大学への予算配分に成果主義 財務省、研究実績など重視

大学への予算配分に成果主義　財務省、研究実績など重視

2009年5月15日23時35分

　財務省は、大学への予算配分の際、学生や教員数などの「規模優先」を改め、学生の学力向上や研究業績などの結果を重視する方向で検討に入った。学生の学力低下や定員割れ大学の急増への危機感から、成果主義の拡大を図る。大学の統廃合などの再編や定員の削減も求める方針だ。

　財務相の諮問機関の財政制度等審議会（西室泰三会長）に１５日報告した。財政審も基本的に同意し、予算編成の方向を示す「建議」に盛り込まれる見通しだ。

　財務省によると、０８年度は全国の私立大学の４７％で定員割れが起きた。少子化の影響で、９８年の８％、０３年度の２８％から急増している。

　また国公立大学を含め、推薦やＡＯ入試が増えたこともあり、大学生の学力低下が指摘されている。３５大学で調査したところ、国立大の６％、私立大の２０％の学生の英語、国語、数学の基礎学力が中学生レベル以下だったという。

　財務省は今後、文部科学省や各大学に、入試のあり方の見直しのほか、大学数や入学定員を少子化に見合う規模に縮小するよう求める。また、大学や学部、研究ごとに厳格な目標を設定し、成果に応じた予算配分を目指す。「基礎的運営費」などすべての大学に交付してきた予算は比率を下げる考えだ。

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Corks Pop As UK Wine Wins Industry Gold

2 hours 25 mins ago
SkyNews © Sky News 2009

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English winemakers have hit an all time high and critics say it's time we tried our native wines. Skip related content

Bob Lindo of Camel Valley spent 20 years cultivating his victorious vineyards in Cornwall.

He's just won the UK's first ever gold medal in the International Wine Challenge - the Oscars of the wine world.

"Every time anybody in the English wine industry wins something it's good for everybody," he said.

"We all gain and it raises the profile of English wine in general."

Since winning the prize, sales of his Bacchus 2007 have soared, and they're not just toasting the success of English wines in Cornwall.

A total of 24 medals were awarded to British bottles.

One of the judges, the wine critic Tim Atkin, says it's no surprise home-grown wine is going down well.

"The lovely thing about English wines is they're a bit like English apples - they've got a beautiful perfume to them, those hedgerow flavours you get in English wine are just like a beautiful Autumn afternoon," he said.

The UK is the largest importer of wines and often considered the hub of the international wine trade. But only 0.3% of the bottles we buy are British.

There are currently 383 vineyards in the UK. And every year they produce 2.2 million bottles of wine.

But that's nothing compared to France which makes nearly seven billion.

One problem is the price - English wines are more expensive and high production costs mean that's not going to change.

More importantly, the UK simply isn't big enough to grow enough vines to make much more wine.

But Britain is finally making a decent drop as growers understand which grapes and varieties work and which don't.

But winemakers like Bob Lindo is happy to remain a niche market.

"I think there's a large movement of people who want to eat and drink local produce from the region they're in, and that keeps it special for us, and I just hope it stays that way."

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Dubai's 7-star hotel escapes crisis discounting

Yesterday, 07:45 pm
AFP

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Dubai's Burj Al Arab Hotel -- billed as the first seven-star hotel in the world -- has escaped a room-discounting move by owner the Jumeirah Group to shore up demand during the global downturn. Skip related content
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An aerial view shows Burj al-Arab hotel in the oil-rich Gulf emirate of Dubai Enlarge photo

As a result, occupancy in the imposing 321-meter (1,053-foot) high building is "less than last year but within our expectations," Jumeirah chief executive Gerald Lawless told AFP Saturday on the sidelines of a world tourism conference in Brazil.

He declined to give occupancy rates.

But he said for the rest of Jumeirah's properties, steep price cuts were being offered to maintain demand.

"At the end of November, bookings were slowing down, so we started offering healthy discounts up to 30 percent for our source markets in the UK, Germany and Russia to stimulate demand," he said.

Despite the crisis, the group was maintaining client numbers from those three key markets, he said, though he noted that reservations were increasingly coming later in a bid to secure cheaper prices.

He said: "The luxury sector is certainly resilient to the crisis but this is also motivated by promotions and prices."

Two of the group's properties in Dubai, the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the Madinat Jumeirah, are keeping occupancy high, with 90 to 95 percent of the rooms filled between February and April at an average price of 570 dollars per night, Lawless said.

The group, which owns 11 hotels, in Dubai, Britain and the United States, plans to forge on with ambitious expansion plans that will see it running 60 properties by 2012.

"Despite the global economic downturn we maintain our objectives," Lawless said.

Jumeirah, part of Dubai Holdings owned by the ruling family of the Gulf emirate, intends to open its first Asian hotel in Shanghai this year, and has just signed a contract to open a hotel in Frankfurt, Germany.

Lawless would not give company forecasts for 2009, but said there was "close to double digit growth in 2008."

Several other international hotel groups have suspended their projects in Dubai after seeing its economy stall over recent months.

The real estate market has imploded but tourists -- for now -- appear to still be going, with hotels recording a five percent increase in check-ins in the first three months of this year.

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マンション原因の受信障害、代替施設の地デジ化は１４％

2009年5月16日6時20分

　マンションの陰でテレビが見にくい「受信障害世帯」向けの受信施設を、地上デジタル放送対応に改修したマンションは１４％にとどまる――。全国マンション管理組合連合会（全管連）の調査で、こんな結果が出た。全管連は「このままではテレビが映らない家も出てくる」と懸念する。

　２９都道府県の３２３４の分譲マンション管理組合に昨年１２月、調査票を送り、１４５９の回答があった。受信障害世帯のため、アナログ放送用の受信施設を設けているマンションは４８０あり、うち地デジ対応で改修したのは１３．９％、改修の「予定あり」が８．５％。約７７％は手つかずだった。

　アナログ波に比べデジタル波は受信障害に強いとされ、国は「かなり解消される」と見込む。ただ、場所によって違いがあり、解消されるかどうかを見るには電波の状況調査が必要になる。調査をしたマンションは２０．４％ほどで、予定を含めても３６．１％にとどまった。改修費の負担など近隣との協議も実施済みは１１．１％だけだった。

　総務省によると、マンションやビルなどが原因の受信障害向け施設は約５万。施設の改修負担は当事者間の話し合いを基本としてきた。しかし、昨年度末で対応を終えた施設は１割程度。１１年７月のアナログ停波を控え、同省は今月１１日から調査費と改修費の助成を始めた。もっとも調査費は深刻度で判断され、改修費助成は最大半額までで、１世帯の負担が３万５千円を超える時に限られる。

　全管連の調査では「地デジ化は国の施策なのに、なぜ管理組合が負担しなければならないのか」との不満も目立ったという。全管連の谷垣千秋事務局長は「費用負担がからむだけに、民間だけでは話し合いは難しい。前提となる調査費の補助や調停する機関を設けて欲しい」と話す。

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04:36 GMT, Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:36 UK
Kuwait votes for first female MPs

Rola Dashti

Kuwait has elected its first female MPs following the oil-rich country's third general election in three years.

US-educated Aseel al-Awadhi and Rola Dashti were among winners in the third district, official results declared.

The 10 leading candidates from each of Kuwait's five electoral districts are elected to the 50-seat parliament.

The emir dissolved the previous parliament in March because it wanted to question his nephew, the prime minister, about alleged corruption.

There are no political parties in Kuwait; the prime minister appoints ministers most of whom are unelected.

"It's a victory for Kuwaiti women and a victory for Kuwaiti democracy," Ms Awadhi told AFP news agency.

"This is a major leap forward," she said. The right to vote and stand for election to Kuwait's parliament, the oldest in the Gulf, was extended to women in 2005.

Former Health Minister Massouma al-Mubarak, who became the first Kuwaiti woman to be appointed to a ministerial post in 2005, and Salwa al-Jassar, have also secured seats in parliament.

Frozen development

Parliamentary pressure to investigate and question ministers on deals has previously seen the cabinet cancelling or delaying multi-billion dollar international projects and social development plans.

Q&A: Kuwait elections

Election rally in Kuwait

During campaigning, anti-government feeling among some candidates has moved to a higher level - two people were arrested for criticising the ability of the ruling al-Sabah family to govern.

They still hold the post of prime minister as well as the key defence, interior and foreign affairs portfolios.

Many voters had complained about the frozen development caused by the political gridlock.

"Men don't have credibility anymore. We're fed up with crises." Ibrahim al-Attar told AP news agency after casting his vote for four female candidates.

One of the first tasks awaiting the new parliament will be to vote on a $5bn stimulus package designed to help the financial sector of the oil-rich state cope with the global economic downturn.

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10:45 GMT, Sunday, 17 May 2009 11:45 UK
Iraq deal to revive gas pipeline

Workers on an Iraqi oil pipeline near Basra

A consortium of oil companies plans to revive a project to supply Europe with gas from northern Iraq.

Austria's OMV and Hungary's MOL have teamed up with two companies from the United Arab Emirates to extract the gas from fields in Iraq's Kurdish region.

They anticipate that supplies will be sufficient to feed the long-planned Nabucco pipeline, which proposes pumping gas to Austria via Turkey.

The pipeline would reduce Europe's dependency on gas from Russia.

The UAE's Crescent Petroleum and affiliate Dana Gas believe there is enough gas in the Khor Mor and Chemchemal gas fields they operate to supply the Nabucco pipeline after meeting immediate demand in northern Iraq and Turkey.

Competition

But Russia's Gazprom on Friday said it had signed agreements with a number of Balkan and southern European countries on the construction of a gas pipeline, South Stream, that will deliver gas to Central Europe and Italy via the Balkans.

See Nabucco and South Stream pipeline routes

The pipeline is in competition with Nabucco, backed by the European Union.

The proposed Nabucco route goes via Erzurum in Turkey and on through Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to Austria. Discussions first began on the project in 2002.

OMV said production could reach a level of 3bn cubic feet per day by 2015.

"These volumes will initially satisfy the requirements of local industry with substantial quantities available for export to destinations primarily Turkey and Europe via the planned Nabucco pipeline," it said.

Iraq has the world's tenth-largest gas reserves, and the world's third largest supply of crude oil.

OMV said it will pay $350m for a 10% stake in the regional operating unit handling of the project. MOL will also take a 10% stake in the company.

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23:00 GMT, Saturday, 16 May 2009 00:00 UK
Elderly need more 'sun vitamin'

Elderly woman in the sunshine

Spending more time in the sun could help older people cut their risk of heart disease and diabetes say experts.

Sun exposure helps the skin make vitamin D - a vitamin older people are generally deficient in due to their lifestyles and natural aging processes.

A team at Warwick University has shown a deficiency increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, which is linked to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Their study of more than 3,000 people is published in Diabetes Care.

The researchers say older people would benefit from more sunshine, although it is still important to be sensible in the sun as UV damage is linked with skin cancer.

Among the 50 to 70-year-olds living in China that the scientists studied, 94% had a vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) deficiency or insufficiency and 42% also had metabolic syndrome.

"When we are older we may need to spend more time outdoors to stimulate the same levels of vitamin D we had when we were younger"
Lead researcher Dr Oscar Franco

Lead researcher Dr Oscar Franco says the same can be seen in British and American populations too.

"Vitamin D deficiency is becoming a condition that is causing a large burden of disease across the globe with particular deleterious impact among the elderly.

"We found that low vitamin D levels were associated with an increased risk of having metabolic syndrome, and was also significantly associated with increased insulin resistance."

Metabolic syndrome's cluster of obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can lead to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Sunshine vitamin

Vitamin D is mainly obtained from exposure to the sun, as well as from certain foods such as oily fish and eggs.

There are concerns that many people, including the elderly, pregnant women and those who wear all-concealing clothing do not get enough of the vitamin.

Dr Franco said there were many factors which could explain why older people had less vitamin D in their blood, including changes in lifestyle factors such as clothing and outdoor activity.

"As we get older our skin is less efficient at forming vitamin D and our diet may also become less varied, with a lower natural vitamin D content.

"When we are older we may need to spend more time outdoors to stimulate the same levels of vitamin D we had when we were younger."

Lorna Layward from Age Concern and Help The Aged said: "We have always advocated that older people get out into the sunshine for a bit each day if they can. A bit of sun is good for you.

"We hear a lot about sun exposure and the risk of cancer, but older people tend to be at the other end of the spectrum. They do not get enough sun and tend to cover up and wear more clothing."

Ed Yong of Cancer Research UK said: "The amount of sunlight it takes to make enough vitamin D is always less than the amounts that cause reddening or burning, so it should be possible to get the benefits of this vitamin without increasing the risk of skin cancer.

"Elderly people can also boost their vitamin D levels by eating foods like oily fish, or by using vitamin D supplements on the advice of their GP."

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08:56 GMT, Thursday, 14 May 2009 09:56 UK
Street View under fire in Japan

Street View Japan

Google's Street View service suffered a second blow this week after numerous complaints in Japan forced the firm to start reshooting all the photos.

Cameras attached to the Street View car were "too high" for Japanese buildings, allowing them to see over walls into private areas.

Google said it would lower the cameras on its cars by 40cm (16in).

On 12 May, Greece's data protection agency ordered Google to stop filming because of privacy concerns.

In a statement, Google said it would make "locally appropriate modifications to ensure a better user experience".

"We have lowered the height of the camera due to the unique characteristics of many Japanese roads; they tend to be narrow, without pavements and driveways, and houses are built close to the street," the statement said.

"We think the new camera height allows us to get a high-quality image of the street while respecting the privacy of homeowners."

The Street View service covers 12 cities in Japan, including Tokyo and Osaka.

Timeline

First launched in the US two years ago, Street View now covers nine countries including the United Kingdom, and Google wants to expand the service to cover all of Europe.

Users zoom in to a location in Google Maps, and then drag the "Pegman" icon above the zoom bar on to a given street.

A picture of that street appears, which users can control to get a 360-degree view of the area or to progress on street level, throughout the city.

Google says the service shows only imagery already visible from public thoroughfares.

However, it has come in for criticism from some quarters, being accused of an invasion of privacy.

Earlier this week, Greece's data protection agency banned Google from expanding its Street View service in the country, pending "additional information" from the firm.

Authorities want to know how long the images will be kept on Google's database and what measures it will take to make people aware of privacy rights.

In the UK, residents near Milton Keynes blocked the driver of a Google Street View car in April when he started taking photographs of their homes saying the service was "facilitating crime".

The Pentagon has also banned Google from filming near or inside its military bases, saying it posed a "potential threat" to security.

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08:56 GMT, Thursday, 14 May 2009 09:56 UK
Street View under fire in Japan

Street View Japan

Google's Street View service suffered a second blow this week after numerous complaints in Japan forced the firm to start reshooting all the photos.

Cameras attached to the Street View car were "too high" for Japanese buildings, allowing them to see over walls into private areas.

Google said it would lower the cameras on its cars by 40cm (16in).

On 12 May, Greece's data protection agency ordered Google to stop filming because of privacy concerns.

In a statement, Google said it would make "locally appropriate modifications to ensure a better user experience".

"We have lowered the height of the camera due to the unique characteristics of many Japanese roads; they tend to be narrow, without pavements and driveways, and houses are built close to the street," the statement said.

"We think the new camera height allows us to get a high-quality image of the street while respecting the privacy of homeowners."

The Street View service covers 12 cities in Japan, including Tokyo and Osaka.

Timeline

First launched in the US two years ago, Street View now covers nine countries including the United Kingdom, and Google wants to expand the service to cover all of Europe.

Users zoom in to a location in Google Maps, and then drag the "Pegman" icon above the zoom bar on to a given street.

A picture of that street appears, which users can control to get a 360-degree view of the area or to progress on street level, throughout the city.

Google says the service shows only imagery already visible from public thoroughfares.

However, it has come in for criticism from some quarters, being accused of an invasion of privacy.

Earlier this week, Greece's data protection agency banned Google from expanding its Street View service in the country, pending "additional information" from the firm.

Authorities want to know how long the images will be kept on Google's database and what measures it will take to make people aware of privacy rights.

In the UK, residents near Milton Keynes blocked the driver of a Google Street View car in April when he started taking photographs of their homes saying the service was "facilitating crime".

The Pentagon has also banned Google from filming near or inside its military bases, saying it posed a "potential threat" to security.

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IMF’s Lipsky Says Global Recovery to Start in 2010 (Update1)
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By Jason Clenfield

May 18 (Bloomberg) -- The global economy will start growing next year, said John Lipsky, the International Monetary Fund’s first deputy managing director.

“Our world economic outlook anticipates a return to global expansion by next year,” Lipsky said in Tokyo today. “However, the recovery is likely to be more gradual than in past recessions.”

Confidence in the global economy jumped to the highest level in 19 months, a Bloomberg survey showed as central bank policy makers from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke to European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet indicate that the recession may be easing. Lipsky also said that the current downturn is far from over and that a rebound in Asia will hinge on how strong the global turnaround is.

“It is clear that the current crisis -- that is coming to be known as the Great Recession -- is far from over,” he said. “The prospects for a broad recovery in Asia will depend on the speed of the global economic turnaround.”

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China’s Stockpiles Are New Sovereign Wealth Strategy, RBC Says
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By Kevin Hamlin

May 18 (Bloomberg) -- China is stockpiling commodities such as copper and iron ore as part of a reallocation of its sovereign wealth amid concern that the value of its dollar assets may decline, according to the Royal Bank of Canada.

“It’s part of an overall desire to decrease its exposure to dollar assets,” said Brian Jackson, senior strategist at Royal Bank of Canada in Hong Kong, in an interview today. China fears the hundreds of billions of dollars the U.S. is spending on bank bailouts and stimulus will cause “higher inflation and a weaker dollar,” he said.

Premier Wen Jiabao has said he is “worried” about the safety of the nation’s $767.9 billion in holdings of U.S. Treasuries and called on the U.S. “to guarantee the safety of China’s assets.” Central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan has proposed a new global currency to reduce reliance on the dollar.

“Increased spending on commodities represents a reallocation of China’s sovereign wealth away from the accumulation of financial assets,” Jackson said in a May 15 research note.

China, the world’s biggest consumer of iron ore, boosted imports of the material to a record 57 million metric tons in April. China’s purchases of copper and copper products reached a record 399,833 metric tons last month, compared with 374,957 tons in March.

Crude Oil Imports

Oil rose to a six-month high on May 12 after China, the world’s second-biggest energy-consuming country, increased crude imports by 14 percent in April.

China will expand purchases of important resources while prices are at their lowest in seven years, Wen said in March. The country will increase emergency stockpiles, the National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s top planner, said at the same time.

Domestic oil stockpiles should meet 90 to 100 days of demand, Zhang Guobao, the head of the National Energy Administration, said in April.

“We don’t have exact numbers on the oil stockpile but most estimates put it around 30 days now so they’re talking about a pretty significant increase,” said Jackson.

Increasing volumes of imports of iron ore, copper and refined petroleum by the government and state enterprises are a “deliberate reallocation of China’s sovereign wealth,” said Jackson.

Without this stockpiling of strategic commodities, China’s trade balance likely would have risen in the first quarter instead of falling $51.8 billion to $62.51 billion, he said.

“Every dollar spent on increasing these reserves of physical resources is obviously a dollar that cannot be spent on accumulating financial assets,” Jackson said.

China’s foreign reserves total almost $2 trillion.

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米社、日本国債を格上げ　大量増発に懸念示さず
2009.5.18 16:49

　米格付け会社ムーディーズ・インベスターズ・サービスは１８日、円建ての日本国債の格付けを上から４番目の「Ａａ３」から３番目の「Ａａ２」に１段階引き上げると発表した。同社が日本国債の格付けを変更するのは、２００８年６月に１段階引き上げて以来。

　同社は、多額の国内貯蓄や１兆ドル規模の外貨準備など「日本の強み」を指摘。追加経済対策に伴う大量増発についても「市場は吸収できる」と強調、金利上昇などへの懸念を示さなかった。

　日本国債の格付けは先進７カ国（Ｇ７）中で最下位だったが、今回の格上げでイタリアと並んだ。

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【新型インフル】橋下知事、厚労相に直談判「国が責任を」
2009.5.18 14:04
このニュースのトピックス：新型インフルエンザ
舛添厚労相（左）と面会する大阪府の橋下徹知事＝１８日午後、厚労省舛添厚労相（左）と面会する大阪府の橋下徹知事＝１８日午後、厚労省

　新型インフルエンザの感染が大阪府などで拡大したのを受け、橋下徹知事が１８日午後、舛添要一厚労相と面会し、「このような事態の時は、地方分権が大事なのではなく、国が責任をもってきっちりとした政策をやるべき」などと伝えた。　ウイルスの弱毒性が指摘されていることから、橋下知事は舛添厚労相に対し、過剰な対応をするのではなく、通常の季節性インフルエンザと同様の対応をする必要がある、などの考えを伝えた。

　これに対して、舛添厚労相も「１人も死者を出してはいけない。緊密に連絡を取り合うことが必要」と応じた。

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米が風邪ひけば印が…　多国籍企業課税強化の波紋 (1/3ページ)
2009.5.18 15:23

　オバマ米大統領が、米多国籍企業への税制優遇制度を見直し課税を強化する方針を表明したことが、インドで波紋を呼んでいる。米多国籍企業にとってインドは、ソフトウエア開発やコールセンターなどの主要なアウトソーシング（外部委託）先だ。それだけに、多国籍企業が“締め付け”を受ければ、外部委託や投資、雇用の減少となってインドに跳ね返り、とりわけ経済成長を牽引（けんいん）してきたＩＴ（情報技術）産業に影響を与えかねない。そうした懸念がオバマ政権への批判となって噴出している。

　■納税回避“抜け穴”

　「“インド株式会社”、オバマの外部委託封殺策を酷評」（インディア・エクスプレス紙）

　インドのメディアは、オバマ大統領が４日、多国籍企業の対外投資を優遇してきた税制を改めると発表すると、これを一斉に大きく報じた。

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ドラマ視聴率低迷でタレント悲鳴！　ギャラ３割減も

中居「婚勝カツ！」２ケタ届かず
女刑事の天海祐希は健闘しているが…（クリックで拡大）
女刑事の天海祐希は健闘しているが…（クリックで拡大）

　４月にスタートした各局のドラマ視聴率が軒並み伸び悩んでいる。それにともない、タレントはギャラが２～３割カットされ、現場から悲鳴があがっている。

　５月第１週の民放とＮＨＫの連続ドラマ２３本の平均視聴率（関東地区、ビデオリサーチ調べ）を比較した。２０％超えは、ＮＨＫ大河ドラマ「天地人」（日曜午後８時）の２０．２％だけ。吉川晃司演じる信長の「本能寺の変」の場面で“サブリミナル疑惑”が報じられたが、皮肉なことに、それだけ注目されているドラマだったともいえる。

　及第点の１５％前後を見ても、天海祐希の刑事役が話題の「ＢＯＳＳ」（フジテレビ系、木曜午後１０時）１５．８％と、内野聖陽が検視官を演じる「臨場」（テレビ朝日系、水曜午後９時）の１４．４％のわずか２本。

　視聴率が１０％に満たない１ケタのドラマが全体の半数をはるかに超える１５本にものぼった。

　「５月初めは大型連休の最中とあって、在宅率が低かった影響もある。それにしても、中居正広と上戸彩が出演する月９ドラマ『婚カツ！』や、松本清張ドラマの『夜光の階段』も、わずかに２ケタに届かなかったのは深刻です」（テレビ誌編集者）

　こうした視聴率低迷と同時に、現場から聞こえてくるのが、非情な出演料の削減だ。芸能評論家の肥留間正明氏が語る。

　「この春から、出演者のギャラのカットが始まった。１人当たり２～３割減や出演回数の半滅などロコツ。制作サイドでもロケを減らして、社内撮影で済む番組が目につくようになっている」

　下請けの制作プロダクションのスタッフが内情をこう嘆いた。

　「午前７時半すぎの現場は朝食が出ない。手配するロケ弁も１０００円程度だったのを今は、できるだけ５００円に近づけるように努力している。制作費が抑えつけられているからですが、局のプロパー社員は今も高額の給料をもらっていることを思うとフクザツ。文句を言えば切られかねないから、耐えるしかないんですが…」

　ガマン比べはどこまで続くか。

ZAKZAK 2009/05/18

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ＥＤも「牛乳に相談だ」…カルシウムとの意外な関係

ＥＤタチのいい話、悪い話

　食事（栄養）、睡眠、運動は健康の要。とくに食生活のバランスが悪いと様々な病気の原因になる。元をたどれば、糖尿病や動脈硬化によって起こる器質性ＥＤ（勃起障害）もしかり。心因性ＥＤにも栄養素が深く関与しているのだ。

【自律神経系に影響】

　「現代人に多い、精神的ストレスの影響を強く受ける自律神経系の様々な問題は『カルシウム不足』のひと言に尽きる」と話すのは、虎ノ門・日比谷クリニック（東京）の山中秀男院長。

　自律神経には「交感神経」と「副交感神経」があり、てんびんのように相反してバランスを取っている。通常、交感神経は昼間の緊張しているとき優位に働き、夜のリラックス時には副交感神経が優位に入れ替わる。

　ところが昼間の緊張が夜まで尾を引くと副交感神経が働くことができず不眠症になりやすい。また、勃起も副交感神経の働きで成り立つもの。タチが悪くなるのだ。

　「その副交感神経が正常に働くために糧にしているのがカルシウム。不足するとＥＤを起こすし、イライラや怒りっぽくもなる。若者にみられる『キレる』という現象もカルシウム不足からくる」

【リンの過剰摂取が不足を加速】

　その現代人のカルシウム不足を加速させているのが、栄養素「リン」を多く取り過ぎてしまいがちな食事内容だ。

　人体が必要とする栄養素は、きちんと許容量が決まっている。たとえば糖尿病のように血中に糖が極端に増えると昏睡状態に陥る。逆に一定レベル以下では低血糖症になって失神を起こす。

　リンはタンパク質をはじめ多くの食品に含まれるので不足の心配はない。が、過剰摂取すると単独では排出されず、カルシウムと結びつくのでカルシウム不足を招きやすい。

　問題なのは、ファストフードや加工食品に食品添加物として幅広く使用されている「リン酸塩」の取り過ぎ。一部の有名な清涼飲料水にも酸味料として含まれている。

　「食事は加工食品よりも生鮮食品。しかも、日本の土壌は火成岩でカルシウム含有量が少ない。カルシウムは意識して多く取るべき」と山中院長。

　ＥＤも栄養バランスが大切。やっぱ、「牛乳に相談だ」か。

ZAKZAK 2009/05/18

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伝統芸能や老舗はどう見る？　世襲批判に異論反論

江戸家小猫（クリックで拡大）
江戸家小猫（クリックで拡大）

　衆院選を前に争点に浮上した国会議員の世襲制限。民主党が３親等以内の連続出馬禁止を決めたが、自民党内には反対論が根強い。門外不出の技術を守り続ける伝統芸能や老舗の世界から、この論争はどう見えるのだろうか。

　▽特権は看板だけ

　「われわれが受け継ぐのは名跡という『看板』だけで、実力がないとお客さんに相手にされない。世襲議員は『地盤』『カバン』も付いてくる。甘さがあるなら改めてほしい」というのは、動物ものまねで知られる江戸家小猫さん（５９）。１０月に四代目猫八を襲名する予定だ。

　父親の三代目猫八さんの下で修業を始めたころ、「“親の七光”ではなく“一光”。特権は最初に猫八の子だと、お客さんに注目されることだけ」と諭されたことを思い出す。世襲議員も常に先代と比較される点では気苦労も多いのではないかと気遣った。
茂山逸平（クリックで拡大）
茂山逸平（クリックで拡大）

　狂言師、茂山逸平さん（２９）は曾祖父、祖父、父に師事し、３歳からけいこを始めた。「若い時にけいこを積めることが狂言の一家に生まれた最大の利点」と振り返り、１月に生まれたばかりの長男にも早い時期からけいこをつける考えだ。世襲制限の議論にも「制限によって政治が良くなるのか、疑問だ」と首をかしげる。

　▽悩みは資産継承

　現行では、世襲議員は税負担などがないまま、政治資金団体の継承ができる。１８５６年創業の和菓子屋、麻布青野総本舗五代目当主の青野信次さん（６５）は「うらやましい」とひと言。

　味や技法の継承はもちろんだが、世代交代の際の資産分与で事業が傾く恐れがあるとして、現取締役の長男が幼いころから毎年、贈与税を払って分与を続けた。「いかに次世代にバトンタッチするかは最大の心配事。議員には甘えがあるのではないか」と嘆いた。
豊田章男副社長（クリックで拡大）
豊田章男副社長（クリックで拡大）

　企業はどうか。創業家の豊田章男副社長（５３）の社長昇格が内定しているトヨタ自動車広報部は「世襲について直接、コメントしたことはない」としたうえで、１月の内定記者会見で張富士夫会長が「豊田副社長が適任」と話したことに尽きるとしている。この際、章男氏は「自分が信じることを精いっぱいやる」と表明した。

ZAKZAK 2009/05/18

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Iraqi oil minister rejects Kurdish oil plan

By Roula Khalaf and Andrew England at the Dead Sea in Jordan and Carola Hoyos in London

Published: May 15 2009 19:51 | Last updated: May 15 2009 19:51

Iraq’s oil minister has stepped up a dispute with the country’s northern Kurdish region over control of the country’s oil resources, saying Baghdad would not pay foreign companies for their oil exports from autonomous Kurdistan.

Hussein Shahristani said the Iraqi government was under no obligation to ensure that the companies were paid for oil sent through pipelines from Kurdistan into Iraq and then exported by the Iraqi government to international markets.

“If [the Kurdish oil minister] can get a dollar out of the [Iraqi finance] ministry, let him call me,” he told the Financial Times.

Ashti Hawrami, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s oil minister, said to the FT earlier this week that the Kurdish government has told oil companies working in the northern Iraqi province that they will be able to export oil using Iraq’s main pipeline as early as next month. His comments appeared to signal a breakthrough in a long-running dispute about sharing Iraq’s oil wealth.
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The oil ministry in Baghdad confirmed that crude extracted from some fields in Kurdistan could be exported. The question that remained unanswered, however, was who would pay the oil companies operating in northern Iraq.

Mr Hawrami said DNO, a small Norwegian oil producer, and Switzerland’s Addax were given assurances by the KRG that they would be paid but whether the Kurdish government will be compensated for that by Baghdad is far from clear.

Mr Hawrami said talks with the finance ministry in Baghdad could produce an agreement, and suggested that Mr Shahristani was the only government member who adamantly opposed any compensation.

The companies say they have been told they would be paid by the KRG regardless of whether it reaches a compromise with Baghdad.

But Mr Shahristani’s comments appear designed to deter companies from further dealings with the KRG.

He said that contracts signed by the KRG with the oil companies were not recognised by the Iraqi government as a whole, not only his ministry. The KRG, he added, already receives 17 per cent of Iraq’s oil budget and should compensate the companies with these funds. The only other option for the KRG, he added, was to hand over the contracts to Baghdad.

Oil has been a main sticking point in a long-running dispute between the Kurdish regional and Baghdad central governments and this has prevented passage of a national hydrocarbons law that would outline foreign participation in the sector and how revenues should be shared between Iraq’s various regions.

But the permission to export an extra 100,000 barrels a day (as a start) was not the result of negotiations but rather an uncoordinated move that has done little to ease the bitterness between the two sides.

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Nabucco hopes grow after $8bn Iraqi gas deal

By Carola Hoyos in London

Published: May 18 2009 03:00 | Last updated: May 18 2009 03:00

Europe took a surprise step towards reducing its dependence on Russian gas yesterday as two of its oil companies agreed to develop a big gas field in Kurdistan, Iraq's semi-autonomous region.

OMV, of Austria, and Hungary's MOLagreed the deal, which will feed the planned Nabucco pipeline.

The 3,300km pipeline is the centrepiece of Europe's energy policy and attempts to reduce imports from Russia by providing the region with gas from central Asia.

However, it is struggling to find suppliers. OMV and MOL, with their regional partners, are to invest $8bn (€5.9bn, £5.3bn) in Kurdistan's gas fields and believe they could pump as much as 3bn cubic feet of gas - almost twice as much as the combined consumption of Belgium and Luxembourg.

About half that gas could flow to Europe via Nabucco.

However, Kurdistan's ability to export gas is entangled in a dispute with Baghdad. The two sides are deeply divided about how to share the country's vast oil and gas wealth among its regions. OMV and MOL each bought 10 per cent of Pearl Petroleum, which is developing Kurdistan's Khor Mor gas field.

Pearl is jointly owned by Crescent Petroleum and Dana Gas, two regional exploration and production companies, and has spent $605m developing the field for the local Kurdistan market.

OMV agreed to make an initial investment of $350m, while MOL exchanged 3 per cent of its shares for its 10 per cent stake in Pearl.

MOL and OMV each hold a 16.67 per cent stake in Nabucco . On top of finding too few potential gas suppliers, the pipeline is having to compete with South Stream, the pipeline being being built by Gazprom, Russia's powerful gas monopoly, and Eni, the Italian energy group.

Paolo Scaroni, Enichief executive of Eni, told the Financial Times on Friday that because of problems finding potential gas suppliers, he doubted Nabucco would ever become a reality.

"Nabucco will fly only when it will be fed by gas from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and perhaps Iran," Mr Scaroni said. "From what I have read, that is not going to happen."

-----------------------------
11:58 GMT, Monday, 18 May 2009 12:58 UK
Naples mafia leader held in Spain

Italian policewoman holds up a photo of Raffaele Amato (17 May 2009)

An alleged leader of the powerful Neapolitan-based mafia, the Camorra, has been arrested in southern Spain, Italian prosecutors have said.

Raffaele Amato was detained in a joint operation by Italian and Spanish police in the city of Marbella on Saturday.

Mr Amato is accused of eight murders between 1991 and 1993, and of being "the principal, or one of the principal importers of cocaine into Italy".

He had been living under a false name on the Costa del Sol, police said.

The 44-year-old had been a fugitive from Italian justice since 2006, when a Naples court issued a warrant for his arrest for murder.

Police said Mr Amato had once been a key lieutenant of the alleged mafia godfather, Paolo Di Lauro, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2006 for Mafia association, extortion and drug trafficking.

However, about five years ago he led a successful breakaway from Di Lauro and took control of the narcotics market in Naples, they added.

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12:27 GMT, Monday, 18 May 2009 13:27 UK
MoD loses battlefield rights case

Jason Smith

Judges have thrown out a government appeal by deciding that the Human Rights Act can apply to British troops, even on the battlefield.

The judgement the MoD appealed against said "right to life" meant it had a legal duty to supply proper equipment.

The rulings centred on a case brought by the family of Pte Jason Smith, who died of heatstroke while serving with the Territorial Army in Iraq in 2003.

However, the MoD has been given leave to appeal again, to the House of Lords.

The earlier High Court ruling - upheld by the Court of Appeal's decision on Monday - had also said inquests of military personnel had to be more wide-ranging and families should be able to access legal aid.

Pte Smith's mother Catherine said she was "overwhelmed" with the verdict, and was angry at the MoD for going so far to fight the case.


"The state must make reasonable efforts to provide protection to soldiers wherever they are - when we're sending them to fight on our behalf, that's the very least we can do"

Jocelyn Cockburn
Solicitor for Pte Smith's mother

Differing views of soldier death

"I feel I have done something to protect the young lads that are coming in [to the forces] now," she said.

Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth said they were "surprised and disappointed" by the judgement.

"While it does not affect the position concerning Pte Smith, it potentially has very serious implications for the ability of our forces - and those of our allies - to conduct military operations overseas."

Defence sources have said the ruling will make it harder for military commanders forced to make rapid and difficult decisions on the battlefield.

Mr Ainsworth said they were studying the judgement and and considering whether to appeal to the House of Lords.

'No guarantees'

They would, in the meantime, await a date for a fresh inquest into the death of Pte Smith and would "as usual offer the coroner our full co-operation", he added.

The MoD had argued the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) could not be guaranteed in certain situations.

It said that in the heat of battle, the UK "could not secure the rights and freedoms which the ECHR seeks to guarantee".

By Caroline Wyatt, BBC News defence correspondent At the heart of the ruling was the issue of whether the Human Rights Act - in particular article 2, the right to life - could and should apply to service personnel outside military bases abroad, which are already deemed part of UK jurisdiction.

The High Court says it does, even if troops are on patrol or in battle.

However, the judges said the ruling concerned matters of such importance that they gave leave to the MoD to appeal.

The MoD will now be looking very carefully at what chances an appeal might have in the House of Lords: The end of the legal road for the MoD if a ruling there went against it too.

The MoD has called this "an attempt to insert lawyers into the chain of command in the middle of battle", saying it would create greater risks.

Catherine Smith's lawyers argue that simply isn't the case and that all the ruling does is ensure the MoD offers the greatest possible protection and care for those risking their lives.

Caroline Wyatt

The ruling by three judges, headed by Master of the Rolls Sir Anthony Clark, could lead to more families wishing to sue the MoD for negligence.

However Jocelyn Cockburn, solicitor for Pte Smith's mother Catherine, said the case was never about opening the door to legal actions and compensation claims, but was about human rights.

Permission to appeal again was granted to the MoD on condition that the secretary of state for defence paid the legal costs whether they won or lost.

The legal process began with a judicial review requested by Pte Smith's family, following the inquest into his death.

The MoD accepted that the Human Rights Act applied to Pte Smith, as he died on a British military base.

However, in a judgement last April, Mr Justice Collins ruled more widely that the MoD had an obligation to avoid or minimise risks to the lives of its troops, wherever they were serving - even while on patrol or in battle.

Otherwise, he said it risked breaching the "right to life" enshrined in the ECHR.

The MoD appealed amid fears that the judgement raised serious questions over sending troops into combat abroad.

Lawyers for Pte Smith's family had said if the MoD lost its appeal, it would be forced to provide better protection for troops abroad - and be more open at inquests into the deaths of British servicemen and women.

'Common sense'

Speaking outside the Court of Appeal, Ms Cockburn said the "right decision" had been made.

"It's a very basic thing that the state must make reasonable efforts to provide protection to soldiers wherever they are, and when we're sending them to fight on our behalf, that's the very least we can do".

She added: "The proposition of the Ministry of Defence that these rights should be removed from them when they are deployed abroad on active service doesn't reflect well on our government."

She said earlier that success in their case would "create certainty in the law" for soldiers when they are sent out to fight, which she said was "essential" for soldiers and commanding officers.

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But Labour MP and former army major, Eric Joyce, said it was difficult to see how the ruling could be applied in real operations.

"That is something the MoD is now going to have to grapple with. The MoD takes the duty of care very seriously, but of course commanders in the field… have to sometimes make percentage judgements.

"It's not clear to me how that can be done in the pure context of the Human Rights Act," he said.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission, which intervened in the case, said the MoD would now have to provide proper protection, including adequate equipment and medical facilities.

The commission's group legal director, John Wadham, said: "Our service personnel are sometimes required to lay down their lives for this country. In return, we should afford them the same human rights protection as every other citizen."

While accepting that the lives of troops in combat situations could not be protected at all costs, he said: "We can do our best to ensure they remain as safe as possible".

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RF, Turkey ready to switch to settlements in national currencies

16.05.2009, 20.27





SOCHI, May 16 (Itar-Tass) - Russia and Turkey are ready to switch to settlements in national currencies in trade and economic relations, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Erdogan said, “During the talks with the Russian prime minister, we discussed the key issue – to switch to settlements in national currencies in trade and economic relations.”

In his words, this “would help decrease risks and meet the interests of both countries.”

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Russia to build railroads, develop mineral deposits in Mongolia
Визит В. Путина в Монголию
Алексей Дружинин | Buy this image
18:2515/05/2009

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti economic commentator Oleg Mityayev) - The Russian rail monopoly and its Mongolian partners agreed to set up a joint venture during Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Mongolia on May 13.

Russian Railways (RZD) has pledged to modernize and build railways in return for development licenses for Mongolia's largest deposits, the Tavan Tolgoi coal deposit and the Oyu Tolgoi gold and copper field.

It has signed an accord with Erdenes MGL, the Mongolian state mining company, and MTZ, the country's national railway company, to set up a joint venture to build railways to the mineral deposits and develop the fields. The Russian company will hold a 50% stake in the $7-billion venture, while the Mongolian partners will each hold 25%.

At the initial stage, they are to contribute $1.8 million for a feasibility study, which is due to be ready by September. The JV will receive development licenses for the deposits in 2010.

Erdenes MGL owns all strategic deposits in Mongolia, including the Oyu Tolgoi (Turquoise Hill) gold and copper project, the Tavan Tolgoi coal deposit, and the Dornod uranium deposit.

MTZ owns railroad assets, including a fiber-optic-based railway communication system, while Mongolia's railroads proper are controlled by Ulaanbaatar Railway, parity owned by the governments of Mongolia and Russia.

Tavan Tolgoi, located 342 miles from the Mongolian capital, is one of the world's 10 biggest coal deposits (6.5 billion tons).

Oyu Tolgoi (32 million tons of copper and 32 million oz of gold) is located in the south Gobi region 342 miles south of Ulan Bator and 50 miles north of the Chinese-Mongolian border.

The joint venture will not develop the deposits, but will hold tenders to choose co-investors. It will form project operators with the winners, holding 25% plus one share in them and leaving 75% minus one share to the selected co-investors.

In the past, RZD planned to recruit the assistance of Oleg Deripaska's En+ Group, Viktor Vekselberg's Renova, and Alexei Mordashov's Severstal Resurs for these projects.

En+ and Renova are ready for cooperation, but the new agreement stipulates that the Russian-Mongolian joint venture is to hold tenders. This means that the Russian miners will not receive any privileges and will have to participate in the tenders on a par with Japanese, Chinese, American and other contenders.

Mongolia also hopes that Russia's contribution ($250 million) could be used to increase the charter capital of Ulaanbaatar Railway, half of whose railroads need to be overhauled. It also expects Russia to provide an easy loan ($300 million) for the purchase of Russian grain, agricultural machinery and mineral fertilizer, and a $1.5 billion loan facility for other purposes.

The partners also agreed to set up a joint venture to process uranium produced at the Dornod deposit (49,000 tons, located in northeast Mongolia) and the East Gobi fields. The Russian partner will be Rosatom, with Japan's Mitsui considering participation.

The stakes to be held by the partners and possible investment have so far not been determined.

Currently, Russia's largest projects in Mongolia are Erdenet and Mongoltsvetmet, joint non-ferrous producers established during the Soviet era. Mongolia holds controlling stakes in them (51%) while Russia's stakes (49%) have been recently turned over to the Russian Technology state corporation.

The corporation is considering adjusting the Erdenet project to the Udokan copper project in Russia. Russian Techsnology's partner, Alisher Usmanov's Metalloinvest, has been recently granted the development license for the Udokan project.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.