has nuclear capabilities and has pretty much given the finger to the United States, South Korea, and the United Nations in one fell swoop.

Controversially, many have called the Iraq War the “Vietnam of our generation.” Could this denouncement of peace and threat of nuclear war prove to be the beginnings of a new Cold War?

I pray that it is not.

-Scott Bufis

Executive Editor

St. Aug News

The “diversity of poverty” should be recognized in efforts to meet the needs of indigenous people, whose distinctiveness should be also used as an asset to catalyse their economic development, Jean-Philippe Audinet, Director of the Policy Division at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), told the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues today as delegates continued their in-depth dialogue with United Nations agencies.

To make that point, IFAD’s Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility had provided $10,000-$30,000 for small projects designed and implemented by indigenous peoples at the grass-roots level, he said.  Over two years, it had funded 73 micro-projects in 47 countries.  It was supported by the World Bank, along with the Governments of Norway, Canada, Finland and Italy.  The Board comprised four indigenous leaders -– including the Forum’s Chair.  It was an innovative way for IFAD to learn about needs and solutions, and to scout out innovation.

The IFAD also deeply valued collaboration.  “For us, partnership is fundamental”, he asserted.  Over the past six years, 20 per cent of lending to Governments had directly benefited indigenous peoples and their territories.  There were 91 ongoing projects in 27 countries, some of which focused on securing access to traditional lands, promoting indigenous women in their communities, and valuing traditional knowledge systems.  The IFAD also had provided the Forum and its inter-agency support group with $500,000 to further their work.

As for how to move forward, he said more work was needed to secure indigenous peoples’ access to traditional lands and territories.  It was also vital to systematically document indigenous peoples’ best practices in dealing with climate change and to support local environmental conservation efforts.  Indigenous peoples’ challenges must be at the centre — and not at the periphery -– of the development agenda.

Picking up that thread, Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said he was proud that much of his Department’s cutting-edge research and policy analysis focused on indigenous issues — whether in the area of gender equality and the advancement of women, sustainable forest management or public administration.  Such work played out in along broad functional lines.  The Department of Economic and Social Affairs had long helped indigenous peoples participate in multi-stakeholder dialogues, including Agenda 21 — adopted at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development — which recognized them as a major group.

In addition, he said the Department had worked to include indigenous peoples in policy development and decision-making, as seen in the adoption, by the Commission on the Status of Women, of a resolution calling for measures to address indigenous women’s concerns.  It also had made efforts to include indigenous peoples in statistics and disaggregated data, and to integrate their needs into technical cooperation and capacity development activities.

For its part, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) had intensified efforts to mainstream a culturally sensitive approach to its programmes at global, regional and national levels, in line with the Forum’s recommendations.  UNFPA Deputy Executive Director Purnima Mane said the agency was learning to better deliver “inter-cultural” reproductive health information, education and services that respected indigenous peoples’ world views and cultures.  Important results had been seen in the development of inter-cultural health models that involved traditional midwives and local healers acting as “cultural brokers” between indigenous world views on health and Western medical practices.

In her closing remarks, Ms. Mane said that today’s dialogue was a turning point in UNFPA’s collaboration with the Forum.  National indicators often hid huge disparities among indigenous groups.  To remedy that and tackle other challenges, she vowed to help create a more meaningful, culturally pertinent role for indigenous peoples in development processes.  “Nothing about you, without you”, she concluded.

Also speaking today were observers for Nicaragua, Denmark, Mexico and Norway.

Forum members from the Philippines, Australia, Morocco, Bolivia, Uganda, Iran and the Congo also spoke.

Additional panel presentations were made by Antonella Cordone, Coordinator for Indigenous and Tribal Issues, Policy Division, IFAD; Tarcila Rivera Zea, Centro de Culturas Indígenas del Perú (CHIRAPAQ); Florina Lopez, Fundación para la Promoción del Conocimiento Indígena (FPCI), Panama; Werner Haug, Director, Technical Division, UNFPA; and Aminata Toure, Officer-in-Charge, Culture, Gender and Human Rights Branch, UNFPA.

Also contributing to the dialogue was Christine Brautigam, Chief of the Women’s Rights Section, United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women.  And, from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs:  Srdjan Mrkic, Chief, Social and Housing Statistics Section, Statistics Division; David O’Connor, Division for Sustainable Development; Tonya Vaturi, Division of Sustainable Development; as well as Peter Csoka, Senior Forest Policy Officer, United Nations Forum on Forum on Forests; Roberto Villarreal, Chief, Socio-Economic Governance and Management Branch, Division for Public Administration and Management; Jean-Pierre Gonnot, Acting Director, Division for Social Policy and Development; Jorge Parra, UNFPA representative from Ecuador; Alfonso Sandoval, UNFPA representative from Mexico; Bruce Campbell, UNFPA Representative from Viet Nam; and Azza Karam, Senior Cultural Advisr, UNFPA.

Representatives of the following organizations also spoke:  Indigenous Peoples Organization of Australia, Confederation des Associations Amazighes du sud Marocain (Tamunt Niffus), Caucus Amazigh, National Native Title Council, Confederación of Pueblos Indígenas de Bolivia, Asian Caucus, Confederación Sindical de Comunidades Interculturals de Bolivia, and Habitat Pro Association.

The Forum will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 27 May, to continue its session.

-The United Nations

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 12, 2009 – Peace Corps Volunteer Patricia Hernandez of Key Biscayne, Florida, is making a difference in rural El Salvador through a vocational training initiative that teaches local women how to sew and tailor clothes. Equipped with fabric, rulers, buttons, and thread, 21 women from a town heavily impacted by El Salvador’s civil war are stitching together brighter futures for their families.

Early in her service, Hernandez surveyed women in her village on the type of vocational training in which they were most interested. Sewing ranked as one of the highest priorities in this village, where clothing costs are on the rise and tailoring has become a highly marketable skill. Many women viewed the training as an opportunity to become financially independent, either by sewing clothes for their families or marketing their skills to the community.

After purchasing all of their own supplies, participants began a four-month training course led by a skilled seamstress who traveled by foot from a nearby village each afternoon to teach the group. The instructor’s hard work and dedication have paid off, evidenced by students who are now confident in and empowered by their sewing skills. “I have always loved to sew but didn’t know what I was doing,” explained one participant. “Now I do and feel confident about the work I will make for others.”

“The class has fulfilled more than what I initially planned,” said Hernandez. “At least one woman thus far has purchased a new sewing machine and practices at home after the class. Every woman has purchased her own set of tools needed for sewing, and they even buy their own cloth to practice at home with. I know that this is a project that will have benefits long after I am gone.”

This project was funded through the Peace Corps Partnership Program, which allows individuals or groups to donate funds to specific Peace Corps projects. The Partnership Program works to create effective partnerships with the communities it serves. In order to receive funding through the program, a community must make a 25 percent contribution to the total project cost, as well as outline “success indicators” for the project. This helps to ensure community involvement and project sustainability.

One-hundred percent of each tax-deductible donation goes toward a development project. In-kind contributions, such as computers and school supplies, can also provide valuable support. To learn more about the Partnership Program or to see other projects currently in need of funds, visit www.peacecorps.gov/contribute.

As the Peace Corps approaches its 50th anniversary, its service legacy continues to promote peace and friendship around the world. Historically, over 195,000 Volunteers have helped promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of the 139 countries in which they have served. Applications to serve in the Peace Corps have increased 16 percent this past year, the largest boost in the last five years. Currently, 7,876 Peace Corps Volunteers are serving in 76 countries. Peace Corps Volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment.

-The Peace Corps.