Sunday, January 31, 2010
The bs liar blame game of repubs
Yeah,let`s make them afraid of (frame with lies) the other side,crap.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Japan`s Crap unemployment
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- Satoshi Miura crawled into his rented room, dropping his bag in the corner. It didn't take long to get settled -- home tonight is a capsule. The rooms are boxes in this capsule hotel about the size of a coffin.
But no matter, says 45-year-old Miura. He's only there to sleep before looking for work.
For Miura, it has everything he needs for the night: a bed, a TV and radio. At the ground floor there's a shared bath and sauna.
Most importantly, it's cheap. The capsules cost about $30 a night. If he had to stay for a month, it would cost $700 to $1000, a housing bargain in Tokyo, ranked by Mercer as the world's most expensive city.
The cost is why capsule hotels are finding a new resident: the working poor. Once a symbol of Japan's prosperity, the capsules were built for the businessman who worked too late to catch the train or stayed out drinking all night. At Miura's capsule hotel this night, there are no successful businessmen renting capsules. Only men like him, people looking for work.
Miura snapped his mobile phone shut, saying he'd just gotten some good news. His temp agency has set him up with a book binding job the next day, which will pay him about $70. That's enough, Miura says, to buy him another night indoors and a fast food dinner. It's a cycle Miura has been on for some time. He's been working steadily since he was 18, primarily in construction jobs.
Despite that, he can't afford the deposit on an apartment, which is usually thousands of dollars upfront. Japan's recession last year made finding work even tougher. Japan's corporations laid off thousands of temporary, part-time workers. These workers, who make up a third of Japan's workforce, have fewer legal protections than full-time employees. When those temporary workers got fired, says Makoto Kawazoe of the Young Worker's Union, they lost their homes.
"When people lose their jobs in Japan, they fall into poverty immediately," says Kawazoe. "Rents are extremely expensive. Due to the lack of affordable housing, underpaid laborers can't rent a room. They end up homeless, even if they're working."
Japan's new prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, went to visit a government run shelter in the New Year. The shelter opened for a week, to help laborers who can't find a place to stay during the holidays.
"I want everyone in Japan to have basic living rights guaranteed by our Constitution," the prime minister said in his New Year's address to the nation. "People want a place to live, they wish to work, but there's no where to work. I want to build a government this year that supports workers and protects their lives."
The emergence of the working poor in the world's second largest economy has shocked a public used to the image of a rich and egalitarian nation with lifetime employment for its workers. The latest figures from the government reports a 15.7 percent poverty rate. Compared to other industrialized nations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says Japan ranks fourth, behind Mexico, Turkey and the United States.
"Japan is not a rich country," says Miura. "There are rich and poor and a great gap between."
We recommendJapan's daring finance choice
Tokyo to double credit line to struggling JAL
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But no matter, says 45-year-old Miura. He's only there to sleep before looking for work.
For Miura, it has everything he needs for the night: a bed, a TV and radio. At the ground floor there's a shared bath and sauna.
Most importantly, it's cheap. The capsules cost about $30 a night. If he had to stay for a month, it would cost $700 to $1000, a housing bargain in Tokyo, ranked by Mercer as the world's most expensive city.
The cost is why capsule hotels are finding a new resident: the working poor. Once a symbol of Japan's prosperity, the capsules were built for the businessman who worked too late to catch the train or stayed out drinking all night. At Miura's capsule hotel this night, there are no successful businessmen renting capsules. Only men like him, people looking for work.
Miura snapped his mobile phone shut, saying he'd just gotten some good news. His temp agency has set him up with a book binding job the next day, which will pay him about $70. That's enough, Miura says, to buy him another night indoors and a fast food dinner. It's a cycle Miura has been on for some time. He's been working steadily since he was 18, primarily in construction jobs.
Despite that, he can't afford the deposit on an apartment, which is usually thousands of dollars upfront. Japan's recession last year made finding work even tougher. Japan's corporations laid off thousands of temporary, part-time workers. These workers, who make up a third of Japan's workforce, have fewer legal protections than full-time employees. When those temporary workers got fired, says Makoto Kawazoe of the Young Worker's Union, they lost their homes.
"When people lose their jobs in Japan, they fall into poverty immediately," says Kawazoe. "Rents are extremely expensive. Due to the lack of affordable housing, underpaid laborers can't rent a room. They end up homeless, even if they're working."
Japan's new prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, went to visit a government run shelter in the New Year. The shelter opened for a week, to help laborers who can't find a place to stay during the holidays.
"I want everyone in Japan to have basic living rights guaranteed by our Constitution," the prime minister said in his New Year's address to the nation. "People want a place to live, they wish to work, but there's no where to work. I want to build a government this year that supports workers and protects their lives."
The emergence of the working poor in the world's second largest economy has shocked a public used to the image of a rich and egalitarian nation with lifetime employment for its workers. The latest figures from the government reports a 15.7 percent poverty rate. Compared to other industrialized nations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says Japan ranks fourth, behind Mexico, Turkey and the United States.
"Japan is not a rich country," says Miura. "There are rich and poor and a great gap between."
We recommendJapan's daring finance choice
Tokyo to double credit line to struggling JAL
Tokyo man marries video game character
Monday, January 11, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
reid ,the closet BIGOT!
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
NEW: President Obama accepts apology, says "I know what's in his heart"
"I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words," Sen. Harry Reid says
He is quoted as saying that Obama's "lack of "Negro dialect" helped his campaign
Comments appear in new book by journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, "Game Change"
RELATED TOPICS
Harry Reid
Barack Obama
Washington (CNN) -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid apologized Saturday for making racially insensitive remarks about Barack Obama during the presidential campaign.
Journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann reported the remarks in their new book "Game Change," which is scheduled to be in bookstores Tuesday.
The authors quote Reid as saying privately that Obama, as a black candidate, could be successful thanks, in part, to his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."
"He [Reid] was wowed by Obama's oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama -- a 'light-skinned' African American 'with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,' " Halperin and Heilemann say.
"Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama's race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination," they write.
In a statement to CNN, Reid said, "I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words."
"I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans for my improper comments.
"I was a proud and enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama during the campaign and have worked as hard as I can to advance President Obama's legislative agenda," the senator from Nevada said.
Reid pointed to his efforts to integrate the Las Vegas Strip and the gaming industry, among other legislation favored by African-American voters.
"I have worked hard to advance issues important to the African American community."
The senator called Obama Saturday afternoon to apologize for the racially insensitive remarks.
"Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today," Obama said in a statement.
"I accepted Harry's apology without question because I've known him for years, I've seen the passionate leadership he's shown on issues of social justice and I know what's in his heart. As far as I am concerned, the book is closed."
Reid, who waited to formally endorse Obama until after the tough presidential primary battle ended in 2008, is facing an uphill re-election fight this year in his home state.
CNN's Rebecca Sinderbrand contributed to this report.
Reid apologizes for racial remarks about Obama during campaign
Harry Reid playing Santa with your money
NEW: President Obama accepts apology, says "I know what's in his heart"
"I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words," Sen. Harry Reid says
He is quoted as saying that Obama's "lack of "Negro dialect" helped his campaign
Comments appear in new book by journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, "Game Change"
RELATED TOPICS
Harry Reid
Barack Obama
Washington (CNN) -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid apologized Saturday for making racially insensitive remarks about Barack Obama during the presidential campaign.
Journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann reported the remarks in their new book "Game Change," which is scheduled to be in bookstores Tuesday.
The authors quote Reid as saying privately that Obama, as a black candidate, could be successful thanks, in part, to his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."
"He [Reid] was wowed by Obama's oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama -- a 'light-skinned' African American 'with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,' " Halperin and Heilemann say.
"Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama's race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination," they write.
In a statement to CNN, Reid said, "I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words."
"I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans for my improper comments.
"I was a proud and enthusiastic supporter of Barack Obama during the campaign and have worked as hard as I can to advance President Obama's legislative agenda," the senator from Nevada said.
Reid pointed to his efforts to integrate the Las Vegas Strip and the gaming industry, among other legislation favored by African-American voters.
"I have worked hard to advance issues important to the African American community."
The senator called Obama Saturday afternoon to apologize for the racially insensitive remarks.
"Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today," Obama said in a statement.
"I accepted Harry's apology without question because I've known him for years, I've seen the passionate leadership he's shown on issues of social justice and I know what's in his heart. As far as I am concerned, the book is closed."
Reid, who waited to formally endorse Obama until after the tough presidential primary battle ended in 2008, is facing an uphill re-election fight this year in his home state.
CNN's Rebecca Sinderbrand contributed to this report.
Reid apologizes for racial remarks about Obama during campaign
Harry Reid playing Santa with your money
Saturday, January 9, 2010
In winter, some homeless choose between independence, warmth
Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- The heat isn't working in the house, so Brook does what he can to keep warm for his night's sleep. He wears a thick coat and about five layers underneath, with a hat covering the hood that he draws close to his face.
He covers up with a donated blanket and rests his head on a bag where he keeps his belongings. The heat isn't working because he's not paying the bills. In fact, it's not his house -- it's abandoned, and he's not supposed to be there.
Brook, a 42-year-old homeless Atlanta man, is describing one of what he calls his many "catholes" -- places he's found to sleep and that provide some refuge from the elements. Standing on a central Atlanta sidewalk on an unusually bone-chilling Southern night on Tuesday, he says homeless shelters generally aren't for him. He doesn't trust the men who stay there, and he thinks he's better off alone.
"It's an environment where you can't keep your eyes closed," says Brook, who declined to give his full name and says he's seen too many men stealing from others in shelters.
Brook is among the thousands of Atlanta-area homeless choosing where to keep warm this week as a cold snap blisters much of the nation, including Southern states not used to an extended period of freezing temperatures.
Sherman Vickers, 63, prefers sleeping in parks on a foam mat but takes advantage of shelter when it gets too cold.
The Shepherd's Inn in Atlanta made room for more homeless men this week as temperatures and wind chills dropped.Sherman Vickers, 63, also prefers to sleep on his own, usually using shelters and other homeless services only for meals and showers. On fair-weather days, he sleeps in parks, resting on a mat of inch-thick foam that he rolls up after using it.
But on Tuesday, a night when temperatures were in the 20s and wind chills were worse, Vickers was gratefully resting at The Shepherd's Inn, an emergency men's shelter run by Atlanta Union Mission, a Christian ministry.
"This time of year, you need to be somewhere out of the cold," Vickers, a homeless Atlanta resident, said Tuesday at the shelter.
This week, with morning temperatures in the teens, more people have flocked to The Shepherd's Inn than usual. The shelter, which normally takes in about 250 men nightly, took in more than 400 on Monday night, with cots and mats put in the kitchen and cafeteria to help with the increase, Atlanta Union Mission CEO Jim Reese said. An AUM shelter for women and children also saw an increase.
Though the cold weather strains resources at the emergency shelters, Reese said he sees the influx as an opportunity for the staff to invite more people into its life-skills and other programs, which provides reserved beds at other buildings.
How to help the homeless this winter
"I think what we would see is that might break a habit of being comfortable [sleeping] under a bridge," Reese said. "And maybe this environment ... gives them a chance to see it really is different."
More than 21,000 people in Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties were projected to be homeless sometime last year, according to the Metro Atlanta Tri-Jurisdictional Collaborative, a group that addresses homelessness in the area.
Even this far south, the weather can be cold enough to kill. In February 2008, four apparently homeless people were found dead on one day in Atlanta, and authorities suspected below-freezing temperatures were a factor, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported then. In Fulton County, which includes part of Atlanta, two homeless people in 2006 and one in 2007 died of hypothermia, according to the county medical examiner's office.
Though shelters expand their capacity and other groups such as churches may offer makeshift refuge in extremely cold weather, not every homeless person who'd want to stay at a shelter can. In 2007, the U.S. Conference of Mayors reported that 12 of 23 U.S. cities surveyed said they had shelters that at least sometimes had to turn people away because of a lack of capacity.
Brook, who says he's been without a regular job for two years and on the streets or in jail for much of the time since he moved from New York in 2001, prefers to go it alone.
He hints he breaks the law to make money for food: "I don't sell drugs, but ... I'm in what you could call creative independent marketing and distribution -- I acquire things for low and I sell high." He says he's also a barber, having acquired clippers he uses to cut people's hair at a price he says is lower than area barber shops.
He says his catholes are many, from regular haunts such as certain abandoned houses and parking-garage stairwells, to those he'll improvise on the fly, such as Dumpsters that he'll line with cardboard.
Where he sleeps depends on where he is, what he can find unoccupied and the weather. On a cold week like this, an abandoned house is the choice spot, though he doesn't want to always use the same one for fear he'll get caught. Each morning he departs a sleeping place, he takes his bag with him and stashes it somewhere else, trying to leave no trace where he's slept.
The worst, he says, is when it's cold and raining. Two weeks ago, he said, he reluctantly went to a shelter because of rain. Fearing a theft, he didn't sleep.
"You sit in a chair with a light on, so you can't really rest, but you get off your feet," Brook said.
Brook says he'd prefer a place of his own and hopes to one day make and save enough to have one. But while he's homeless, he'll take his catholes over a shelter.
Vickers, who says he's been homeless for much of the time since the late 1980s after he suffered a hit-and-run injury and lost his Atlanta-based trucking job, may prefer the outdoors, but he'll take no chances in the cold. He's been at The Shepherd's Inn daily since mid-December, he said.
"Being here at the mission is a good thing. It's well-staffed, it's comfortable, clean, the food service is good, and they're safe," he said. "It's good being out of the cold."
CNN's Lauren Prazmark contributed to this report.
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We recommendHow to help the homeless
Snow, ice tighten grip on Deep South
Mayor steps in to help residents stay warm
More Living
Working in 'Wi-Fi' limbo
Suze Orman's easy money to-do list
In winter, some homeless choose between independence, warmth
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Freedom2010
Freedom2010 Oh God,we need more peace and mercy for those homeless.We trust you Lord Jesus.
10 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse bgirl38
bgirl38
I know some viewers did not agree with "manax" statement, but the statementhas some truth to it. A lot of people don't want to hear the truth, yes, there are homeless people that didn't have a choice of being homeless. There are a lot of homeless that don't want help, to recover and contribute to so ...more
I know some viewers did not agree with "manax" statement, but the statement
has some truth to it. A lot of people don't want to hear the truth, yes, there are homeless people that didn't have a choice of being homeless. There are a lot of homeless that don't want help, to recover and contribute to society. I am a witness to this, i see it everyday, especially adult single men, that really makes me angry to see these men wasting their time and begging for money. To "enkay" you recommend viewers to watch the movie, Pursuit of Happyness, in that movie the character Will Smith plays, fell on hard times, but he kept trying, choosing not to drown in his sorrows and beg for money and squat in abandon houses! less
13 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse Honos
Honos Homeless who steal from other homeless. With as many wealthy around. A typical human behavior of sharing pain and suffering. Same with happiness. When will we learn to just choose to be happy and giving.
18 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse Guest
Guest It's not just a choice between independence and warmth it's also a choice between relative safety and warmth. A homeless person has to hit the point where cold is more frightening to them than assault, lice, tuberculosis, and humiliation before going to a homeless shelter sounds good.
20 minutes ago | Like (1) | Report abuse Guest
Guest This country is stupid.
20 minutes ago | Like (1) | Report abuse Guest
Guest
The majority of homeless men and women are either mentally ill or are alcoholics/drug addicts. Those who are in the streets simply because they lost jobs and were not able to keep their homes are usually only homeless temporarily. Addiction is not easy to break, but many do it - those who will not t ...more
The majority of homeless men and women are either mentally ill or are alcoholics/drug addicts. Those who are in the streets simply because they lost jobs and were not able to keep their homes are usually only homeless temporarily. Addiction is not easy to break, but many do it - those who will not try, or who will not try to find work, do choose poverty. I have a sister who would be homelss if our mother did not pay her rent. She repeatedly refuses to accept jobs that would help her support herself, or she gets drunk and loses her little jobs, and she blames everyone but herself. She is typical of many homeless.
The mentally ill used to be housed in state or private hospitals, where they could be given medication and kept safe. But the ACLU and other leftist groups lobbied and sued to have them set free, so now they wander the streets and sleep under bridges, and self-medicate with alcohol and illegal drugs. less
28 minutes ago | Like (1) | Report abuse Guest
Guest
God bless the man featured who attempts to earn an honest dollar by barbering. His story echoes that of an LA homeless man who shined shoes until local gov't made him stop because he didn't have the right permits, etc. to do so. Less government regulation would enable people to set up shop at a reas ...more
God bless the man featured who attempts to earn an honest dollar by barbering. His story echoes that of an LA homeless man who shined shoes until local gov't made him stop because he didn't have the right permits, etc. to do so. Less government regulation would enable people to set up shop at a reasonable cost to get started in their own business and earn a small but steady income. It would be interesting to see how many people would do so if they were encouraged rather than overwhelmed by government intervention. less
58 minutes ago | Like (4) | Report abuse empressgem
empressgem Poverty is never a choice for anyone it just happens, especially if you have families that are not supportive.
1 hour ago | Like (2) | Report abuse enkay
enkay
What a shame that this is happening in the USA!! Everyone should fall on hard times at least once in their lives to appreciate the plight of homeless people. Manax, Do you have no compassion ? May you go through this circumstance at least once so you can empathize. Also recommend you watch the movie ...more
What a shame that this is happening in the USA!! Everyone should fall on hard times at least once in their lives to appreciate the plight of homeless people. Manax, Do you have no compassion ? May you go through this circumstance at least once so you can empathize. Also recommend you watch the movie "Pursuit of Happyness". That'll open up your eyes. less
1 hour ago | Like (3) | Report abuse manax
manax
Barring mental or physical disabilities, homelessness and poverty in America is a choice. I read this in the book "Poverty is a Choice: How and Why Millions Turn Their Backs on the American Dream."We can help them out as much as we can, but if they don't want to help themselves what can we do? They ...more
Barring mental or physical disabilities, homelessness and poverty in America is a choice. I read this in the book "Poverty is a Choice: How and Why Millions Turn Their Backs on the American Dream."
We can help them out as much as we can, but if they don't want to help themselves what can we do? They can have all the freedom they want, but what if they don't want freedom's corresponding social responsibilities? less
1 hour ago | Like (10) | Report abuse
ryansgirl
ryansgirl
I bet you read all those books on 2012, and think the world is ending in two years, too. Just because some guy with a theory manages to get published doesn't make his ideas true. Sure, there are plenty of deadbeats out there, too unstable to get steady work. And there are plenty of good people who m ...more
I bet you read all those books on 2012, and think the world is ending in two years, too. Just because some guy with a theory manages to get published doesn't make his ideas true. Sure, there are plenty of deadbeats out there, too unstable to get steady work. And there are plenty of good people who make bad choices. But especially right now, there are ordinary, hardworking people who've lost their jobs, lost their homes, lost everything, and are on the streets. You can't just pigeon-hole people, you or the author of that silly book - it's as prejudiced and narrow-minded as saying all Arabs are terrorists, or all women are manipulative gold-diggers. Show a modicum of compassion and try to give people the benefit of the doubt. less
56 minutes ago | Like (6) | Report abuse Rexa
Rexa
There is a van of volunteers that goes around my area periodically during the cold nights trying to gather homeless people who may need shelter and so many times I see them reject the offer. I see the volunteers trying to talk to them for several minutes to convince them to come with them because it ...more
There is a van of volunteers that goes around my area periodically during the cold nights trying to gather homeless people who may need shelter and so many times I see them reject the offer. I see the volunteers trying to talk to them for several minutes to convince them to come with them because it's terribly cold outside. I don't know if being homeless itself is a choice but it's a choice if you choose to seek help or not and oftentimes I see such people choosing to not accept help unfortunately. less
1 hour ago | Like (2) | Report abuse
jrvinnh
jrvinnh
I used to scoff at homeless people and folks on public assistance, often calling them deadbeats. Then I lost my job and couldn't find another one that paid a decent wage. It took a while but I eventually lost my home and wound up spending some time on the street before a friend took me in. I don't s ...more
I used to scoff at homeless people and folks on public assistance, often calling them deadbeats. Then I lost my job and couldn't find another one that paid a decent wage. It took a while but I eventually lost my home and wound up spending some time on the street before a friend took me in. I don't scoff at anyone anymore. It's the system that does it to people. less
1 hour ago | Like (13) | Report abuse LAB1
LAB1 What a shame that there's no work for people out there and they're rendered homeless as a result. Six people average for every junk job that doesn't pay a living wage and people are clamoring for those jobs. No wonder it doesn't pay to work for a living.
2 hours ago | Like (3) | Report abuse NirvanaMan
NirvanaMan God Bless The Homeless and Hopefully they find a good job to afford a place on their own..
4 hours ago | Like (16) | Report abusePost a comment
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He covers up with a donated blanket and rests his head on a bag where he keeps his belongings. The heat isn't working because he's not paying the bills. In fact, it's not his house -- it's abandoned, and he's not supposed to be there.
Brook, a 42-year-old homeless Atlanta man, is describing one of what he calls his many "catholes" -- places he's found to sleep and that provide some refuge from the elements. Standing on a central Atlanta sidewalk on an unusually bone-chilling Southern night on Tuesday, he says homeless shelters generally aren't for him. He doesn't trust the men who stay there, and he thinks he's better off alone.
"It's an environment where you can't keep your eyes closed," says Brook, who declined to give his full name and says he's seen too many men stealing from others in shelters.
Brook is among the thousands of Atlanta-area homeless choosing where to keep warm this week as a cold snap blisters much of the nation, including Southern states not used to an extended period of freezing temperatures.
Sherman Vickers, 63, prefers sleeping in parks on a foam mat but takes advantage of shelter when it gets too cold.
The Shepherd's Inn in Atlanta made room for more homeless men this week as temperatures and wind chills dropped.Sherman Vickers, 63, also prefers to sleep on his own, usually using shelters and other homeless services only for meals and showers. On fair-weather days, he sleeps in parks, resting on a mat of inch-thick foam that he rolls up after using it.
But on Tuesday, a night when temperatures were in the 20s and wind chills were worse, Vickers was gratefully resting at The Shepherd's Inn, an emergency men's shelter run by Atlanta Union Mission, a Christian ministry.
"This time of year, you need to be somewhere out of the cold," Vickers, a homeless Atlanta resident, said Tuesday at the shelter.
This week, with morning temperatures in the teens, more people have flocked to The Shepherd's Inn than usual. The shelter, which normally takes in about 250 men nightly, took in more than 400 on Monday night, with cots and mats put in the kitchen and cafeteria to help with the increase, Atlanta Union Mission CEO Jim Reese said. An AUM shelter for women and children also saw an increase.
Though the cold weather strains resources at the emergency shelters, Reese said he sees the influx as an opportunity for the staff to invite more people into its life-skills and other programs, which provides reserved beds at other buildings.
How to help the homeless this winter
"I think what we would see is that might break a habit of being comfortable [sleeping] under a bridge," Reese said. "And maybe this environment ... gives them a chance to see it really is different."
More than 21,000 people in Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties were projected to be homeless sometime last year, according to the Metro Atlanta Tri-Jurisdictional Collaborative, a group that addresses homelessness in the area.
Even this far south, the weather can be cold enough to kill. In February 2008, four apparently homeless people were found dead on one day in Atlanta, and authorities suspected below-freezing temperatures were a factor, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported then. In Fulton County, which includes part of Atlanta, two homeless people in 2006 and one in 2007 died of hypothermia, according to the county medical examiner's office.
Though shelters expand their capacity and other groups such as churches may offer makeshift refuge in extremely cold weather, not every homeless person who'd want to stay at a shelter can. In 2007, the U.S. Conference of Mayors reported that 12 of 23 U.S. cities surveyed said they had shelters that at least sometimes had to turn people away because of a lack of capacity.
Brook, who says he's been without a regular job for two years and on the streets or in jail for much of the time since he moved from New York in 2001, prefers to go it alone.
He hints he breaks the law to make money for food: "I don't sell drugs, but ... I'm in what you could call creative independent marketing and distribution -- I acquire things for low and I sell high." He says he's also a barber, having acquired clippers he uses to cut people's hair at a price he says is lower than area barber shops.
He says his catholes are many, from regular haunts such as certain abandoned houses and parking-garage stairwells, to those he'll improvise on the fly, such as Dumpsters that he'll line with cardboard.
Where he sleeps depends on where he is, what he can find unoccupied and the weather. On a cold week like this, an abandoned house is the choice spot, though he doesn't want to always use the same one for fear he'll get caught. Each morning he departs a sleeping place, he takes his bag with him and stashes it somewhere else, trying to leave no trace where he's slept.
The worst, he says, is when it's cold and raining. Two weeks ago, he said, he reluctantly went to a shelter because of rain. Fearing a theft, he didn't sleep.
"You sit in a chair with a light on, so you can't really rest, but you get off your feet," Brook said.
Brook says he'd prefer a place of his own and hopes to one day make and save enough to have one. But while he's homeless, he'll take his catholes over a shelter.
Vickers, who says he's been homeless for much of the time since the late 1980s after he suffered a hit-and-run injury and lost his Atlanta-based trucking job, may prefer the outdoors, but he'll take no chances in the cold. He's been at The Shepherd's Inn daily since mid-December, he said.
"Being here at the mission is a good thing. It's well-staffed, it's comfortable, clean, the food service is good, and they're safe," he said. "It's good being out of the cold."
CNN's Lauren Prazmark contributed to this report.
Share this on:
Mixx
Digg
delicious
MySpace
StumbleUpon
FOLLOW THIS TOPIC
We recommendHow to help the homeless
Snow, ice tighten grip on Deep South
Mayor steps in to help residents stay warm
More Living
Working in 'Wi-Fi' limbo
Suze Orman's easy money to-do list
In winter, some homeless choose between independence, warmth
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Freedom2010
Freedom2010 Oh God,we need more peace and mercy for those homeless.We trust you Lord Jesus.
10 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse bgirl38
bgirl38
I know some viewers did not agree with "manax" statement, but the statementhas some truth to it. A lot of people don't want to hear the truth, yes, there are homeless people that didn't have a choice of being homeless. There are a lot of homeless that don't want help, to recover and contribute to so ...more
I know some viewers did not agree with "manax" statement, but the statement
has some truth to it. A lot of people don't want to hear the truth, yes, there are homeless people that didn't have a choice of being homeless. There are a lot of homeless that don't want help, to recover and contribute to society. I am a witness to this, i see it everyday, especially adult single men, that really makes me angry to see these men wasting their time and begging for money. To "enkay" you recommend viewers to watch the movie, Pursuit of Happyness, in that movie the character Will Smith plays, fell on hard times, but he kept trying, choosing not to drown in his sorrows and beg for money and squat in abandon houses! less
13 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse Honos
Honos Homeless who steal from other homeless. With as many wealthy around. A typical human behavior of sharing pain and suffering. Same with happiness. When will we learn to just choose to be happy and giving.
18 minutes ago | Like | Report abuse Guest
Guest It's not just a choice between independence and warmth it's also a choice between relative safety and warmth. A homeless person has to hit the point where cold is more frightening to them than assault, lice, tuberculosis, and humiliation before going to a homeless shelter sounds good.
20 minutes ago | Like (1) | Report abuse Guest
Guest This country is stupid.
20 minutes ago | Like (1) | Report abuse Guest
Guest
The majority of homeless men and women are either mentally ill or are alcoholics/drug addicts. Those who are in the streets simply because they lost jobs and were not able to keep their homes are usually only homeless temporarily. Addiction is not easy to break, but many do it - those who will not t ...more
The majority of homeless men and women are either mentally ill or are alcoholics/drug addicts. Those who are in the streets simply because they lost jobs and were not able to keep their homes are usually only homeless temporarily. Addiction is not easy to break, but many do it - those who will not try, or who will not try to find work, do choose poverty. I have a sister who would be homelss if our mother did not pay her rent. She repeatedly refuses to accept jobs that would help her support herself, or she gets drunk and loses her little jobs, and she blames everyone but herself. She is typical of many homeless.
The mentally ill used to be housed in state or private hospitals, where they could be given medication and kept safe. But the ACLU and other leftist groups lobbied and sued to have them set free, so now they wander the streets and sleep under bridges, and self-medicate with alcohol and illegal drugs. less
28 minutes ago | Like (1) | Report abuse Guest
Guest
God bless the man featured who attempts to earn an honest dollar by barbering. His story echoes that of an LA homeless man who shined shoes until local gov't made him stop because he didn't have the right permits, etc. to do so. Less government regulation would enable people to set up shop at a reas ...more
God bless the man featured who attempts to earn an honest dollar by barbering. His story echoes that of an LA homeless man who shined shoes until local gov't made him stop because he didn't have the right permits, etc. to do so. Less government regulation would enable people to set up shop at a reasonable cost to get started in their own business and earn a small but steady income. It would be interesting to see how many people would do so if they were encouraged rather than overwhelmed by government intervention. less
58 minutes ago | Like (4) | Report abuse empressgem
empressgem Poverty is never a choice for anyone it just happens, especially if you have families that are not supportive.
1 hour ago | Like (2) | Report abuse enkay
enkay
What a shame that this is happening in the USA!! Everyone should fall on hard times at least once in their lives to appreciate the plight of homeless people. Manax, Do you have no compassion ? May you go through this circumstance at least once so you can empathize. Also recommend you watch the movie ...more
What a shame that this is happening in the USA!! Everyone should fall on hard times at least once in their lives to appreciate the plight of homeless people. Manax, Do you have no compassion ? May you go through this circumstance at least once so you can empathize. Also recommend you watch the movie "Pursuit of Happyness". That'll open up your eyes. less
1 hour ago | Like (3) | Report abuse manax
manax
Barring mental or physical disabilities, homelessness and poverty in America is a choice. I read this in the book "Poverty is a Choice: How and Why Millions Turn Their Backs on the American Dream."We can help them out as much as we can, but if they don't want to help themselves what can we do? They ...more
Barring mental or physical disabilities, homelessness and poverty in America is a choice. I read this in the book "Poverty is a Choice: How and Why Millions Turn Their Backs on the American Dream."
We can help them out as much as we can, but if they don't want to help themselves what can we do? They can have all the freedom they want, but what if they don't want freedom's corresponding social responsibilities? less
1 hour ago | Like (10) | Report abuse
ryansgirl
ryansgirl
I bet you read all those books on 2012, and think the world is ending in two years, too. Just because some guy with a theory manages to get published doesn't make his ideas true. Sure, there are plenty of deadbeats out there, too unstable to get steady work. And there are plenty of good people who m ...more
I bet you read all those books on 2012, and think the world is ending in two years, too. Just because some guy with a theory manages to get published doesn't make his ideas true. Sure, there are plenty of deadbeats out there, too unstable to get steady work. And there are plenty of good people who make bad choices. But especially right now, there are ordinary, hardworking people who've lost their jobs, lost their homes, lost everything, and are on the streets. You can't just pigeon-hole people, you or the author of that silly book - it's as prejudiced and narrow-minded as saying all Arabs are terrorists, or all women are manipulative gold-diggers. Show a modicum of compassion and try to give people the benefit of the doubt. less
56 minutes ago | Like (6) | Report abuse Rexa
Rexa
There is a van of volunteers that goes around my area periodically during the cold nights trying to gather homeless people who may need shelter and so many times I see them reject the offer. I see the volunteers trying to talk to them for several minutes to convince them to come with them because it ...more
There is a van of volunteers that goes around my area periodically during the cold nights trying to gather homeless people who may need shelter and so many times I see them reject the offer. I see the volunteers trying to talk to them for several minutes to convince them to come with them because it's terribly cold outside. I don't know if being homeless itself is a choice but it's a choice if you choose to seek help or not and oftentimes I see such people choosing to not accept help unfortunately. less
1 hour ago | Like (2) | Report abuse
jrvinnh
jrvinnh
I used to scoff at homeless people and folks on public assistance, often calling them deadbeats. Then I lost my job and couldn't find another one that paid a decent wage. It took a while but I eventually lost my home and wound up spending some time on the street before a friend took me in. I don't s ...more
I used to scoff at homeless people and folks on public assistance, often calling them deadbeats. Then I lost my job and couldn't find another one that paid a decent wage. It took a while but I eventually lost my home and wound up spending some time on the street before a friend took me in. I don't scoff at anyone anymore. It's the system that does it to people. less
1 hour ago | Like (13) | Report abuse LAB1
LAB1 What a shame that there's no work for people out there and they're rendered homeless as a result. Six people average for every junk job that doesn't pay a living wage and people are clamoring for those jobs. No wonder it doesn't pay to work for a living.
2 hours ago | Like (3) | Report abuse NirvanaMan
NirvanaMan God Bless The Homeless and Hopefully they find a good job to afford a place on their own..
4 hours ago | Like (16) | Report abusePost a comment
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Friday, January 8, 2010
The ex-presidente is next
Former George W. Bush attorney arrested
Posted: January 7th, 2010 08:31 PM ET
A former attorney to President George W. Bush was arrested Wednesday at his Connecticut home and accused of trying to kill his wife, according to local police.
(CNN) - A former attorney to President George W. Bush was arrested Wednesday at his Connecticut home and accused of trying to kill his wife, according to the New Canaan Police Department.
Police said they were responding to a “panic alarm activation” at the home of John Farren, 57, when they were redirected to another house nearby. A resident there had placed a 911 call saying an injured woman was at her home after being “involved in a domestic dispute with her husband” at the couple’s residence. Police said they found the woman “bleeding about her head, face and body.”
Farren was arrested at the couple’s home a short time later, police said. His lawyer had no comment when contacted Thursday by CNN.
Farren was “charged with Criminal Attempt at Murder and Strangulation 1st degree,” according to a police statement. He was arraigned Thursday in Norwalk Superior Court and is being held on a $2 million bond.
Sgt. Carol Ogrinc, a New Canaan Police spokeswoman, confirmed that the 43-year-old woman was Farren’s wife. She “is in stable condition with head and facial injuries,” according to the police statement.
Former colleagues confirm that Farren worked in the Bush administration. An archived press release said that Farren was appointed deputy assistant to the president and deputy counsel to the president in June 2007.
XD
Posted: January 7th, 2010 08:31 PM ET
A former attorney to President George W. Bush was arrested Wednesday at his Connecticut home and accused of trying to kill his wife, according to local police.
(CNN) - A former attorney to President George W. Bush was arrested Wednesday at his Connecticut home and accused of trying to kill his wife, according to the New Canaan Police Department.
Police said they were responding to a “panic alarm activation” at the home of John Farren, 57, when they were redirected to another house nearby. A resident there had placed a 911 call saying an injured woman was at her home after being “involved in a domestic dispute with her husband” at the couple’s residence. Police said they found the woman “bleeding about her head, face and body.”
Farren was arrested at the couple’s home a short time later, police said. His lawyer had no comment when contacted Thursday by CNN.
Farren was “charged with Criminal Attempt at Murder and Strangulation 1st degree,” according to a police statement. He was arraigned Thursday in Norwalk Superior Court and is being held on a $2 million bond.
Sgt. Carol Ogrinc, a New Canaan Police spokeswoman, confirmed that the 43-year-old woman was Farren’s wife. She “is in stable condition with head and facial injuries,” according to the police statement.
Former colleagues confirm that Farren worked in the Bush administration. An archived press release said that Farren was appointed deputy assistant to the president and deputy counsel to the president in June 2007.
XD
Editorial
In his weekly address, President Obama said that the Christmas Day airline bomber acted under orders from an al Qaeda branch in Yemen, which "trained him, equipped him with those explosives and directed him to attack that plane headed for America."
Vowing to hold accountable all those involved in the attempted act of terrorism on Christmas, Obama sent a letter to his Yemeni counterpart, Ali Abdullah Saleh, delivered by Gen. David Petraeus, head of the U.S. Central Command, in which he pledged to double the $70 million in counterterrorism aid to the poverty-stricken country in 2009, a figure that does not include covert programs run by U.S. special forces and the CIA.
With the increase in security assistance, Yemen now tops Pakistan, which receives about $112 million, a clear indication of the growing threat of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (known as AQAP Yemen-based) in U.S. eyes.
American strategy is driven by assumptions that do not fully recognize the complexity and gravity of the situation in Yemen. The first premise is that with increased U.S. security assistance, the Yemen government will take the fight to al Qaeda and uproot it. Secondly, U.S. officials assume that confronting al Qaeda requires mainly counterterrorism measures.
What is alarming about the resurgence of this al Qaeda branch is its linkage to Yemen's deepening social and political crises and failing state institutions. In the last three years, against all odds, the al Qaeda branch has revived the central organization's declining fortune in the Arabian Peninsula and emerged as a potentially potent force.
AQAP numbers between 100 and 300 core operatives -- as many as those in Pakistan, though they are younger and lack the operational skills and sophistication of their Pakistani cohorts. Most are rookies with little combat experience, unlike the previous Afghanistan generation.
The structure and composition of the Yemen branch appears to have changed because of the merger with militant elements from Saudi Arabia last January, forming AQAP and revitalizing the jihadist network there. Some fighters had returned from war zones in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and have supplied military training and ideological motivation and leadership.
In 2007 I interviewed several hardened Yemeni and Saudi returnees from Iraq who made it clear that they would target America and Britain if U.S. and U.K. troops do not withdraw from Muslim lands. These hard-liners were neither bluffing nor making empty threats.
There are also some signs of cross-fertilization between AQAP and Somalia's al-Shabab, an al Qaeda like-minded group fighting for control of the war-torn country facilitated by the flow of thousands of Somali refugees to Yemen.
That is not the whole story, however. The recent revival of al Qaeda in Yemen is a product of a structural socioeconomic crisis and political divisions and fault lines that have pushed the country to the brink of all-out war. Al Qaeda is a parasite feeding on lawlessness, social and political instability, and abject poverty and despair.
Today Yemen is a fragile state with failing institutions and a collapsed economy. Forty percent of the country's 23 million people are unemployed. More than a third of the population is undernourished and almost 50 percent live in absolute poverty.
Video: AbdulMutallab in Yemen Al Qaeda is a parasite feeding on lawlessness, social and political instability and abject poverty.
--Fawaz A. Gerges
RELATED TOPICS
Yemen
Al Qaeda
Saudi Arabia
Yemen, the poorest Arab country, has one of the highest fertility rates. A huge youth explosion (60 percent of the population is under the age of 20) faces a grim future -- and radicalization.
With every visit to this stunningly beautiful country, I observe a deteriorating security situation and declining social conditions. It is now common to see many women of all ages clad in black from head to toe begging on the streets of major cities, an alarming sign of social breakdown in an ultraconservative Muslim society where women do not appear in public.
The sound of Soviet-made fighter jets often shatters the peace of the early hours of the morning. The jets are on their way to bomb Houthi (Shia) rebels in the Sada'adah province and the Harf Sufian district of Amran province, a mini-civil war in the north that has raged on and off for four years and has claimed more than a thousand lives, most of whom are civilians.
A secessionist movement in the south has gained momentum, with a sizable segment of southern public opinion demanding a divorce from the forced union imposed by the north in the early 1990s. What the al Qaeda branch has tried to do is to submerge and embed itself in these raging local conflicts and to position itself as the spearhead of opposition and resistance to the Saleh regime.
For example, al Qaeda has allied itself with tribes in the separatist south in the fight against the central government, a radical move because many separatists are socialist and not religiously inclined.
Ironically, in 1994 President Saleh relied greatly on jihadists and Islamists to subdue the socialist south and unify Yemen. From his base in Sudan, Osama bin Laden, whose father was born in Yemen, exhorted his men to fight the "Godless Marxists" in the south, who they massacred.
The al Qaeda-Yemen connection goes back to the foundation of the jihadist organization. Yemen has always had powerful Islamist and jihadist movements. In the 1980s, thousands of Yemenis joined the Afghan jihad against occupying Soviet forces and most returned home emboldened and militarized. Unlike their Middle Eastern counterparts, Yemeni returnees were welcomed by the Saleh regime.
In the early 1990s when bin Laden set up al Qaeda in Sudan and then in Afghanistan, he heavily and personally recruited Yemenis whom he trusted. Bin Laden, a Saudi, has often said he has a soft spot in his heart for Yemen because of its people's religiosity and tribal code of honor and hospitality and harsh, mountainous landscape. The Saudi-Yemeni contingent was the largest within the bin Laden organization, as well as in the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
Many of his bodyguards, personal secretaries, drivers and cooks were Yemenis. AQAP chief Nasir al-Wuhayshi (reportedly killed by a U.S.-directed airstrike on December 24), once served as bin Laden's personal secretary. Bin Laden entrusted the protection and transportation of his wives and children to his Yemeni men, a fact that speaks volumes about his mindset.
U.S. officials appear to overestimate the capacity of the Yemen government to meet the multiple challenges and threats to its authority and integrity. Its security forces are spread thin. Four years after the outbreak of the Houthi rebellion, the state has failed to resolve it.
More importantly, the government can no longer deliver the social goods and patronage, historically solid underpinnings of the Saleh rule. The country has been badly affected by falling oil revenues (Yemen is the smallest oil producer in the Middle East), pervasive corruption, and the international financial downturn. After more than three decades in power, President Saleh's ability to co-opt adversaries and maintain friends has shrunk considerably, plunging Yemen into an uncertain future.
On its own, counterterrorism will most likely fail in expelling al Qaeda from Yemen's tribal areas and might trigger a backlash against the Saleh regime and its Western patrons.
Of all Middle Easterners, Yemenis voice strong anti-American foreign policy sentiments and take pride in sacrificing blood and treasure in defense of Arab and Muslim causes. Any U.S. policy course that neglects the local context will help al Qaeda sell its narrative to a receptive audience.
What Yemen desperately needs is a political and economic vision that tackles deteriorating security and social conditions and empowers state and society, not just the Saleh regime. This vision cannot be made in the USA.
Yemen's neighbors, particularly Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, along with the League of Arab States, should take the lead in finding solutions to Yemen's political and tribal divisions and providing the means to prevent Yemen from becoming a failed state. More than any other country, Saudi Arabia has more to lose by the breakdown of its next-door neighbor.
The United States and Great Britain should provide leadership and assistance in shepherding the reconstruction process through and ensuring that inclusive governance, transparency, and accountability are adhered to.
A good start is British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's call for a high-level international meeting this month to discuss ways of combating al Qaeda influence in Yemen. But the most effective means to combat al Qaeda is to to tackle Yemen's structural social and political crisis and to fully involve Yemen's Arab neighbors in the talks.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Fawaz Gerges.
Vowing to hold accountable all those involved in the attempted act of terrorism on Christmas, Obama sent a letter to his Yemeni counterpart, Ali Abdullah Saleh, delivered by Gen. David Petraeus, head of the U.S. Central Command, in which he pledged to double the $70 million in counterterrorism aid to the poverty-stricken country in 2009, a figure that does not include covert programs run by U.S. special forces and the CIA.
With the increase in security assistance, Yemen now tops Pakistan, which receives about $112 million, a clear indication of the growing threat of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (known as AQAP Yemen-based) in U.S. eyes.
American strategy is driven by assumptions that do not fully recognize the complexity and gravity of the situation in Yemen. The first premise is that with increased U.S. security assistance, the Yemen government will take the fight to al Qaeda and uproot it. Secondly, U.S. officials assume that confronting al Qaeda requires mainly counterterrorism measures.
What is alarming about the resurgence of this al Qaeda branch is its linkage to Yemen's deepening social and political crises and failing state institutions. In the last three years, against all odds, the al Qaeda branch has revived the central organization's declining fortune in the Arabian Peninsula and emerged as a potentially potent force.
AQAP numbers between 100 and 300 core operatives -- as many as those in Pakistan, though they are younger and lack the operational skills and sophistication of their Pakistani cohorts. Most are rookies with little combat experience, unlike the previous Afghanistan generation.
The structure and composition of the Yemen branch appears to have changed because of the merger with militant elements from Saudi Arabia last January, forming AQAP and revitalizing the jihadist network there. Some fighters had returned from war zones in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and have supplied military training and ideological motivation and leadership.
In 2007 I interviewed several hardened Yemeni and Saudi returnees from Iraq who made it clear that they would target America and Britain if U.S. and U.K. troops do not withdraw from Muslim lands. These hard-liners were neither bluffing nor making empty threats.
There are also some signs of cross-fertilization between AQAP and Somalia's al-Shabab, an al Qaeda like-minded group fighting for control of the war-torn country facilitated by the flow of thousands of Somali refugees to Yemen.
That is not the whole story, however. The recent revival of al Qaeda in Yemen is a product of a structural socioeconomic crisis and political divisions and fault lines that have pushed the country to the brink of all-out war. Al Qaeda is a parasite feeding on lawlessness, social and political instability, and abject poverty and despair.
Today Yemen is a fragile state with failing institutions and a collapsed economy. Forty percent of the country's 23 million people are unemployed. More than a third of the population is undernourished and almost 50 percent live in absolute poverty.
Video: AbdulMutallab in Yemen Al Qaeda is a parasite feeding on lawlessness, social and political instability and abject poverty.
--Fawaz A. Gerges
RELATED TOPICS
Yemen
Al Qaeda
Saudi Arabia
Yemen, the poorest Arab country, has one of the highest fertility rates. A huge youth explosion (60 percent of the population is under the age of 20) faces a grim future -- and radicalization.
With every visit to this stunningly beautiful country, I observe a deteriorating security situation and declining social conditions. It is now common to see many women of all ages clad in black from head to toe begging on the streets of major cities, an alarming sign of social breakdown in an ultraconservative Muslim society where women do not appear in public.
The sound of Soviet-made fighter jets often shatters the peace of the early hours of the morning. The jets are on their way to bomb Houthi (Shia) rebels in the Sada'adah province and the Harf Sufian district of Amran province, a mini-civil war in the north that has raged on and off for four years and has claimed more than a thousand lives, most of whom are civilians.
A secessionist movement in the south has gained momentum, with a sizable segment of southern public opinion demanding a divorce from the forced union imposed by the north in the early 1990s. What the al Qaeda branch has tried to do is to submerge and embed itself in these raging local conflicts and to position itself as the spearhead of opposition and resistance to the Saleh regime.
For example, al Qaeda has allied itself with tribes in the separatist south in the fight against the central government, a radical move because many separatists are socialist and not religiously inclined.
Ironically, in 1994 President Saleh relied greatly on jihadists and Islamists to subdue the socialist south and unify Yemen. From his base in Sudan, Osama bin Laden, whose father was born in Yemen, exhorted his men to fight the "Godless Marxists" in the south, who they massacred.
The al Qaeda-Yemen connection goes back to the foundation of the jihadist organization. Yemen has always had powerful Islamist and jihadist movements. In the 1980s, thousands of Yemenis joined the Afghan jihad against occupying Soviet forces and most returned home emboldened and militarized. Unlike their Middle Eastern counterparts, Yemeni returnees were welcomed by the Saleh regime.
In the early 1990s when bin Laden set up al Qaeda in Sudan and then in Afghanistan, he heavily and personally recruited Yemenis whom he trusted. Bin Laden, a Saudi, has often said he has a soft spot in his heart for Yemen because of its people's religiosity and tribal code of honor and hospitality and harsh, mountainous landscape. The Saudi-Yemeni contingent was the largest within the bin Laden organization, as well as in the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
Many of his bodyguards, personal secretaries, drivers and cooks were Yemenis. AQAP chief Nasir al-Wuhayshi (reportedly killed by a U.S.-directed airstrike on December 24), once served as bin Laden's personal secretary. Bin Laden entrusted the protection and transportation of his wives and children to his Yemeni men, a fact that speaks volumes about his mindset.
U.S. officials appear to overestimate the capacity of the Yemen government to meet the multiple challenges and threats to its authority and integrity. Its security forces are spread thin. Four years after the outbreak of the Houthi rebellion, the state has failed to resolve it.
More importantly, the government can no longer deliver the social goods and patronage, historically solid underpinnings of the Saleh rule. The country has been badly affected by falling oil revenues (Yemen is the smallest oil producer in the Middle East), pervasive corruption, and the international financial downturn. After more than three decades in power, President Saleh's ability to co-opt adversaries and maintain friends has shrunk considerably, plunging Yemen into an uncertain future.
On its own, counterterrorism will most likely fail in expelling al Qaeda from Yemen's tribal areas and might trigger a backlash against the Saleh regime and its Western patrons.
Of all Middle Easterners, Yemenis voice strong anti-American foreign policy sentiments and take pride in sacrificing blood and treasure in defense of Arab and Muslim causes. Any U.S. policy course that neglects the local context will help al Qaeda sell its narrative to a receptive audience.
What Yemen desperately needs is a political and economic vision that tackles deteriorating security and social conditions and empowers state and society, not just the Saleh regime. This vision cannot be made in the USA.
Yemen's neighbors, particularly Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, along with the League of Arab States, should take the lead in finding solutions to Yemen's political and tribal divisions and providing the means to prevent Yemen from becoming a failed state. More than any other country, Saudi Arabia has more to lose by the breakdown of its next-door neighbor.
The United States and Great Britain should provide leadership and assistance in shepherding the reconstruction process through and ensuring that inclusive governance, transparency, and accountability are adhered to.
A good start is British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's call for a high-level international meeting this month to discuss ways of combating al Qaeda influence in Yemen. But the most effective means to combat al Qaeda is to to tackle Yemen's structural social and political crisis and to fully involve Yemen's Arab neighbors in the talks.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Fawaz Gerges.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
at&t can go to HeLL!
Facebook User8:27 am
I don't condone Tiger's behavior. Cheating on your wife is unacceptable; however, there are so many athletics who cheats on their wives these days. I strongly believe people are trying to destroy him because his wife is a white woman. If Tiger's wife was a black woman, this wouldn't be such a big deal. I think race has a lot to do with it.
I don't condone Tiger's behavior. Cheating on your wife is unacceptable; however, there are so many athletics who cheats on their wives these days. I strongly believe people are trying to destroy him because his wife is a white woman. If Tiger's wife was a black woman, this wouldn't be such a big deal. I think race has a lot to do with it.
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