euroagent

While preparing for my work about Ex-Yugoslavija​ and trying to be objective as much as possible "be aware of my own biases" (well, we all know how hard that could be) I am trying to understand "the madness of the modern war against terrorism". First of all, there is a lack of generally agreed definition on terrorism internationally. I found that to be a problem.

If it is wealthy European country it is a terrorist attack  and nobody questions that. When it is a poor, middle income country, the same is considered to be either a civil war or they are "insurgents" fighting for their civil or human rights. To be honest, when poor people "fight" it is always a civil and human right issue.



When in the Macedonian parliament​ they are representatives sitting that have killed or massacred something is terribly wrong with the political system. If those have been elected despite what they did, then something is wrong with that society and that needs to be fi…

El miedo y el desconcierto cuando algo no se conoce puede llegar a destruir la oportunidad que existe. Como ha dicho Paul Krugman​, la miseria ya estaba cuando llegaron las multinacionales solo que ahora son menos pobres. Si hay tanta competencia para fabricar en el tercer mundo, subirá la demanda de mano de obra barata. Se abren cada vez menos fabricas de estas que compiten para atraer más gente para cubrir puestos de trabajo. Hasta en el tercer mundo están libres a decidir si quieren ir a trabajar y dónde.

Según Paul Krugman, mejor algún trabajo que ninguno. Desde allí se puede ya empezar ir mejorando a los condiciones de trabajo. Si no hay puestos de trabajo, no se puede mejorar algo que no existe.

Y allí es donde entra en juego la International Labour Organization (ILO)​ para imponer a los países a respetar condiciones mínimos de trabajo y remuneración.



Y sí las fabricas textiles ofrezcan cada vez peores condiciones de trabajo, es porqué quieren  y nada los impide. Si vas a trabajar …

Did you know that only 4% of the coffee that Starbucks sells is Fair Trade certified (as to 2005). When you buy an unfair - trade coffee in coffee chains like Costa, Starbucks, Coffee Republic etc... coffee farmer earn only 1p or less.

But, then I discovered Progreso Cafes LTD (creation of Oxfam GB). They were located on Portobello road and Covent Garden. They were 100% Fair Trade.

The biggest difference with other coffee stores comes from the fact that the coffee farmers own a share of the business and benefit from its success. Progreso was also supporting @ONE water and all the sells went for a charity called Roundabout.

Unfortunately, just when I tried to find out more about this coffee store, I was disappointed to see that they didn't lasted long. They were set in 2005 and no longer exist.

Is it possible to rescue this idea and put it into practice again? What failed exactly?

It's true that Starbucks has its own schemes supporting coffee growers, and it buys and sells more FT c…

Just to warm up my heart before leaving the premises to meet the cold, cruel and the inconsiderate. Here in UK, get prepared to be asked in numerous occasions are you thinking of taking your own life, that after consistently nagging about that you will start to consider it as a good option. Ironically.All you long for is a smile, nice word, warm hug and a kiss without somebody calling a police or the ambulance if you ask for it. So, if you can’t beat them, join them. For a hug, kiss or a smile I would have to buy a plane ticket to get to you and keep all my love for you - the codemned southern Europe. Maybe poor, but definitely not heartless. Cheers to that! 



Y quien mejor que Melendi, para despejarme la mente, abrir el corazón e ir cerrando puertas. Se me había olvidado de la sensación esa cuando te digan algo bonito y lo acompañen con una sonrisa, ternura, emoción y pasión. En algunos países (UK, por ejemplo), decir algo bonito casi siempre va acompañado con sirenas de la ambulancia …

Ethical Markets represent the effort that is build upon the way we uplift the human well-being as well as ecological integrity. This movement is very important today as we are well aware that humans have the ability to destroy the environment.
Therefore, Fair Trade as part of Ethical Markets, has become one of the most important global movement. We live in a business world where things are measured in euros, dollars and pounds. Trade, as a sacred art of exchange, is the most ancient practice. Unequal trade, when countries unable, unprepared, un-knowledgeable traded it was a seen as a one of the reasons of increasing the poverty gap between countries. But trade created wealth for those that used it wisely and knowledgeably. Who came first, the poverty or the wealth?
Fair Trade is the knowing that we must treat people with respect. Fair Trade policies are meant to maintain small-farmers their traditional lifestyle and earn a living wage. It is more than what ethical trade represents. It&#…

Made in China

Since initiating market reforms in 1978, China has shifted from a centrally planned to a market based economy and experienced rapid economic and social development:
GDP growth averaging about 10 percent;The most dramatic reduction in poverty.
It's economy has been growing so fast that, even though inequality is rising fast, extreme poverty is disappearing. China pulled 400m people out of misery in 1981-2010, and reduced its extreme-poverty rate from 53% in 1981 to 8% in 2011.
China’s great success in growth and poverty reduction it is not in question.

Source of success
For such a stunning record, the roots of China’s success remains a source of disagreement. 
Manufactured exports are a key to Chinas growth;Market incentives has played primary motivational role in business decisions;Activist industrial policies, pushing exports of increasingly high skill and technology content in 1980ties before significant trade liberalization.Rural township and village enterprises whi…

To Shilpa and Yatin. Thank you for all your help and support. No doubt is one of the most beautiful states of India. With all those coconut trees around, makes you wanna go there just to climb one in search of peace and tranquillity that you can’t find here in London.

It might be a place to heal a broken heart, spend your holiday with your loved one or just a perfect place to escape.

The name of this state means "land of coconut" that comes from Sanskrit. Coconut trees provide shade, food and drink for the Keralits and some extra excitement for a foreigner like myself.

Beneath all those coconut trees lies a model of development praised and talked about for the last couple of decades. No doubt it is an impressive achievement, although not so much for the rest of the world as it is for India. There are better examples of achieving high human development, although not as many examples where it was achieved while low levels of growth.

Impressive how a communist philosophy can serve p…