San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is exploring a run for Governor of California in 2010. From the Los Angeles Times:

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who built a national reputation pushing cutting-edge — and controversial — policies on same-sex marriage, healthcare and other issues, launched an exploratory bid for governor Tuesday.

His move placed the 40-year-old, two-term mayor out in front of a large Democratic field eyeing the race to succeed Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is barred by term limits from running again in 2010. Newsom said he expected to decide by year’s end whether to proceed with a full-fledged candidacy.

The first open-seat governor’s race in 12 years is expected to draw a crowded field of Democratic hopefuls, including former governor and current Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and former Controller Steve Westly, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2006.

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Here is the Thursday, June 5th, 2008, edition of interesting reads from around the world.

Energy Consumers Gather in Japan
Eleven nations that guzzle nearly two thirds of the world’s energy will hold talks in northern Japan this weekend, seeking ways to secure enough supply and reduce consumption as oil prices hit record highs. The June 7-8 ministerial meeting in Aomori, some 600km north of Tokyo, brings together China, India, South Korea, and the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised nations.

California Drought
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed a statewide drought Wednesday, warning that California’s water supply is falling dangerously low because of below-average rainfall and court-ordered water restrictions aimed at protecting fish. Administration officials call the governor’s move a first step, intended to put Californians on notice that rationing could be coming if the situation does not improve. More from the Los Angeles Times. We have been through this before, it is not much fun.

Mugagbe Tightens His Grip
Poll harassment continues as opposition leader held and government orders halt to independent food relief. More from the UK Guardian. Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was held for nine hours by police Wednesday and formally warned for allegedly breaching a security law after a campaign visit to a small provincial town. More on this aspect of the story from the BBC.

Fighting in Sri Lanka
A wave of new fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels across the Sri Lanka’s war-ravaged northern region killed 35 guerrillas and one soldier, the military said Thursday. Details in the International Herald Tribune.

Hungarians Miss Their Welfare State
Fistfulofeuros reports that “a recent poll showing that most Hungarians preferred life under communism caused a mild shock in the foreign community, but provoked little more than a characteristic shrug from Hungarians. After all, under János Kádár Hungary was one of the least repressive regimes in the Soviet bloc, the “Goulash Communism” of the 1980s allowed a certain amount of private business, inflation was unheard of, while the state was able to borrow on Western markets to fund a generous health and welfare system. As the number of Hungarians feeling nostalgic for those simpler times has risen from 53% in the last such survey in 2001 to 61% today, it’s clear that Hungarians are having trouble adjusting to modern-day reality.”

Dutch Must Improve Conditions for Europe’s Sole Female Islamic Terrorist
The Netherlands must end the ‘irresponsible’ conditions which Holland’s only convicted female terrorist is living under at the high security prison in Vught, according to prison inspectors working for the Council of Europe. The story from Dutch News.

Singaporean Dissidents Jailed
Singapore Democratic Party leaders opt for jail time for contempt of court because they’re too broke to pay the fine. As expected, Singaporean Democratic Party leader Chee Soon Juan and his sister, Chee Siok Chin, said Wednesday that they would go to jail for contempt of court because they could not afford an appeal of the sentence, which probably would have been futile anyway. The story from the Asia Sentinel.

Brazil and the United States Clash Over Bio-Fuels
Participants at a U.N. summit on the world’s food crisis differed this week over a key issue: how much the rush for environmentally friendly biofuels is contributing to the rocketing prices that are causing hunger and unrest in much of the globe. Fuels made from sugar cane, corn and other crops have been seen as a way to combat climate change and rising oil prices. The United States has been heavily subsidizing corn-based ethanol production. Last year, the 27-nation European Union endorsed a plan calling for biofuels to make up 10 percent of the fuel for road vehicles by 2020. However:

”It is frightening to see attempts to draw a cause-and-effect relationship between biofuels and the rise of food prices,” the president of Brazil, whose country’s sugar cane has long been used to produce ethanol that fuels cars and trucks, said Tuesday.

The story in the Miami Herald. I will provide a wrap up to the Rome Summit on the Global Food Crisis tomorrow. The summit ends today.

Russian Military Shake-Up
On June 3, 2008, a serious reshuffle took place in Russia’s military establishment: General Yury Baluyevsky stepped down as chief of the General Staff to become deputy secretary of the national Security Council. He was replaced by General Nikolai Makarov, who had until now held the post of chief of procurement, to which he was appointed in April 2007, soon after Anatoly Serdyukov was made defense minister. The story from IntelliBriefs. I have been remiss on covering East European events but I am working on getting two friends to contribute more on Russia and Central Asia. One is an American living and working in Moscow on gay health issues and the other a former Russian peer from business school who lives in Vladivostok in the Russian Far East.

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Here is the Sunday May 25th, 2008 edition of interesting reads from around the world.

South Africans March Against Anti-Immigrant Violence
Thousands of people marched through Johannesburg on Saturday, calling for an end to the violence that has killed at least 50 African migrants and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. More coverage from Reuters and South Africa’s Mail & Guardian. The Mail & Guardian also reports how the riots have battered South Africa’s image abroad.

“Honour” Killing of Young Afghan Woman Rocks Germany
What is wrong with Islam? In Islamic culture, some men believe it their right to control the lives of women. And that is happening in the heart of Europe is unconsciable. Ahmad O. stabbed his sister more than 20 times because the 16-year-old girl didn’t live her life according to his values. Der Spiegel provides coverage of the murder of Morsal O. by her 23-year old brother who has the temerity to state to the police in Hamburg that his “sister was my life.” My condolences to the family. The mother of Morsal stated that Ahmad is not “my son” and that she hates him. According a United Nations report, around 5,000 women fall victim to “honour killings” around the world each year. If Islam wants to co-exist with the West this practice must end.

German Ties to the FARC
According to data found on a laptop confiscated by Colombian authorities, the terrorist group FARC may have had ties to left-wing politicians in Germany. More from Der Spiegel.

Uruguayan Energy Crisis
The Miami Herald reports on how a lingering drought and the high price of oil have forced Uruguay to tighten restrictions on power usage. As winter in the Southern hemisphere approaches, Uruguay has found itself in the grips of an intensifying energy crisis, brought about by a three-month drought that has crippled the country’s hydroelectric power generators. The scarcity — at a time of record high prices for imported oil — is prompting strict conservation measures.

CEO Pay in California Down 10%
The Los Angeles Times looks at California CEO salaries in 2007. The Los Angeles Times’ annual survey of executive compensation found that California’s 100 biggest companies paid 10% less, on average, to their top executives in 2007 than they did the year before. Median pay was also down, but more modestly. Nationwide the trend was similar, with CEO pay declining 5.5%, marking its first decrease in at least a decade, according to Mercer Management, a consulting firm.

Eco-Farming In Britain Declining As Food Prices Rise
Soaring food prices are threatening to inflict widespread ecological damage on the countryside, as farmers abandon environmentally friendly schemes that have improved much of the landscape. More from the UK Guardian.

Christina de Kitchner Struggling
Argentina’s first female President, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, is fighting to restore her tattered reputation after a 70-day rural strike saw her public image plummet to its lowest level. More from the UK Guardian.

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I just love this!

A story today in the Monterey Herald should give some comfort to Clinton’s chances for the winning the nomination. Increasingly some down in the trenched party officials fear Obama may not be able to win in November:

Chris Stampolis, a Democratic National Committee member and Clinton supporter, said he is urging his fellow superdelegates to reassess the race dynamics after the primaries come to a close June 3.

“In a way, we’re moving to the next phase,” said Stampolis, of Saratoga. “After June 3, I think all of us have a responsibility to take a step back and look at who can win the Electoral College and win the White House in November. From what I see now, (Clinton) seems to have a stronger path to the Electoral College today.”

And then there’s this:

With the race shifting nationally in Obama’s favor, some California delegates said they weren’t certain general election voters will unite behind him as party leaders expect.

Resham Singh, a businessman from Bakersfield, is concerned Republican John McCain will draw Clinton supporters who want an experienced president if Obama wins the Democratic nomination.
“He will not get the support Mrs. Clinton has now,” Singh, 52, said of Obama. “America needs somebody who can handle the situation. Voters don’t care about parties.”

One of those voters is delegate Avygail Sanchez, 29, a Clinton delegate, who says she has reservations about Obama. “I’d have to take another look. I know it’s a fresh face and change,” Sanchez said. “It’s very appealing, but I’m not really sure of what really is behind that. Could it be fluff?”

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Here is the Sunday May 18th, 2008 edition of interesting reads from around the world.

As Venezuela Fails, Chávez Nationalizes
Hugo the petulant has a problem. Venezuela is sputtering. Despite the oil bloom, Venezuala’s economy is underperforming that of its Latin neighbours. Colombia’s growth rate is twice that of Venezuela and Chile’s nearly three times. Faced with shortages of foods, building materials and other staples, President Hugo Chávez is intensifying state control of the Venezuelan economy through a new wave of takeovers of private companies and the creation of government-controlled ventures with allies like Cuba and Iran. More from the New York Times.

Chief Justice Ronald George Reflects on the Gay Marriage Ruling
A moderate Republican appointed to the Court by Governor Pete Wilson, California Chief Justice Ronald M. George who voted with the majority, likens the case to earlier civil rights battles. The Los Angeles Times profiles the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court.

Indonesia May Leave OPEC
Indonesia’s oil production has been waning for some time now. In fact, Indonesia is now a net importer of crude. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has noted that perhaps the time has come for Indonesia to consider quitting the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The full story from CNBC News.

ASEAN Monitoring Team in Burma
Seeking answers from Myanmar’s governing junta, a team of experts from ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) arrive in Yangon to assess the damage and the status of the relief operations. More on this story from the Irrawaddy News Network and from the International Herald Tribune. Meanwhile Germany’s Der Spiegel covers the growing frustration of Western powers.

Hamas’s Al-Aqsa Television’s Children’s Programmes
The Hamas satellite station Al-Aqsa recently used a Mickey Mouse clone to teach Muslim children — in Gaza and Europe — to hate Jews and encouraging their murder. Der Spiegel reports the story.

Angela Merkel on a State Visit to Colombia
In the first visit ever by a German Chancellor to Colombia, Merkel supported Colombian President Alvaro Uribe in his efforts to buttress the authority of the state over the broiling conflicts that have put many sections of the country in a state of civil war. Deutshe Welle has the details. The story in Spanish from Colombia’s El Tiempo.

Obama to Blame His Loss in Kentucky on Fox News
Apparently, Fox News poisoned Barack Obama in the minds of Kentuckians for Obama is blaming his woes in Kentucky on Fox News and e-mails. The story from the Lexington Herald Tribune.

Today in San Francisco, the California Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in a narrow 4-3 decision.

The California Supreme Court held:

“Furthermore, in contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual’s capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual’s sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual’s sexual orientation — like a person’s race or gender — does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights. We therefore conclude that in view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship, the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples.”

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Here is the Monday, May 12th, 2008 edition of interesting reads from around the world.

Love, Saudi Style
It is hard to have much respect for a society where some one can say with confidence that

“One of the most important Arab traditions is honor,” Enad said. “If my sister goes in the street and someone assaults her, she won’t be able to protect herself. The nature of men is that men are more rational. Women are not rational. With one or two or three words, a man can get what he wants from a woman. If I call someone and a girl answers, I have to apologize. It’s a huge deal. It is a violation of the house.”

As an atheist, I am not fond of any religion but I find Islam a particularly barbaric and heinous way of life. It destroys the humanity of individuals. Under Islamic Law, I would be stoned to death for my sexuality. Pity the people who suffer it. More from the New York Times. What kind of society teaches its boys to believe that women are not rational? An irrational one.

Serbia Votes with Conflicted Results
This election was fought on whether Serbs should swallow their anger and pride over European Union’s mixed support for the independence of Kosovo, the Serb province which seceded in February, or turn their backs on the bid for EU membership. While the pro-Western parties seemed to have won, the results seem a bit conflicted. Reuters and Agence France-Presse pick up the story.

Japanese Firm Invests in Canadian Tar Sands
Yahoo Finance reports that Japan Canada Oil Sands Ltd, a unit of Japan Petroleum Exploration Co said on Thursday it plans to expand its Canadian oil sands operation in Alberta. Tar sands is a common term for what are more accurately called bituminous sands, but also commonly referred to as oil sands or (in Venezuela) extra heavy oil. The material is a naturally occurring mixture of sand or clay, water, and extra heavy crude oil or bitumen which is found in significant amounts in various countries throughout the world, but occurs in vast quantities in Canada and Venezuela. They have only recently been considered to be part of the world’s oil reserves, as higher oil prices and new technology enable them to be profitably extracted and upgraded to usable products. Oil sand is often referred to as non-conventional oil or crude bitumen, in order to distinguish the bitumen and synthetic oil extracted from tar sands from the free-flowing hydrocarbon mixtures known as crude oil traditionally produced from oil wells. Mining tar sands is extremely destructive as it is done by strip mining.

The Road Less Traveled: LA Highways
The Los Angeles Times reports that a sampling of residents, traffic reporters and technical data indicates that as gas prices climbed and the economy faltered, there were notable traffic decreases on some freeways.

The Hapless Mr. Brown
George W. Bush has it good compared to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown whose popularity is sinking fast with only one in five Britons believe he is doing a fine job. Here is a survey of his troubles: Downing Street Feuds, A Rift over Scottish Independence, Crewe & Nantwich By-Election, and when all else fails use the Queen’s Speech to restore confidence.

The Hapless Greenback
With rare exception, wherever I have gone in this world, people (especially merchants) seem always happy to see Benjamin Franklin on a greenback. Crooked Timber explores life after the dollar. Meanwhile the New York Times looks at the dollar’s troubles.

Cubans in Venezuela
President Hugo Chávez provides Cuba with its oil at a subsidized rate. In return, Cuba has provided thousands of medical professionals. Health care is, of course, one of the few achievements of the Cuban Revolution and Cuba has generously provided help when needed abroad. Cuba, for example, provided more medical aid than any other country after both Indian Ocean tsunami and the Kashmiri earthquake. In Venezuela, however, these medical professionals are there years not months. The Miami Herald looks at how these Cubans are adjusting to life in Venezuela.

Brazil Wants to Join OPEC
Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva wants to get his country into OPEC — a move that could lower the price of oil worldwide. With a booming biofuel business alongside new oil reserves, Brazil is poised to become a global energy leader. Germany’s Der Spiegel reports from Brasilia.

It’s an away weekend for the boys. We have escaped from San Francisco up to Napa for the weekend. In light of this, the By The Fault Weekend Reader takes a look at issues related to this beautiful region of California.

The Global Wine Industry
Undergraduate students at Duke University in the Markets and Management Program have compiled a concise overview of the Global Wine Industry.

California Wine Industry
The official website of the Wine Institute of California.

The Napa Economy in Statistics
An overview of the economic data on Napa from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Identity Theft in Napa
Who knew? But apparently Napa is the Identity Theft Capital of the United States. More from Yahoo News.

The Science of Wine-Making
Two articles on oenology, the science of wine-making: This first one covers the Chemistry of Wine and the second one is a Beginners Guide to Wine-Making.