USA

The gap between rich and poor is widening. An example from the USA, is that a CEO makes in one day, what a worker makes in an entire year.

Chief executive officers of big U.S. companies earned roughly as much each day last year as the average American production worker did in 12 months, according to a study published Wednesday by advocates of a higher U.S. minimum wage.

The CEOs were paid an average $10.8 million US — including salaries, bonuses and stock options— or more than 364 times the average worker's $29,544, the authors say.

The Chinese government has begun a concerted campaign of economic threats against the United States, hinting that it may liquidate its vast holding of US treasuries if Washington imposes trade sanctions to force a yuan revaluation.

Two officials at leading Communist Party bodies have given interviews in recent days warning - for the first time - that Beijing may use its $1.33 trillion (£658bn) of foreign reserves as a political weapon to counter pressure from the US Congress.

The number of Americans admitted to Canada in 2006 reached a 30 year high, with a 20% increase over 2005 and almost double the number in 2000.

Via the CBC.

Zogby International and Game Show Network (GSN) conducted a poll on prejudice in America.

The results are startling:

New Zogby/GSN Survey Reveals That:
- A Racist Lives Next Door - Most Americans believe they don't make decisions based on race... but think their neighbors do
- A gay President is OK, but most Americans wouldn't sanction his or her marriage

Yet another poll about Muslims in the USA, with some postive and other disturbing results.

(32% believe American Muslims are less loyal to the U.S.) But close to half (46%) of Americans say this country allows too many immigrants to come here from Muslim countries.

A solid majority of Americans (63%) believe most Muslims in this country do not condone violence, and 40% tend to believe the Qur'an itself does not condone violence (28% feel it does). But 41% of Americans feel Muslim culture glorifies suicide.

The Canadian dollar keeps gaining against the US dollar. It is now at 94 cents, from the historic low of 61.70 in January 2007. A stronger Canadian dollar is good for Canadians when shopping across the border, be it online or in person, or when vacationing in the USA. However, it is not good for Canada's economy as a whole.

Lee Iacocca, a great American icon, has written a book called Where have all the leaders gone?In it, he describes the 9 C's which are qualities of leaders, Curiosity, Creativity, Communication, Character, Courage, Conviction, Charisma, Competence, Common Sense, and Crisis Leadership. For everyone he lambasts G.W Bush and Congress for shortcomings over the tenure of the current administration.

An analysis on the BBC lists the bitter options facing the Bush administration as on what to do with the Iraq quagmire.

• There are four distinct wars in Iraq:
• Islamist jihadists against the USA
• Nationalist militants against the USA
• Shia militants against Sunnis
• Sunni militants against Shia
• The options so are are:
• Withdraw. This will only cause the violence to escalate, and perhaps a full scale civil ware.
• Increase the troops in Iraq. Public support may be limited and Congress may not approve the budget.
• Threaten to leave, in order to pressure the Iraqi government. That may not work, and the insurgents will see it as a victory.
• Negotiate with the insurgents. Unlikely.
• Divide Iraq into 3 autonomous states. This will cause all the conspiracy theorists who said this will happen be proven right.
• Continue what is being done today. Seems not to have worked, so why would it work in the future.

Read the details on the BBC. 

Seems like carbonated sugar water is making news in politics again.Earlier, I reported on how six states in India banning Coca Cola and Pepsi caused the US government to warn India about the effect of those decisions on investment from American companies.Today, Pepsi announced that an Indian born woman, Indra Nooyi is to become CEO of the company.In the past, Nooyi has made comments at a graduation ceremony where she said that the USA is the middle finger, and when it extends a hand to other nations, it should appear as a helping hand, not just extending a finger.

Some states in India have banned Coca Cola and Pepsi due to alleged high pesticide content. This goes back to 2004, and even 2003.Now, the USA is warning India that investment by American countries could suffer.