Op-Ed Columnist
Advice From Grandma
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Published: November 21, 2009
President Obama’s visit to China this week inevitably invites comparisons between the world’s two leading powers. You know what they say: Britain owned the 19th century, America owned the 20th century, and, it’s all but certain that China will own the 21st century. Maybe, but I’m not ready to cede the 21st century to China just yet.
Times Topics: China -Why not? It has to do with the fact that we are moving into a hyperintegrated world in which all aspects of production — raw materials, design, manufacturing, distribution, fulfillment, financing and branding — have become commodities that can be accessed from anywhere by anyone. But there are still two really important things that can’t be commoditized. Fortunately, America still has one of them: imagination.
What your citizens imagine now matters more than ever because they can act on their own imaginations farther, faster, deeper and cheaper than ever before — as individuals. In such a world, societies that can nurture people with the ability to imagine and spin off new ideas will thrive. The Apple iPod may be made in China, but it was dreamed up in America, and that’s where most of the profits go. America — with its open, free, no-limits, immigrant-friendly society — is still the world’s greatest dream machine.
Who would cede a century in which imagination will have such a high value to an authoritarian society that controls its Internet and jails political prisoners? Remember what Grandma used to say: Never cede a century to a country that censors Google.
But while our culture of imagination is still vibrant, the other critical factor that still differentiates countries today — and is not a commodity — is good governance, which can harness creativity. And that we may be losing. I am talking about the ability of a society’s leaders to think long term, address their problems with the optimal legislation and attract capable people into government. What I increasingly fear today is that America is only able to produce “suboptimal” responses to its biggest problems — education, debt, financial regulation, health care, energy and environment.
Why? Because at least six things have come together to fracture our public space and paralyze our ability to forge optimal solutions: 1) Money in politics has become so pervasive that lawmakers have to spend most of their time raising it, selling their souls to those who have it or defending themselves from the smallest interest groups with deep pockets that can trump the national interest.
2) The gerrymandering of political districts means politicians of each party can now choose their own voters and never have to appeal to the center.
3) The cable TV culture encourages shouting and segregating people into their own political echo chambers.
4) A permanent presidential campaign leaves little time for governing.
5) The Internet, which, at its best, provides a check on elites and establishments and opens the way for new voices and, which, at its worst provides a home for every extreme view and spawns digital lynch mobs from across the political spectrum that attack anyone who departs from their specific orthodoxy.
6) A U.S. business community that has become so globalized that it only comes to Washington to lobby for its own narrow interests; it rarely speaks out anymore in defense of national issues like health care, education and open markets.
These six factors are pushing our system, which was designed to have divided powers and to force compromises, into the realm of paralysis. To get anything big done now, we have to generate so many compromises — couched in 1,000-plus-page bills — with so many different interest groups that the solutions are totally suboptimal. We just get the sum of all interest groups.
The miniversion of this is California, which, as others have noted, is becoming America’s biggest “failed state.” Californians had hoped they could overcome their dysfunctional system by electing an outsider, a former movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger. He would slay the system, like the Terminator. But he couldn’t.
Mr. Obama was elected for similar reasons. People had hoped that his unique story, personality and speaking skills could bring the country together, overcome paralysis and deliver nation-building at home. A lot of the disappointment settling in among Obama voters today is prompted by their dawning realization that maybe, like Arnold, he can’t.
China’s leaders, using authoritarian means, still can. They don’t have to always settle for suboptimal. So what do we do?
The standard answer is that we need better leaders. The real answer is that we need better citizens. We need citizens who will convey to their leaders that they are ready to sacrifice, even pay, yes, higher taxes, and will not punish politicians who ask them to do the hard things. Otherwise, folks, we’re in trouble. A great power that can only produce suboptimal responses to its biggest challenges will, in time, fade from being a great power — no matter how much imagination it generates.
Grandma said that, too.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Supercomputing for the Masses
Supercomputing for the Masses
By ASHLEE VANCE
Published: November 22, 2009
PORTLAND, Ore. — For decades, the world’s supercomputers have been the tightly guarded property of universities and governments. But what would happen if regular folks could get their hands on one?
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The Jaguar supercomputer at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the world's fastest, links thousands of mainstream chips.
The price of supercomputers is dropping quickly, in part because they are often built with the same off-the-shelf parts found in PCs, as a supercomputing conference here last week made clear. Just about any organization with a few million dollars can now buy or assemble a top-flight machine.
Meanwhile, research groups and companies like I.B.M., Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Intel are finding ways to make vast stores of information available online through so-called cloud computing.
These advances are pulling down the high walls around computing-intensive research. A result could be a democratization that gives ordinary people with a novel idea a chance to explore their curiosity with heavy computing firepower — and maybe find something unexpected.
The trend has spurred some of the world’s top computing experts and scientists to work toward freeing valuable stores of information. The goal is to fill big computers with scientific data and then let anyone in the world with a PC, including amateur scientists, tap into these systems.
“It’s a good call to arms,” said Mark Barrenechea, the chief executive of Silicon Graphics, which sells computing systems to labs and businesses. “The technology is there. The need is there. This could exponentially increase the amount of science done across the globe.”
The notion of top research centers sharing information is hardly new. Some of the earliest incarnations of what we now know as the World Wide Web came to life so that physicists and other scientists could tap into large data stores from afar.
In addition, universities and government labs were early advocates of what became popularized as grid computing, where shared networks were created to shuttle data about.
The current thinking, however, is that the labs can accomplish far more than was previously practical by piggybacking on some of the trends sweeping the technology industry. And, this time around, research bodies big and small, along with brainy individuals, can participate in the sharing agenda.
For inspiration, scientists are looking at cloud computing services like Google’s online office software, photo-sharing sites and Amazon.com’s data center rental program. They are trying to bring that type of Web-based technology into their labs and make it handle enormous volumes of data.
“You’ve seen these desktop applications move into the cloud,” said Pete Beckman, the director of the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility in Illinois. “Now science is on that same track. This helps democratize science and good ideas.”
With $32 million from the Energy Department, Argonne has set to work on Magellan, a project to explore the creation of a cloud-computing infrastructure that scientists around the globe can use. Mr. Beckman argued that such a system would reduce the need for smaller universities and labs to spend money on their own computing infrastructure.
Another benefit is that researchers would not need to spend days downloading huge data sets so that they could perform analysis on their own computers. Instead, they could send requests to Magellan and just receive the answers.
Even curious individuals on the fringe of academia may have a chance to delve into things like climate change and protein analysis.
“Some mathematician in Russia can say, ‘I have an idea,” Mr. Beckman said. “The barrier to entry is so low for him to try out that idea. So, this really broadens the number of discoverers and, hopefully, discoveries.”
The computing industry has made such a discussion possible. Historically, the world’s top supercomputers relied on expensive, proprietary components. Government laboratories paid vast sums of money to use these systems for classified projects.
But, over the last 10 years, the vital innards of supercomputers have become more mainstream, and a wide variety of organizations have bought them.
At the conference, undergraduate students competed in a contest to build affordable mini-supercomputers on the fly. And a supercomputer called Jaguar at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee officially became the world’s fastest machine. It links thousands of mainstream chips from Advanced Micro Devices.
Seven of the world’s top 10 supercomputers use standard chips from A.M.D. and Intel, as do about 90 percent of the 500 fastest machines. “I think this says that supercomputing technology is affordable,” said Margaret Lewis, an A.M.D. director. “We are kind of getting away from this ivory tower.”
While Magellan and similar projects are encouraging signs, researchers have warned that much work lies ahead to free what they consider valuable information for broader analysis.
At the Georgia Institute of Technology, for example, researchers have developed software that can evaluate scans of the brain and heart, and identify anomalies that might indicate problems. To advance such techniques, the researchers need to train their software by testing it on thousands of body scans.
But it is hard to find a repository of such scans that a hospital or a government organization like the National Institutes of Health is willing to share, even if personal information can be stripped away, said George Biros, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “Medical schools don’t make this information available,” he said.
Bill Howe, a senior scientist at the eScience Institute at the University of Washington, has urged research organizations to reveal their information. “All the data that we collect in science should be accessible, and that’s just not the way it works today,” he said.
Mr. Howe said high school students and so-called citizen scientists could make new discoveries if given the chance.
“Let’s see what happens when classrooms of students explore this information,” he said.
Comment
While I agree with the basic philosophy, there will always be those that will take that information and use it in destructive ways. Some method of checks must be in place to insure that destructive consequences dont happen. Perhaps levels of security could be put into place, or something along that line of thought. The VA has done thousands of body scans over the past 15 years or so, and they have been digitalized so they could be quickly accessed and utilized. All that would remain would be copying them without the identifying information. Medical research data like that might be a good place to start. I belong to a grid computing system that researches genomic links for the cure of cancer (Rosetta@home). I leave my computer on all day while I am at work so that that data can be analyzed.
By ASHLEE VANCE
Published: November 22, 2009
PORTLAND, Ore. — For decades, the world’s supercomputers have been the tightly guarded property of universities and governments. But what would happen if regular folks could get their hands on one?
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The Jaguar supercomputer at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the world's fastest, links thousands of mainstream chips.
The price of supercomputers is dropping quickly, in part because they are often built with the same off-the-shelf parts found in PCs, as a supercomputing conference here last week made clear. Just about any organization with a few million dollars can now buy or assemble a top-flight machine.
Meanwhile, research groups and companies like I.B.M., Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and Intel are finding ways to make vast stores of information available online through so-called cloud computing.
These advances are pulling down the high walls around computing-intensive research. A result could be a democratization that gives ordinary people with a novel idea a chance to explore their curiosity with heavy computing firepower — and maybe find something unexpected.
The trend has spurred some of the world’s top computing experts and scientists to work toward freeing valuable stores of information. The goal is to fill big computers with scientific data and then let anyone in the world with a PC, including amateur scientists, tap into these systems.
“It’s a good call to arms,” said Mark Barrenechea, the chief executive of Silicon Graphics, which sells computing systems to labs and businesses. “The technology is there. The need is there. This could exponentially increase the amount of science done across the globe.”
The notion of top research centers sharing information is hardly new. Some of the earliest incarnations of what we now know as the World Wide Web came to life so that physicists and other scientists could tap into large data stores from afar.
In addition, universities and government labs were early advocates of what became popularized as grid computing, where shared networks were created to shuttle data about.
The current thinking, however, is that the labs can accomplish far more than was previously practical by piggybacking on some of the trends sweeping the technology industry. And, this time around, research bodies big and small, along with brainy individuals, can participate in the sharing agenda.
For inspiration, scientists are looking at cloud computing services like Google’s online office software, photo-sharing sites and Amazon.com’s data center rental program. They are trying to bring that type of Web-based technology into their labs and make it handle enormous volumes of data.
“You’ve seen these desktop applications move into the cloud,” said Pete Beckman, the director of the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility in Illinois. “Now science is on that same track. This helps democratize science and good ideas.”
With $32 million from the Energy Department, Argonne has set to work on Magellan, a project to explore the creation of a cloud-computing infrastructure that scientists around the globe can use. Mr. Beckman argued that such a system would reduce the need for smaller universities and labs to spend money on their own computing infrastructure.
Another benefit is that researchers would not need to spend days downloading huge data sets so that they could perform analysis on their own computers. Instead, they could send requests to Magellan and just receive the answers.
Even curious individuals on the fringe of academia may have a chance to delve into things like climate change and protein analysis.
“Some mathematician in Russia can say, ‘I have an idea,” Mr. Beckman said. “The barrier to entry is so low for him to try out that idea. So, this really broadens the number of discoverers and, hopefully, discoveries.”
The computing industry has made such a discussion possible. Historically, the world’s top supercomputers relied on expensive, proprietary components. Government laboratories paid vast sums of money to use these systems for classified projects.
But, over the last 10 years, the vital innards of supercomputers have become more mainstream, and a wide variety of organizations have bought them.
At the conference, undergraduate students competed in a contest to build affordable mini-supercomputers on the fly. And a supercomputer called Jaguar at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee officially became the world’s fastest machine. It links thousands of mainstream chips from Advanced Micro Devices.
Seven of the world’s top 10 supercomputers use standard chips from A.M.D. and Intel, as do about 90 percent of the 500 fastest machines. “I think this says that supercomputing technology is affordable,” said Margaret Lewis, an A.M.D. director. “We are kind of getting away from this ivory tower.”
While Magellan and similar projects are encouraging signs, researchers have warned that much work lies ahead to free what they consider valuable information for broader analysis.
At the Georgia Institute of Technology, for example, researchers have developed software that can evaluate scans of the brain and heart, and identify anomalies that might indicate problems. To advance such techniques, the researchers need to train their software by testing it on thousands of body scans.
But it is hard to find a repository of such scans that a hospital or a government organization like the National Institutes of Health is willing to share, even if personal information can be stripped away, said George Biros, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “Medical schools don’t make this information available,” he said.
Bill Howe, a senior scientist at the eScience Institute at the University of Washington, has urged research organizations to reveal their information. “All the data that we collect in science should be accessible, and that’s just not the way it works today,” he said.
Mr. Howe said high school students and so-called citizen scientists could make new discoveries if given the chance.
“Let’s see what happens when classrooms of students explore this information,” he said.
Comment
While I agree with the basic philosophy, there will always be those that will take that information and use it in destructive ways. Some method of checks must be in place to insure that destructive consequences dont happen. Perhaps levels of security could be put into place, or something along that line of thought. The VA has done thousands of body scans over the past 15 years or so, and they have been digitalized so they could be quickly accessed and utilized. All that would remain would be copying them without the identifying information. Medical research data like that might be a good place to start. I belong to a grid computing system that researches genomic links for the cure of cancer (Rosetta@home). I leave my computer on all day while I am at work so that that data can be analyzed.
On Single-Sex Buses, Relief From Unwanted Contact
Mexico City Journal
On Single-Sex Buses, Relief From Unwanted Contact
Jennifer Szymaszek for The New York Times
Women, who complain of harassment on Mexico City’s crowded transportation system, have found a haven in restricted buses.
By MARC LACEY
Published: February 11, 2008
MEXICO CITY — Body-to-body contact is inescapable on Mexico City’s crowded public transportation system. Get on a train or a bus during rush hour and a man in a business suit may have his arm resting against your shoulder, a woman toting a bulky shopping bag may have her back pressed against your flank, and a teenager listening to an iPod may tap his sneaker all over your newly shined left shoe.
VideoMore Video » But many women complain that not all the contact is incidental. Among the 22 million passengers who use the bus and subway system daily, women say, are lecherous men taking advantage of the cheek-to-jowl conditions to leer and grope and then quietly disappear.
“There are good men in Mexico, but they’re not the ones on public transport,” said Mariana Vasquez, 30, who waited to board a bus recently on her way to a job interview at a law firm. “They try to touch you. They don’t give you a seat. Where are the gentlemen?”
One place they are not is on new women-only buses that Mexico City began running in January to reduce the harassment. With pink placards and insistent drivers who growl at any man who tries to step aboard, the buses are quickly becoming a hit among women.
“Woo-hoo!” bellowed Catalina Garduño the other day as man after man was turned away from the bus she was riding. Her outbursts animated the other women on board, who joined in the celebration. As they rolled along Paseo de la Reforma on their way home from work, the atmosphere resembled a ladies’ night on wheels.
Their relief reached beyond their escape from being accosted physically.
“We don’t get paid as much as they, yet we work just as hard,” said Ms. Garduño, a saleswoman. “We are tired of their machismo. We don’t feel sorry for them at all.”
A few rows back, Abigail Llanes, 21, expressed a similar sentiment.
“We get to sit now,” she said, beaming. “It’s great.”
As complaints of harassment have grown, Mexico has experimented over the years with various remedies. Some subway cars have been reserved for women. Some buses allow women, disabled people and those with children to use designated entrances at the front. But the new buses may be the boldest approach so far.
Men’s reactions run the gamut. Some declare the program discriminatory. Some curse at the bus drivers who leave them standing at the curb.
Plenty of men, though, say they endorse the idea.
“We have no respect,” Adolfo Flores, 30, a law student, said of the unseemly way many men treat women.
Mr. Flores was getting his shoes shined as buses passed by behind him. The shoeshine man, Esteban Hernández, 57, piped in with his own theory about the groping.
“We have the animal instinct,” he said, smiling. Touching a woman, he said, “is a way of showing masculinity — it’s very bad.”
Just how bad the abuse problem — which is raised by women in cities the world over — has become in Mexico is difficult to say. Last year, just seven women lodged official complaints of harassment on Mexico City’s buses. There are more reports of sexual incidents on the subways, with roughly one a day filed with the authorities. But Mexican officials believe those figures do not reflect the full extent of the problem.
“Most women don’t report what happens to them,” said Ariadna Montiel, who directs the public bus system, noting that as a young architecture student years ago she traveled by public transportation and experienced the harassment firsthand. “I know it’s a serious problem.”
Ms. Montiel said she had no intention of neglecting men. “We have to guarantee that all users are taken care of,” she said, adding that coed buses roll along in close proximity to the women’s buses to ensure that nobody is waiting too long.
Passengers say the atmosphere aboard women’s buses is entirely different. As the buses become more popular, and crowded, some women politely offer their seats to others. And, they say, the lechers are gone.
Still, the experiment cannot solve the underlying problem of how the sexes interact in the metropolis. Only four of the city’s bus routes have women-only buses. That number will rise to 15 in the months ahead, but coed buses will remain the rule in most areas.
To complement the single-sex buses, the Institute of Women in Mexico City, a government body that promotes opportunities for women, is pushing a public education campaign to make clear to men that inappropriate touching is illegal. In March, a new ordinance will make it easier to prosecute those found harassing women in public places.
“This is not against men,” insisted Martha Lucia Micher Camarena, the institute’s director general. “This is positive discrimination that responds to the demands of women. And it’s also for men because it protects their daughters, sisters and mothers.”
Comment
There was another article about groping on the New York subways. The obvious answer is to put some undercover cops, males and females, on these subways and buses and catch these jerks. Prosecute a dozen or so and the word will get out.
On Single-Sex Buses, Relief From Unwanted Contact
Jennifer Szymaszek for The New York Times
Women, who complain of harassment on Mexico City’s crowded transportation system, have found a haven in restricted buses.
By MARC LACEY
Published: February 11, 2008
MEXICO CITY — Body-to-body contact is inescapable on Mexico City’s crowded public transportation system. Get on a train or a bus during rush hour and a man in a business suit may have his arm resting against your shoulder, a woman toting a bulky shopping bag may have her back pressed against your flank, and a teenager listening to an iPod may tap his sneaker all over your newly shined left shoe.
VideoMore Video » But many women complain that not all the contact is incidental. Among the 22 million passengers who use the bus and subway system daily, women say, are lecherous men taking advantage of the cheek-to-jowl conditions to leer and grope and then quietly disappear.
“There are good men in Mexico, but they’re not the ones on public transport,” said Mariana Vasquez, 30, who waited to board a bus recently on her way to a job interview at a law firm. “They try to touch you. They don’t give you a seat. Where are the gentlemen?”
One place they are not is on new women-only buses that Mexico City began running in January to reduce the harassment. With pink placards and insistent drivers who growl at any man who tries to step aboard, the buses are quickly becoming a hit among women.
“Woo-hoo!” bellowed Catalina Garduño the other day as man after man was turned away from the bus she was riding. Her outbursts animated the other women on board, who joined in the celebration. As they rolled along Paseo de la Reforma on their way home from work, the atmosphere resembled a ladies’ night on wheels.
Their relief reached beyond their escape from being accosted physically.
“We don’t get paid as much as they, yet we work just as hard,” said Ms. Garduño, a saleswoman. “We are tired of their machismo. We don’t feel sorry for them at all.”
A few rows back, Abigail Llanes, 21, expressed a similar sentiment.
“We get to sit now,” she said, beaming. “It’s great.”
As complaints of harassment have grown, Mexico has experimented over the years with various remedies. Some subway cars have been reserved for women. Some buses allow women, disabled people and those with children to use designated entrances at the front. But the new buses may be the boldest approach so far.
Men’s reactions run the gamut. Some declare the program discriminatory. Some curse at the bus drivers who leave them standing at the curb.
Plenty of men, though, say they endorse the idea.
“We have no respect,” Adolfo Flores, 30, a law student, said of the unseemly way many men treat women.
Mr. Flores was getting his shoes shined as buses passed by behind him. The shoeshine man, Esteban Hernández, 57, piped in with his own theory about the groping.
“We have the animal instinct,” he said, smiling. Touching a woman, he said, “is a way of showing masculinity — it’s very bad.”
Just how bad the abuse problem — which is raised by women in cities the world over — has become in Mexico is difficult to say. Last year, just seven women lodged official complaints of harassment on Mexico City’s buses. There are more reports of sexual incidents on the subways, with roughly one a day filed with the authorities. But Mexican officials believe those figures do not reflect the full extent of the problem.
“Most women don’t report what happens to them,” said Ariadna Montiel, who directs the public bus system, noting that as a young architecture student years ago she traveled by public transportation and experienced the harassment firsthand. “I know it’s a serious problem.”
Ms. Montiel said she had no intention of neglecting men. “We have to guarantee that all users are taken care of,” she said, adding that coed buses roll along in close proximity to the women’s buses to ensure that nobody is waiting too long.
Passengers say the atmosphere aboard women’s buses is entirely different. As the buses become more popular, and crowded, some women politely offer their seats to others. And, they say, the lechers are gone.
Still, the experiment cannot solve the underlying problem of how the sexes interact in the metropolis. Only four of the city’s bus routes have women-only buses. That number will rise to 15 in the months ahead, but coed buses will remain the rule in most areas.
To complement the single-sex buses, the Institute of Women in Mexico City, a government body that promotes opportunities for women, is pushing a public education campaign to make clear to men that inappropriate touching is illegal. In March, a new ordinance will make it easier to prosecute those found harassing women in public places.
“This is not against men,” insisted Martha Lucia Micher Camarena, the institute’s director general. “This is positive discrimination that responds to the demands of women. And it’s also for men because it protects their daughters, sisters and mothers.”
Comment
There was another article about groping on the New York subways. The obvious answer is to put some undercover cops, males and females, on these subways and buses and catch these jerks. Prosecute a dozen or so and the word will get out.
4 signs you're in retirement denial
Portfolio and home values have tanked, but you won't see that reflected in most people's retirement plans. Here's how to tell if you need a reality check.
[Related content: retirement, retire well, financial planning, debt, home prices]
By U.S. News & World Report
Optimism is good; denial isn't. When it comes to retirement plans, the evidence is overwhelming: The recession will delay retirements for millions and reduce the standard of living of many people who are, or thought they were, near retirement.
A recent Pew Research Center survey, for example, says most middle-aged Americans are thinking about altering their retirement plans. Yet despite the short-term adjustments that consumers are making -- looking for bargains, saving more -- many continue to hold expectations about retirement that experts say are simply no longer realistic.
Here are four signs that you may be in denial about how the Wall Street and housing meltdowns have changed your retirement prospects.
Find the best places to retire
1. Your retirement plans haven't changed. This is the big one, and most people are kidding themselves if this is their view. McKinsey & Co. has developed what it calls a retirement readiness index (.pdf file). It measures changes in the values of retirement assets -- Social Security, pensions and financial holdings -- to determine the financial preparedness of households for retirement.
An index value of 100 means a household can maintain its current standard of living in retirement. A reading below 80, McKinsey says, "calls for large reductions in spending on basic needs, such as housing, food, and health care." The current index reading for a typical household is 63.
More from MSN Money and U.S. News
Retirement planning at every age
10 ways to lower your retirement costs
Your 5-minute guide to saving your retirement
Laid-off baby boomers seek entry-level jobs
7 guides to fixing your finances
5 keys to retiring within 5 years
2. Your retirement age hasn't changed. Hello! McKinsey says its polling finds that only about 25% of consumers are thinking about postponing retirement. If you're in the other 75%, stop and think about what would happen to your standard of living in retirement. You don't need a retirement readiness index.
First, add up Social Security and any pensions. Next, total up any retirement accounts and other financial assets and assume conservatively that 4% of that amount is available to you each year for spending needs. How does the total compare with what you're spending now?
Some financial planners say you can live for less in retirement, but health-care expenses likely will be steeper, and if you want to travel and enjoy leisure-time activities, your spending could rise, not fall.
Retirement out of reach for many
3. Your home is still your castle. Housing values fell sharply in most markets, and many experts say it easily could take a decade for them to return to the inflation-adjusted values of 2007. Yet McKinsey found that the percentage of consumers expecting to finance their retirements by tapping the equity in their homes actually has risen.
If you retire before your mortgage does
Take a serious look at the likely equity you'll have in your home when you reach your planned retirement age. Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, says those trillions in lost housing values will be a drag on the economy and retirements for years.
"I remain a pessimist on the prospect for a recovery anytime soon," he says.
Your retirement could last decades. Here are tips for living well for as long as you need.
4. You expect to be debt-free in retirement. While consumers generally have held steady on debt levels in the past year, debt among baby boomers actually has been rising, according to a survey from Securian Financial.
More than 60% of nonretirees polled said they expect to have no debt other than a mortgage when they retire, and only about 20% expected to have some debt. But more than half the retirees in the survey said they carried debts, excluding mortgages, into retirement.
Likewise, less than a quarter of nonretirees believe they will still owe money on a mortgage when they retire, but twice as many people who already have retired said they were still making mortgage payments when they stopped working.
8 ways to botch your retirement
This article was reported by Philip Moeller for U.S. News & World Report.
Comment
After five years of retirement I have gone back to work part-time. The value of my house has dropped 150k and my rentals, 200k. Of course that was only paper money but it still hurts. I can easily see myself working at least part-time for the next five years or so. Its not all bad as I am in a field where there are jobs available, in pretty good health, and at the top of my game professionally, after 28 years on the job!
[Related content: retirement, retire well, financial planning, debt, home prices]
By U.S. News & World Report
Optimism is good; denial isn't. When it comes to retirement plans, the evidence is overwhelming: The recession will delay retirements for millions and reduce the standard of living of many people who are, or thought they were, near retirement.
A recent Pew Research Center survey, for example, says most middle-aged Americans are thinking about altering their retirement plans. Yet despite the short-term adjustments that consumers are making -- looking for bargains, saving more -- many continue to hold expectations about retirement that experts say are simply no longer realistic.
Here are four signs that you may be in denial about how the Wall Street and housing meltdowns have changed your retirement prospects.
Find the best places to retire
1. Your retirement plans haven't changed. This is the big one, and most people are kidding themselves if this is their view. McKinsey & Co. has developed what it calls a retirement readiness index (.pdf file). It measures changes in the values of retirement assets -- Social Security, pensions and financial holdings -- to determine the financial preparedness of households for retirement.
An index value of 100 means a household can maintain its current standard of living in retirement. A reading below 80, McKinsey says, "calls for large reductions in spending on basic needs, such as housing, food, and health care." The current index reading for a typical household is 63.
More from MSN Money and U.S. News
Retirement planning at every age
10 ways to lower your retirement costs
Your 5-minute guide to saving your retirement
Laid-off baby boomers seek entry-level jobs
7 guides to fixing your finances
5 keys to retiring within 5 years
2. Your retirement age hasn't changed. Hello! McKinsey says its polling finds that only about 25% of consumers are thinking about postponing retirement. If you're in the other 75%, stop and think about what would happen to your standard of living in retirement. You don't need a retirement readiness index.
First, add up Social Security and any pensions. Next, total up any retirement accounts and other financial assets and assume conservatively that 4% of that amount is available to you each year for spending needs. How does the total compare with what you're spending now?
Some financial planners say you can live for less in retirement, but health-care expenses likely will be steeper, and if you want to travel and enjoy leisure-time activities, your spending could rise, not fall.
Retirement out of reach for many
3. Your home is still your castle. Housing values fell sharply in most markets, and many experts say it easily could take a decade for them to return to the inflation-adjusted values of 2007. Yet McKinsey found that the percentage of consumers expecting to finance their retirements by tapping the equity in their homes actually has risen.
If you retire before your mortgage does
Take a serious look at the likely equity you'll have in your home when you reach your planned retirement age. Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, says those trillions in lost housing values will be a drag on the economy and retirements for years.
"I remain a pessimist on the prospect for a recovery anytime soon," he says.
Your retirement could last decades. Here are tips for living well for as long as you need.
4. You expect to be debt-free in retirement. While consumers generally have held steady on debt levels in the past year, debt among baby boomers actually has been rising, according to a survey from Securian Financial.
More than 60% of nonretirees polled said they expect to have no debt other than a mortgage when they retire, and only about 20% expected to have some debt. But more than half the retirees in the survey said they carried debts, excluding mortgages, into retirement.
Likewise, less than a quarter of nonretirees believe they will still owe money on a mortgage when they retire, but twice as many people who already have retired said they were still making mortgage payments when they stopped working.
8 ways to botch your retirement
This article was reported by Philip Moeller for U.S. News & World Report.
Comment
After five years of retirement I have gone back to work part-time. The value of my house has dropped 150k and my rentals, 200k. Of course that was only paper money but it still hurts. I can easily see myself working at least part-time for the next five years or so. Its not all bad as I am in a field where there are jobs available, in pretty good health, and at the top of my game professionally, after 28 years on the job!
Seven reasons to expect a slow-growth U.S. economy ahead
Seven reasons to expect a slow-growth U.S. economy ahead
Joseph Lazzaro
Nov 22nd 2009 at 3:00PMText SizeAAAFiled under: Economy
Is the U.S. headed for a "new normal" -- a slow-growth economy that lasts perhaps for as long as a decade? The evidence supporting the new-normal argument, predicting a future in which the U.S. GDP grows at no more than 2.0% to 2.5% per year, is compelling. That low growth rate would constrain corporate revenue, earnings growth and stock prices, among other consequences.
The U.S. has already registered below-trend GDP growth at this recovery's start -- just 3.5% in the third quarter, versus the more than 6% GDP growth typically registered in an expansion's initial stage. Here's why the slow-growth conditions might continue:
Housing sector doldrums: The massive overbuilding and the subsequent bust mean it will take at least another year to work off excess inventories in single-family homes, condos, co-ops, etc. Further, slumping prices will cause some families who would typically trade-up to stay put -- eliminating additional sector activity. As a result, housing won't be as strong a growth engine as it has been during previous expansions.
Frugal consumers: Americans are in the midst of making up for a decade of unsustainable overconsumption -- spending fueled in many cases by debt -- by increasing their savings. Currently, Americans are saving at about a 3% annual rate, but it did approach 5% earlier in the year. Also, asset declines in stock portfolios and homes are further impressing upon Americans the need to save: People have realized that they can't count on their 401(k) or their home appreciation being quite as large bonanzas as they had hoped for. Because consumer spending accounts for roughly two-thirds of the U.S. economy, a sustained reduction in consumption will weigh on GDP growth.
Demographics: The U.S. population is aging, and its largest segment, the post-World War II baby boom generation, is starting to retire. That implies even less consumer spending, as adults typically decrease spending in their retirement years.
Export traffic jam: In general, U.S. multinational corporations are well-positioned for the next global economic expansion from the standpoints of product quality and distribution networks. The problem is, so are are many of their foreign-based competitors. Moreover, dozens of formidable emerging-market nations have export-dominant economies: They must export to grow. Hence, the current global expansion will probably feature a surplus of goods (at least initially) and intense competition. That's likely to keep U.S. export revenue below what it would be without those surplus goods, limiting the tailwind from exports to U.S. GDP.
U.S. budget deficit reduction: Spending for the bank bailout, related financial system measures and the fiscal stimulus package will have to repaid at some point. So will spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which currently totals $934 billion, not counting interest. Health-care reform will limit entitlement spending growth in Medicare and Medicaid, but additional spending cuts and tax increases will be needed, and more resources will be removed from the private sector. Net result? Historically, tax increases have constrained U.S. GDP growth.
Workforce reduction: The current recession has resulted in the loss of more than 7.6 million jobs, and more than 15 million Americans are looking for work. Basically, current nonfarm payrolls are about at the level they were in early 2000. The nation needs to create 100,000 to 125,000 jobs each month just to keep the unemployment rate from rising. Further, even assuming a return to 200,000 to 225,000 monthly gains in jobs -- and that's a big assumption, given current demand conditions -- it would take the nation more than six years to replace all of the jobs lost so far during this recession. That suggests the U.S. will not nearly have the demand characteristics of previous expansions, with constrained household formation another damper on GDP growth.
Wage stagnation: The aforementioned slack in the labor force -- and the competition from lower-cost production centers abroad -- has led to another problematic trend: stagnant wages in many U.S. job segments. Simply, if this trend continues, it does not bode well for consumer spending.
Two Rays of Hope
PIMCO's Bill Gross, who heads the world's largest bond fund, has forecast a new era -- a period of "capitalism with limits" that will feature lower returns on equity, lower GDP growth and reduced job creation. He's not the only one forecasting a mild, U-shaped economic recovery.
Is there any chance that the U.S. can avoid this slow-growth future? What factors might counterbalance those mentioned above and enable the country to experience robust GDP growth again -- say, 6% in the expansion's initial stage, and above 3% thereafter? That's a good question. No economists have 6% initial expansion-stage forecasts out there now, but the key to achieving strong growth lies in the appearance of a domestic catalyst – a growth engine that really adds to job creation. Green technology holds promise, but it's not likely to create millions of new jobs, at least not initially.
However, two historical precedents -- macroeconomic "rays of light," if you will -- present counterarguments to the slow-growth forecast.
First, the U.S. economy has never fallen into a double-dip recession after an 18-month downturn.
Second, historically, once momentum has begun to increase in the U.S. economy, the economy has kept accelerating until the Fed "took the punch bowl away," i.e., until it increased short-term interest rates (and in the post-financial crisis era, that will include removing quantitative easing funds). This suggests that, as long as the Fed keeps interest rates low and quantitative easing in place, it will at least create conditions that are ripe for an increase in demand and commercial activity. Whether that increase in demand appears remains an open question.
Financial editor Joseph Lazzaro is writing a book on the U.S. presidency and the U.S. economy.
Joseph Lazzaro
Nov 22nd 2009 at 3:00PMText SizeAAAFiled under: Economy
Is the U.S. headed for a "new normal" -- a slow-growth economy that lasts perhaps for as long as a decade? The evidence supporting the new-normal argument, predicting a future in which the U.S. GDP grows at no more than 2.0% to 2.5% per year, is compelling. That low growth rate would constrain corporate revenue, earnings growth and stock prices, among other consequences.
The U.S. has already registered below-trend GDP growth at this recovery's start -- just 3.5% in the third quarter, versus the more than 6% GDP growth typically registered in an expansion's initial stage. Here's why the slow-growth conditions might continue:
Housing sector doldrums: The massive overbuilding and the subsequent bust mean it will take at least another year to work off excess inventories in single-family homes, condos, co-ops, etc. Further, slumping prices will cause some families who would typically trade-up to stay put -- eliminating additional sector activity. As a result, housing won't be as strong a growth engine as it has been during previous expansions.
Frugal consumers: Americans are in the midst of making up for a decade of unsustainable overconsumption -- spending fueled in many cases by debt -- by increasing their savings. Currently, Americans are saving at about a 3% annual rate, but it did approach 5% earlier in the year. Also, asset declines in stock portfolios and homes are further impressing upon Americans the need to save: People have realized that they can't count on their 401(k) or their home appreciation being quite as large bonanzas as they had hoped for. Because consumer spending accounts for roughly two-thirds of the U.S. economy, a sustained reduction in consumption will weigh on GDP growth.
Demographics: The U.S. population is aging, and its largest segment, the post-World War II baby boom generation, is starting to retire. That implies even less consumer spending, as adults typically decrease spending in their retirement years.
Export traffic jam: In general, U.S. multinational corporations are well-positioned for the next global economic expansion from the standpoints of product quality and distribution networks. The problem is, so are are many of their foreign-based competitors. Moreover, dozens of formidable emerging-market nations have export-dominant economies: They must export to grow. Hence, the current global expansion will probably feature a surplus of goods (at least initially) and intense competition. That's likely to keep U.S. export revenue below what it would be without those surplus goods, limiting the tailwind from exports to U.S. GDP.
U.S. budget deficit reduction: Spending for the bank bailout, related financial system measures and the fiscal stimulus package will have to repaid at some point. So will spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which currently totals $934 billion, not counting interest. Health-care reform will limit entitlement spending growth in Medicare and Medicaid, but additional spending cuts and tax increases will be needed, and more resources will be removed from the private sector. Net result? Historically, tax increases have constrained U.S. GDP growth.
Workforce reduction: The current recession has resulted in the loss of more than 7.6 million jobs, and more than 15 million Americans are looking for work. Basically, current nonfarm payrolls are about at the level they were in early 2000. The nation needs to create 100,000 to 125,000 jobs each month just to keep the unemployment rate from rising. Further, even assuming a return to 200,000 to 225,000 monthly gains in jobs -- and that's a big assumption, given current demand conditions -- it would take the nation more than six years to replace all of the jobs lost so far during this recession. That suggests the U.S. will not nearly have the demand characteristics of previous expansions, with constrained household formation another damper on GDP growth.
Wage stagnation: The aforementioned slack in the labor force -- and the competition from lower-cost production centers abroad -- has led to another problematic trend: stagnant wages in many U.S. job segments. Simply, if this trend continues, it does not bode well for consumer spending.
Two Rays of Hope
PIMCO's Bill Gross, who heads the world's largest bond fund, has forecast a new era -- a period of "capitalism with limits" that will feature lower returns on equity, lower GDP growth and reduced job creation. He's not the only one forecasting a mild, U-shaped economic recovery.
Is there any chance that the U.S. can avoid this slow-growth future? What factors might counterbalance those mentioned above and enable the country to experience robust GDP growth again -- say, 6% in the expansion's initial stage, and above 3% thereafter? That's a good question. No economists have 6% initial expansion-stage forecasts out there now, but the key to achieving strong growth lies in the appearance of a domestic catalyst – a growth engine that really adds to job creation. Green technology holds promise, but it's not likely to create millions of new jobs, at least not initially.
However, two historical precedents -- macroeconomic "rays of light," if you will -- present counterarguments to the slow-growth forecast.
First, the U.S. economy has never fallen into a double-dip recession after an 18-month downturn.
Second, historically, once momentum has begun to increase in the U.S. economy, the economy has kept accelerating until the Fed "took the punch bowl away," i.e., until it increased short-term interest rates (and in the post-financial crisis era, that will include removing quantitative easing funds). This suggests that, as long as the Fed keeps interest rates low and quantitative easing in place, it will at least create conditions that are ripe for an increase in demand and commercial activity. Whether that increase in demand appears remains an open question.
Financial editor Joseph Lazzaro is writing a book on the U.S. presidency and the U.S. economy.
9 Car-Care Myths You Should Ignore
A reality check on car-care myths
By the Editors of Consumer Reports
Bing: Common Myths of Car Care
Read: The Truth About No-Cost Maintenance
Consumer Reports: Save Hundreds on Auto Service
To paraphrase Mark Twain, it's not what you don't know that can come back to bite you; it's what you know for sure that ain't true. When it comes to maintaining your car, misconceptions abound. And even the best intentions can lead you to spend more money than necessary or even compromise your safety. Here are common myths that can do more harm than good:
Myth: Engine oil should be changed every 3,000 miles.
Reality: Despite what oil companies and quick-lube shops often claim, it's usually not necessary. Stick to the service intervals in your car's owner's manual. Under normal driving conditions, most vehicles are designed to go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes. Changing oil more often doesn't hurt the engine, but it can cost you a lot of extra money. Automakers often recommend 3,000-mile intervals for severe driving conditions, such as constant stop-and-go driving, frequent trailer-towing, mountainous terrain, or dusty conditions.
Myth: Inflate tires to the pressure shown on the tire's sidewall.
Reality: The pounds-per-square-inch figure on the side of the tire is the maximum pressure that the tire can safely hold, not the automaker's recommended pressure, which provides the best balance of braking, handling, gas mileage, and ride comfort. That figure is usually found on a doorjamb sticker, in the glove box, or on the fuel-filler door. Perform a monthly pressure check when tires are cold or after the car has been parked for a few hours.
Myth: If the brake fluid is low, topping it off will fix the problem.
Reality: As brake pads wear, the level in the brake-fluid reservoir drops a bit. That helps you monitor brake wear. If the fluid level drops to or below the Low mark on the reservoir, then either your brakes are worn out or fluid is leaking. Either way, get the brake system serviced immediately. You should also get a routine brake inspection when you rotate the tires, about every 6,000 to 7,000 miles.
Myth: If regular-grade fuel is good, premium must be better.
Reality: Most vehicles run just fine on regular-grade (87 octane) fuel. Using premium in these cars won't hurt, but it won't improve performance, either. A higher-octane number simply means that the fuel is less prone to pre-ignition problems, so it's often specified for hotter running, high-compression engines. So if your car is designed for 87-octane fuel, don't waste money on premium.
Myth: Flush the coolant with every oil change.
Reality: Radiator coolant doesn't need to be replaced very often. Most owner's manuals recommend changing the coolant every five years or 60,000 miles. Of course, if the level in the coolant reservoir is chronically low, check for a leak and get service as soon as possible.
Myth: After a jump-start, your car will soon recharge the battery.
Reality: It could take hours of driving to restore a battery's full charge, especially in the winter. That's because power accessories, such as heated seats, draw so much electricity that in some cars the alternator has little left over to recharge a run-down battery. A"load test" at a service station can determine whether the battery can still hold a charge. If so, some hours on a battery charger might be needed to revive the battery to its full potential.
Myth: Let your engine warm up for several minutes before driving.
Reality: That might have been good advice for yesteryear's cars but is less so today. Modern engines warm up more quickly when they're driven. And the sooner they warm up, the sooner they reach maximum efficiency and deliver the best fuel economy and performance. But don't rev the engine high over the first few miles while it's warming up.
Myth: A dealership must perform regular maintenance to keep your car's factory warranty valid.
Reality: As long as the maintenance items specified in the vehicle owner's manual are performed on schedule, the work can be done at any auto-repair shop. If you're knowledgeable, you can even do the work yourself. Just keep accurate records and receipts to back you up in case of a warranty dispute on a future repair.
Myth: Dishwashing and laundry detergents make a good car wash.
Reality: Detergent can strip off a car's wax finish. Instead, use a car-wash liquid, which is formulated to clean without removing wax
By the Editors of Consumer Reports
Bing: Common Myths of Car Care
Read: The Truth About No-Cost Maintenance
Consumer Reports: Save Hundreds on Auto Service
To paraphrase Mark Twain, it's not what you don't know that can come back to bite you; it's what you know for sure that ain't true. When it comes to maintaining your car, misconceptions abound. And even the best intentions can lead you to spend more money than necessary or even compromise your safety. Here are common myths that can do more harm than good:
Myth: Engine oil should be changed every 3,000 miles.
Reality: Despite what oil companies and quick-lube shops often claim, it's usually not necessary. Stick to the service intervals in your car's owner's manual. Under normal driving conditions, most vehicles are designed to go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes. Changing oil more often doesn't hurt the engine, but it can cost you a lot of extra money. Automakers often recommend 3,000-mile intervals for severe driving conditions, such as constant stop-and-go driving, frequent trailer-towing, mountainous terrain, or dusty conditions.
Myth: Inflate tires to the pressure shown on the tire's sidewall.
Reality: The pounds-per-square-inch figure on the side of the tire is the maximum pressure that the tire can safely hold, not the automaker's recommended pressure, which provides the best balance of braking, handling, gas mileage, and ride comfort. That figure is usually found on a doorjamb sticker, in the glove box, or on the fuel-filler door. Perform a monthly pressure check when tires are cold or after the car has been parked for a few hours.
Myth: If the brake fluid is low, topping it off will fix the problem.
Reality: As brake pads wear, the level in the brake-fluid reservoir drops a bit. That helps you monitor brake wear. If the fluid level drops to or below the Low mark on the reservoir, then either your brakes are worn out or fluid is leaking. Either way, get the brake system serviced immediately. You should also get a routine brake inspection when you rotate the tires, about every 6,000 to 7,000 miles.
Myth: If regular-grade fuel is good, premium must be better.
Reality: Most vehicles run just fine on regular-grade (87 octane) fuel. Using premium in these cars won't hurt, but it won't improve performance, either. A higher-octane number simply means that the fuel is less prone to pre-ignition problems, so it's often specified for hotter running, high-compression engines. So if your car is designed for 87-octane fuel, don't waste money on premium.
Myth: Flush the coolant with every oil change.
Reality: Radiator coolant doesn't need to be replaced very often. Most owner's manuals recommend changing the coolant every five years or 60,000 miles. Of course, if the level in the coolant reservoir is chronically low, check for a leak and get service as soon as possible.
Myth: After a jump-start, your car will soon recharge the battery.
Reality: It could take hours of driving to restore a battery's full charge, especially in the winter. That's because power accessories, such as heated seats, draw so much electricity that in some cars the alternator has little left over to recharge a run-down battery. A"load test" at a service station can determine whether the battery can still hold a charge. If so, some hours on a battery charger might be needed to revive the battery to its full potential.
Myth: Let your engine warm up for several minutes before driving.
Reality: That might have been good advice for yesteryear's cars but is less so today. Modern engines warm up more quickly when they're driven. And the sooner they warm up, the sooner they reach maximum efficiency and deliver the best fuel economy and performance. But don't rev the engine high over the first few miles while it's warming up.
Myth: A dealership must perform regular maintenance to keep your car's factory warranty valid.
Reality: As long as the maintenance items specified in the vehicle owner's manual are performed on schedule, the work can be done at any auto-repair shop. If you're knowledgeable, you can even do the work yourself. Just keep accurate records and receipts to back you up in case of a warranty dispute on a future repair.
Myth: Dishwashing and laundry detergents make a good car wash.
Reality: Detergent can strip off a car's wax finish. Instead, use a car-wash liquid, which is formulated to clean without removing wax
Government wants faster airport screening
In test, travelers cut average waiting time from 10 minutes to 3
Getty Images The Big Apple
Long referred to as the center of American business, New York is a melting pot of cultures and landscapes. Take a visual tour of some of the Big Apple’s most famous attractions.
Lonely Planet Images National spectacles
Nearly 400 national parks can be found all across America, and feature breathtaking vistas, rock formations millions of years old, and more.
Flight attendant jets from gray to gorgeous
Man gets life in prison for woman's fatal scare
Clinic with two doors, a symbol of two-tier care
Official: Teen killed by NYPD was shot 11 times
Schumer: Dems can go it alone on health care
updated 5:54 p.m. ET, Thurs., Nov . 19, 2009
WASHINGTON - The Homeland Security Department wants to expand speedy screening of preapproved, low-risk air travelers arriving in the United States to most international airports in the country.
For more than a year, the department has been testing this program at seven airports across the country and found that participating travelers cut their average waiting time to be screened from 10 minutes to three.
The voluntary program, called Global Entry, would be open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents at least 14 years old. They would have to pay a $100 fee and undergo a background check. If accepted into the program, they can go through expedited screening when they fly into the United States. Ultimately, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a homeland security agency, plans to expand the program to include foreign travelers whose countries have an acceptable prescreening process. For instance, people from the Netherlands who are part of that country's Privium program have been accepted into the pilot program.
The program will begin at seven airports testing the pilot program and expand to most major international airports. The seven are New York's Kennedy, Houston's George Bush, Washington's Dulles, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, Chicago's O'Hare, Los Angeles International and Miami International.
The program allows registered participants to use a self-service kiosk to report their arrival, scan their passport or permanent residency card, submit their fingerprints for biometric verification and make a declaration at the touch-screen kiosk. The kiosk then takes a digital photograph of the traveler as part of the transaction record, issues a receipt and directs the traveler to baggage claim and the exit. Global Entry participants may still be selected randomly by customs officers for additional screening at any time in the process.
The Homeland Security Department published the proposed rule in Thursday's Federal Register. The public has until Jan. 19 to comment on the proposal.
Getty Images The Big Apple
Long referred to as the center of American business, New York is a melting pot of cultures and landscapes. Take a visual tour of some of the Big Apple’s most famous attractions.
Lonely Planet Images National spectacles
Nearly 400 national parks can be found all across America, and feature breathtaking vistas, rock formations millions of years old, and more.
Flight attendant jets from gray to gorgeous
Man gets life in prison for woman's fatal scare
Clinic with two doors, a symbol of two-tier care
Official: Teen killed by NYPD was shot 11 times
Schumer: Dems can go it alone on health care
updated 5:54 p.m. ET, Thurs., Nov . 19, 2009
WASHINGTON - The Homeland Security Department wants to expand speedy screening of preapproved, low-risk air travelers arriving in the United States to most international airports in the country.
For more than a year, the department has been testing this program at seven airports across the country and found that participating travelers cut their average waiting time to be screened from 10 minutes to three.
The voluntary program, called Global Entry, would be open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents at least 14 years old. They would have to pay a $100 fee and undergo a background check. If accepted into the program, they can go through expedited screening when they fly into the United States. Ultimately, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a homeland security agency, plans to expand the program to include foreign travelers whose countries have an acceptable prescreening process. For instance, people from the Netherlands who are part of that country's Privium program have been accepted into the pilot program.
The program will begin at seven airports testing the pilot program and expand to most major international airports. The seven are New York's Kennedy, Houston's George Bush, Washington's Dulles, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, Chicago's O'Hare, Los Angeles International and Miami International.
The program allows registered participants to use a self-service kiosk to report their arrival, scan their passport or permanent residency card, submit their fingerprints for biometric verification and make a declaration at the touch-screen kiosk. The kiosk then takes a digital photograph of the traveler as part of the transaction record, issues a receipt and directs the traveler to baggage claim and the exit. Global Entry participants may still be selected randomly by customs officers for additional screening at any time in the process.
The Homeland Security Department published the proposed rule in Thursday's Federal Register. The public has until Jan. 19 to comment on the proposal.
Used shoes take giant steps in poor countries
Ill. woman's charity has been putting footwear on needy kids for 10 years
Mona Purdy, founder and executive director of Share Your Soles, straightens rows of shoes at her warehouse in the Chicago suburb of Alsip, Ill., on Nov. 5.
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Click here to nominate someone via e-mail
updated 6:23 p.m. ET, Sun., Nov . 15, 2009
ALSIP, Ill. - Mona Purdy, a Chicago hairdresser, has seen what a pair of used shoes can do to change the lives of poor children.
At a Jamaican orphanage, girls suffering from deformities and burns couldn't believe the shoes Purdy had given them were theirs to keep.
"They had not had Christmas, ever. Christmas was giving them these used shoes in March," said Purdy, the founder of the charity, Share Your Soles, her voice cracking with emotion.
"I'm thinking, 'I shouldn't be here. I should be home with my kids.' After I saw these kids I realized I am so supposed to be here."
The impetus for the charity began 10 years ago when Purdy participated in a race in Guatemala, where local children put hot tar on the bottom of their feet and ran along the side of rocky course.
It was fortified when she learned that in many countries having shoes is a prerequisite for attending schools, and how walking in bare feet can cause injuries and infections that can lead to amputation.
"It blew my mind. I didn't know kids didn't have shoes anywhere," said Purdy, a divorced mother of three, recalling what led her to start the charity in her suburban Chicago home.
Sandals to gym shoes
With more and more shoes being donated, it later moved to bigger warehouses and expanded to more countries with the help of donated space and shipping.
Now volunteers from all walks of life help sort the footwear that arrives in bags, boxes and barrels at the 400,000-square-foot warehouse in Alsip, Ill., from shoe drives and drop-off centers across the U.S.
Elegant sandals, sturdy hiking boots, gym shoes and tiny baby shoes are cleaned or polished and sent to countries such as Uganda, Peru and Lithuania.
"If you see anything that you have to think twice about throw it out," Purdy told high school volunteers recently, emphazing the importance of respecting the dignity of the shoe recipients.
The students are taught to sort the footwear — snow boots go to American Indian reservations in South Dakota, rubber boots are destined for people scavenging garbage dumps in Haiti and slip-on water shoes are headed for the Amazon.
Soccer cleats go everywhere.
"I'm trying to teach these kids that if you do something small you won't save someone's life, but you can change someone's life," Purdy said.
Mona Purdy
Mona Purdy poses with a boy in Haiti who got two pairs of used shoes through Purdy’s Share Your Soles charity.
Taking baby steps
Collecting and distributing 900,000 pairs of used shoes over the past decade has changed Purdy's life. She is now the executive director of a charity which has no religious or government affiliation and has helped the needy in at least 29 countries and several U.S. states.
She has resorted to bribes in some countries to ensure the shoes aren't sold, been infected with parasites and suffered from fevers. But whatever adversity she encountered, it has been diminished by the joy she witnessed.
At an all-boys orphanage in Ecuador, even a mismarked box of girls shoes was welcomed.
"The boys were so happy that they got some shoes even though they were little girls' leather school shoes. Some had straps and little bows on them," she explained.
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With the 10-year anniversary of Share Your Soles behind her, Purdy would like to become a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. She also wants to apply for federal grants to bolster the charity's $975,000 annual budget.
"It might begin with shoes," she said. "But it doesn't end there."
Cmment
In my recent move from my 4-3 house to my apt. I discovered I have accumulated 50 or 60 shoes, over the years, most of which could be donated if I knew where to send them.
Mona Purdy, founder and executive director of Share Your Soles, straightens rows of shoes at her warehouse in the Chicago suburb of Alsip, Ill., on Nov. 5.
Latest news on charities
Deer hunters help feed the hungry
In Ohio and other states, venison donations give food banks a lift
Goldman Sachs on Thanksgiving trash duty
Hundreds of financial firm's employees volunteer for cleanup duty
Study: 6 million seniors at risk of hunger
Findings by charity says most of them live above poverty levels
Food banks struggle to meet demand
Charities ask Congress to create tax incentives to get people to donate
Schools get $335 million to boost teaching
Gates Foundation grants awarded for education experiments in 4 states
Experts: Companies should keep holiday gifts
Owners must look upon customer gifts as investment, not budget line
Goldman, Buffett to help small businesses
Move comes as firm faces criticism for oversized bonuses, paychecks
Good news on ‘Nightly News’ Archive
Zoo animals comfort sick kids via TV
Boys Town wins on—and off—the field
It's about 'second chances' says Boys Town football player
Nightly viewers open hearts to Afghan orphans
Singer’s school fosters kids’ love of arts
Click here to nominate someone via e-mail
updated 6:23 p.m. ET, Sun., Nov . 15, 2009
ALSIP, Ill. - Mona Purdy, a Chicago hairdresser, has seen what a pair of used shoes can do to change the lives of poor children.
At a Jamaican orphanage, girls suffering from deformities and burns couldn't believe the shoes Purdy had given them were theirs to keep.
"They had not had Christmas, ever. Christmas was giving them these used shoes in March," said Purdy, the founder of the charity, Share Your Soles, her voice cracking with emotion.
"I'm thinking, 'I shouldn't be here. I should be home with my kids.' After I saw these kids I realized I am so supposed to be here."
The impetus for the charity began 10 years ago when Purdy participated in a race in Guatemala, where local children put hot tar on the bottom of their feet and ran along the side of rocky course.
It was fortified when she learned that in many countries having shoes is a prerequisite for attending schools, and how walking in bare feet can cause injuries and infections that can lead to amputation.
"It blew my mind. I didn't know kids didn't have shoes anywhere," said Purdy, a divorced mother of three, recalling what led her to start the charity in her suburban Chicago home.
Sandals to gym shoes
With more and more shoes being donated, it later moved to bigger warehouses and expanded to more countries with the help of donated space and shipping.
Now volunteers from all walks of life help sort the footwear that arrives in bags, boxes and barrels at the 400,000-square-foot warehouse in Alsip, Ill., from shoe drives and drop-off centers across the U.S.
Elegant sandals, sturdy hiking boots, gym shoes and tiny baby shoes are cleaned or polished and sent to countries such as Uganda, Peru and Lithuania.
"If you see anything that you have to think twice about throw it out," Purdy told high school volunteers recently, emphazing the importance of respecting the dignity of the shoe recipients.
The students are taught to sort the footwear — snow boots go to American Indian reservations in South Dakota, rubber boots are destined for people scavenging garbage dumps in Haiti and slip-on water shoes are headed for the Amazon.
Soccer cleats go everywhere.
"I'm trying to teach these kids that if you do something small you won't save someone's life, but you can change someone's life," Purdy said.
Mona Purdy
Mona Purdy poses with a boy in Haiti who got two pairs of used shoes through Purdy’s Share Your Soles charity.
Taking baby steps
Collecting and distributing 900,000 pairs of used shoes over the past decade has changed Purdy's life. She is now the executive director of a charity which has no religious or government affiliation and has helped the needy in at least 29 countries and several U.S. states.
She has resorted to bribes in some countries to ensure the shoes aren't sold, been infected with parasites and suffered from fevers. But whatever adversity she encountered, it has been diminished by the joy she witnessed.
At an all-boys orphanage in Ecuador, even a mismarked box of girls shoes was welcomed.
"The boys were so happy that they got some shoes even though they were little girls' leather school shoes. Some had straps and little bows on them," she explained.
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With the 10-year anniversary of Share Your Soles behind her, Purdy would like to become a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. She also wants to apply for federal grants to bolster the charity's $975,000 annual budget.
"It might begin with shoes," she said. "But it doesn't end there."
Cmment
In my recent move from my 4-3 house to my apt. I discovered I have accumulated 50 or 60 shoes, over the years, most of which could be donated if I knew where to send them.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
U.S., Mexico align against brutal narcotics trade
After long era of mistrust, nations merge training, intelligence, technology
Guillermo Arias / AP file
Police officers examine a patrol truck struck by bullets after a shooting between gunmen and police in Tijuana, Mexico, on Sept. 30.
Interactive: Mexican drug cartels
Learn more about how Mexican drug cartels are extending their reach farther into the U.S.
Mexico under siege
The death toll is spiraling throughout Mexico as a war between the country's government and the drug cartels intensifies.
Flight attendant jets from gray to gorgeous
U.S., Mexico align against brutal narcotics trade
Rep. Kennedy: I’m barred from communion
Woman loses benefits over Facebook photos
Police: Man fatally stabbed over subway seat
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Death toll at Chinese mine rises to 87
Senate Democrats vote to bring health bill to floor for debate
By William Booth and Steve Fainaru
updated 3:35 a.m. ET, Sun., Nov . 22, 2009
MEXICO CITY - To avenge the arrest of their leader, Mexican drug cartel commandos went on a rampage this summer across the lawless state of Michoacan, seizing 12 Mexican police officers and dumping their bound and stripped corpses in a pile beside a busy highway.
The slaughtered federal agents, it later emerged, had something in common: All had been vetted and trained by the U.S. government to work alongside its anti-narcotics agents. Officials said the American connection made them high-value targets for the cartels, which are lashing back ruthlessly against a military crackdown involving unprecedented cooperation between the two countries.
After decades of mistrust and sometimes betrayal, Mexican and U.S. authorities are increasingly setting aside their differences to unite against a common enemy. According to interviews in Washington and Mexico City, the two countries are sharing sensitive intelligence and computer technology, military hardware and, perhaps most importantly, U.S. know-how to train and vet Mexican agents. Police and soldiers secretly on the cartels' payroll have long poisoned efforts at cross-border cooperation against some of the world's most dangerous criminal organizations.
"The recognition by both sides, at the highest levels, that we have a shared responsibility for drug trafficking and serious crime in Mexico is a watershed change," said John Feeley, the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico.
The newly robust partnership is still risky, uneasy and freighted with old suspicions. U.S. law enforcement officials said it is being forged with the assurance by the U.S. State Department that Mexico's weak law enforcement agencies will overcome a history of incompetence and corruption, and that the closed ranks of the Mexican military, which operates with virtual impunity, can get past its hostility to outsiders.
A gamble
U.S. officials also acknowledge that the growing cooperation is still a gamble. With their almost limitless resources, drug traffickers have corrupted top crime fighters in President Felipe Calderón's administration, including the head of the attorney general's organized-crime unit. A cartel spy penetrated the Interpol office here and claims to have worked inside the U.S. Embassy to steal secrets from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The new relationship goes well beyond, and builds upon, the Merida Initiative, the $1.4 billion U.S. anti-narcotics package to Mexico launched by the Bush administration. That three-year agreement includes the promise of Black Hawk helicopters, night-vision goggles and gamma-ray scanners to search for guns and cash at the U.S.-Mexico border.
But now, for the first time, the U.S. and Mexican armed forces regularly exchange classified intelligence in real time, often through Mexican officers embedded at the U.S. Northern Command in Colorado Springs and at an interagency task force in Key West, Fla. The task force, which is responsible for military satellite and maritime surveillance over the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, relays information to the Mexican navy and air force to interdict drugs moving north.
Mexican reporter on organized crime goes missing
Teen pleads guilty in murder of border agent
‘This will make us proactive’
In addition, Mexican technicians are using U.S. government software to help build Platform Mexico, a computer network housed in a new five-story bunker at the edge of Mexico City. When the facility opens next week, the network will connect Mexican authorities with U.S. law enforcement databases. The most useful information, such as traces of weapons used in crimes, is being translated into Spanish.
"This is one of our most important reforms because if you don't have the intelligence, the information, you are just reacting. This will make us proactive," said José Francisco Niembro González, director of Platform Mexico.
While hardware and technology are important, senior officials in both governments describe the vetting program as the linchpin for their new levels of information sharing. Under an agreement with the Mexican government, U.S. agencies administer lie-detector tests and background checks for hundreds of Mexican agents now working with U.S. counterparts. These vetted units, which include elements in the Mexican military, are cleared to receive U.S. intelligence, including access to undercover agents and confidential informants.
The murder of the 12 agents in Michoacan represents the deadliest attack against the Mexican federal police in the modern era. The officers were ambushed just as they were about to launch an operation against a leader of La Familia, one of Mexico's newest and most violent drug mafias. Instead, in the middle of the night, 20 heavily armed men, dressed in stolen uniforms and impersonating federal officers, burst into their rented house and kidnapped them.
The Mexican agents were betrayed by local residents and captured by the trafficker they sought, Servando "La Tuta" Gomez-Martinez, who then ordered the 12 officers executed, according to an account given to The Washington Post by Ramon Eduardo Pequeno, a top official in the federal police who commanded the slain agents.
These were not the first federal police officers vetted by the United States to have been assassinated by traffickers, said a U.S. source familiar with the program. But U.S. and Mexican officials remain convinced of its effectiveness.
Key assets in fight
Last month, vetted Mexican agents provided information that helped lead to the arrest of more than 300 U.S.-based suppliers for La Familia, according to U.S. officials.
"I would take an oath in court that those vetted units have been the key to a number of arrests in Mexico and the United States," said Anthony Placido, the DEA's chief of intelligence. "What it's basically enabled us to do is play Ping-Pong: They share information with us, we share it with them, and we all use it to make cases. We arrest people and flip them, and then pass information down to them."
Prosecutors say that Mexican traffickers fear life sentences in U.S. prisons more than death.
Mexican authorities are now arresting their own citizens in drug trafficking cases developed by the U.S. Justice Department and transferring defendants north for trial -- which would have been seen as an unthinkable breach of Mexican sovereignty just a few years ago. Mexico has extradited a record 284 defendants for prosecution in the United States over the past three years, fulfilling a treaty obligation that was ignored until Calderón took office in December 2006.
The reputed leader of the Gulf cartel, Osiel Cárdenas, was flown to Houston in shackles in 2007. This summer his trial was abruptly cancelled without explanation, as rumors swirl that Cárdenas, known as "the Killer of Friends," cut a deal with the DEA to provide information.
Desperate for more agents on the street
As the drug wars rage, leaving more than 16,000 dead in three years, the United States and Mexico are desperate to get more federal agents on the streets. By spring, the two governments hope to graduate more than 10,000 cadets from a new U.S.-funded training academy in San Luis Potosi.
The cadets are required to complete a seven-week crash course in basic detective work taught by instructors from the United States, Canada and Colombia working alongside Mexican agents.
The academy recruits college graduates, and classrooms and firing ranges on the manicured campus are filled with young lawyers, engineers, biochemists and computer scientists who study a curriculum developed by retired FBI agents and taught by active-duty officers borrowed from the Secret Service, DEA, the Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
"Our new training will create a new, better federal police force with new values," said Mauricio Sanchez Rincon, 23, who has a college degree in computer science and is one of the 3,259 fresh-faced cadets. "Those values are discipline, respect, and honesty. That's going to be important in convincing people they can have faith in us, that they can approach us and not be afraid."
U.S. and Mexican officials trace the change in the relationship to Calderón, who put the Mexican army in charge of fighting the drug war and approached the Bush administration with the proposal for a partnership that became the Merida Initiative.
For the first time, the Mexican navy participated in joint military exercises with the United States earlier this year. Frank Mora, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for Western Hemispheric affairs, said the military-to-military cooperation has expanded to include counternarcotics, intelligence analysis and helicopter pilot training.
"It's not just the Mexicans needing us," he said. "It is us needing the Mexicans."
Comment
Apparently there are elements of the Mexican drug gangs all over the USA. We will be far more effective with the help of the Mexican government.
Guillermo Arias / AP file
Police officers examine a patrol truck struck by bullets after a shooting between gunmen and police in Tijuana, Mexico, on Sept. 30.
Interactive: Mexican drug cartels
Learn more about how Mexican drug cartels are extending their reach farther into the U.S.
Mexico under siege
The death toll is spiraling throughout Mexico as a war between the country's government and the drug cartels intensifies.
Flight attendant jets from gray to gorgeous
U.S., Mexico align against brutal narcotics trade
Rep. Kennedy: I’m barred from communion
Woman loses benefits over Facebook photos
Police: Man fatally stabbed over subway seat
Most viewed on msnbc.com
Predatory fish are nearing Great Lakes
Subway carries 3-year-old boy’s dad away
Man charged with raping, killing N.C. girl, 5
Ex-Air Force nurse acquitted of killing patients
Fired therapist: Stressed Marines got bad care
Resurgent al-Qaeda in Iraq seeks to undermine government
India questions Western data linking climate change, Himalayan melt
Death toll at Chinese mine rises to 87
Senate Democrats vote to bring health bill to floor for debate
By William Booth and Steve Fainaru
updated 3:35 a.m. ET, Sun., Nov . 22, 2009
MEXICO CITY - To avenge the arrest of their leader, Mexican drug cartel commandos went on a rampage this summer across the lawless state of Michoacan, seizing 12 Mexican police officers and dumping their bound and stripped corpses in a pile beside a busy highway.
The slaughtered federal agents, it later emerged, had something in common: All had been vetted and trained by the U.S. government to work alongside its anti-narcotics agents. Officials said the American connection made them high-value targets for the cartels, which are lashing back ruthlessly against a military crackdown involving unprecedented cooperation between the two countries.
After decades of mistrust and sometimes betrayal, Mexican and U.S. authorities are increasingly setting aside their differences to unite against a common enemy. According to interviews in Washington and Mexico City, the two countries are sharing sensitive intelligence and computer technology, military hardware and, perhaps most importantly, U.S. know-how to train and vet Mexican agents. Police and soldiers secretly on the cartels' payroll have long poisoned efforts at cross-border cooperation against some of the world's most dangerous criminal organizations.
"The recognition by both sides, at the highest levels, that we have a shared responsibility for drug trafficking and serious crime in Mexico is a watershed change," said John Feeley, the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico.
The newly robust partnership is still risky, uneasy and freighted with old suspicions. U.S. law enforcement officials said it is being forged with the assurance by the U.S. State Department that Mexico's weak law enforcement agencies will overcome a history of incompetence and corruption, and that the closed ranks of the Mexican military, which operates with virtual impunity, can get past its hostility to outsiders.
A gamble
U.S. officials also acknowledge that the growing cooperation is still a gamble. With their almost limitless resources, drug traffickers have corrupted top crime fighters in President Felipe Calderón's administration, including the head of the attorney general's organized-crime unit. A cartel spy penetrated the Interpol office here and claims to have worked inside the U.S. Embassy to steal secrets from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The new relationship goes well beyond, and builds upon, the Merida Initiative, the $1.4 billion U.S. anti-narcotics package to Mexico launched by the Bush administration. That three-year agreement includes the promise of Black Hawk helicopters, night-vision goggles and gamma-ray scanners to search for guns and cash at the U.S.-Mexico border.
But now, for the first time, the U.S. and Mexican armed forces regularly exchange classified intelligence in real time, often through Mexican officers embedded at the U.S. Northern Command in Colorado Springs and at an interagency task force in Key West, Fla. The task force, which is responsible for military satellite and maritime surveillance over the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, relays information to the Mexican navy and air force to interdict drugs moving north.
Mexican reporter on organized crime goes missing
Teen pleads guilty in murder of border agent
‘This will make us proactive’
In addition, Mexican technicians are using U.S. government software to help build Platform Mexico, a computer network housed in a new five-story bunker at the edge of Mexico City. When the facility opens next week, the network will connect Mexican authorities with U.S. law enforcement databases. The most useful information, such as traces of weapons used in crimes, is being translated into Spanish.
"This is one of our most important reforms because if you don't have the intelligence, the information, you are just reacting. This will make us proactive," said José Francisco Niembro González, director of Platform Mexico.
While hardware and technology are important, senior officials in both governments describe the vetting program as the linchpin for their new levels of information sharing. Under an agreement with the Mexican government, U.S. agencies administer lie-detector tests and background checks for hundreds of Mexican agents now working with U.S. counterparts. These vetted units, which include elements in the Mexican military, are cleared to receive U.S. intelligence, including access to undercover agents and confidential informants.
The murder of the 12 agents in Michoacan represents the deadliest attack against the Mexican federal police in the modern era. The officers were ambushed just as they were about to launch an operation against a leader of La Familia, one of Mexico's newest and most violent drug mafias. Instead, in the middle of the night, 20 heavily armed men, dressed in stolen uniforms and impersonating federal officers, burst into their rented house and kidnapped them.
The Mexican agents were betrayed by local residents and captured by the trafficker they sought, Servando "La Tuta" Gomez-Martinez, who then ordered the 12 officers executed, according to an account given to The Washington Post by Ramon Eduardo Pequeno, a top official in the federal police who commanded the slain agents.
These were not the first federal police officers vetted by the United States to have been assassinated by traffickers, said a U.S. source familiar with the program. But U.S. and Mexican officials remain convinced of its effectiveness.
Key assets in fight
Last month, vetted Mexican agents provided information that helped lead to the arrest of more than 300 U.S.-based suppliers for La Familia, according to U.S. officials.
"I would take an oath in court that those vetted units have been the key to a number of arrests in Mexico and the United States," said Anthony Placido, the DEA's chief of intelligence. "What it's basically enabled us to do is play Ping-Pong: They share information with us, we share it with them, and we all use it to make cases. We arrest people and flip them, and then pass information down to them."
Prosecutors say that Mexican traffickers fear life sentences in U.S. prisons more than death.
Mexican authorities are now arresting their own citizens in drug trafficking cases developed by the U.S. Justice Department and transferring defendants north for trial -- which would have been seen as an unthinkable breach of Mexican sovereignty just a few years ago. Mexico has extradited a record 284 defendants for prosecution in the United States over the past three years, fulfilling a treaty obligation that was ignored until Calderón took office in December 2006.
The reputed leader of the Gulf cartel, Osiel Cárdenas, was flown to Houston in shackles in 2007. This summer his trial was abruptly cancelled without explanation, as rumors swirl that Cárdenas, known as "the Killer of Friends," cut a deal with the DEA to provide information.
Desperate for more agents on the street
As the drug wars rage, leaving more than 16,000 dead in three years, the United States and Mexico are desperate to get more federal agents on the streets. By spring, the two governments hope to graduate more than 10,000 cadets from a new U.S.-funded training academy in San Luis Potosi.
The cadets are required to complete a seven-week crash course in basic detective work taught by instructors from the United States, Canada and Colombia working alongside Mexican agents.
The academy recruits college graduates, and classrooms and firing ranges on the manicured campus are filled with young lawyers, engineers, biochemists and computer scientists who study a curriculum developed by retired FBI agents and taught by active-duty officers borrowed from the Secret Service, DEA, the Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
"Our new training will create a new, better federal police force with new values," said Mauricio Sanchez Rincon, 23, who has a college degree in computer science and is one of the 3,259 fresh-faced cadets. "Those values are discipline, respect, and honesty. That's going to be important in convincing people they can have faith in us, that they can approach us and not be afraid."
U.S. and Mexican officials trace the change in the relationship to Calderón, who put the Mexican army in charge of fighting the drug war and approached the Bush administration with the proposal for a partnership that became the Merida Initiative.
For the first time, the Mexican navy participated in joint military exercises with the United States earlier this year. Frank Mora, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for Western Hemispheric affairs, said the military-to-military cooperation has expanded to include counternarcotics, intelligence analysis and helicopter pilot training.
"It's not just the Mexicans needing us," he said. "It is us needing the Mexicans."
Comment
Apparently there are elements of the Mexican drug gangs all over the USA. We will be far more effective with the help of the Mexican government.
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