Obama in Old San Juan

Obama in Old San Juan
By MARITZA STANCHICH
Published: June 14, 2011
Copyright by the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/opinion/15Stanchich.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha212



San Juan, P.R.

A MONTH of steady rain has brightened the cobblestones of Old San Juan. Now they are as blue as the crabs hawked alongside the coastal roads of this Caribbean territory of the United States. Public employees must have been relieved that nature cooperated, after weeks spent sprucing up the city for Barack Obama ’s arrival here on Tuesday morning.

His visit aggravated the city’s already grim traffic jams, called tapones, prompting some cynical reactions. A taxi driver named Reina Blanco waved her arm at the highway and told me: “Once again I’m going to be hearing tourists say they’ll never come back here because of the traffic.”

Nevertheless, most people consider the traffic a worthwhile inconvenience for the rare occasion of an official presidential visit, the first since John F. Kennedy came here 50 years ago. Welcome banners throughout the city picture the two presidents side by side with the words: “We are proud to be part of history, Kennedy 1961, Obama 2011.”

But how much do we have to celebrate?

A referendum on the future of Puerto Rico — independence, statehood or the status quo — will be held sometime in the next year or so, and Puerto Ricans are divided.

Hundreds of pro-independence protesters rallied Tuesday morning at the Plaza de Colón, named for Christopher Columbus, and El Morro fortress. One sign portrayed George Washington and read: “We too demand our independence.” At the same time, our pro-statehood governor, Luis Fortuño, celebrated Flag Day at the Capitol under the stars and stripes. (Mr. Obama didn’t attend.)

Earlier in the morning, with the streets closed off and quiet as a tomb, police officers at every corner, I spoke briefly to a slight woman who was passing through and was not a part of either extreme. “I was born under the two flags,” she said. “I was born in 1935, and every day in school we saluted the two flags.”

The daily newspapers have been full of ads from all sides of the debate and a litany of grievances. Official unemployment is over 16 percent, nearly half the commonwealth lives in poverty , and the murder rate is at a record high. Police abuses and civil rights violations, particularly against students, have intensified under the Fortuño administration, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. The country’s premier university, where I teach, had a quarter of its budget slashed this year. A controversial natural gas pipeline has been planned to nearly span the island from south to north. (The government calls it Via Verde; its opponents, Via de la Muerte.) And early this year, Puerto Rico’s most famous political prisoner, Oscar Lopez Rivera, was denied parole after nearly 30 years of imprisonment in the United States.

But Mr. Obama may not know much about what the residents of this island — who can’t vote for him in a general election anyway — care about. Banners along the expressway criticizing the government’s policies were removed before he arrived. And he mingled mainly with the bigwigs who paid between $10,000 and $35,800 to attend a Democratic fund-raiser at the Caribe Hilton (though to his credit, he also met with an opposition leader).

In any case, his visit is mostly aimed at winning votes stateside — where there are some 4.6 million Puerto Ricans , compared with 3.7 million on the island — particularly in swing states like Florida that have large Puerto Rican communities.

At one of the many kiosks where vendors sold hand-crafted jewelry and bacalaítos, or cod fritters, I ran into a young man named Joel Casanova from Tampa, who said he had made the trip with his family expressly for Mr. Obama’s visit. His parents had voted for him, but he wasn’t sure if he would. (He was clear, however, about his support for the Miami Heat, which lost in the N.B.A. finals last weekend to the Dallas Mavericks and its Puerto Rican point guard, J. J. Barea.)

Even if the president’s visit changes little about life in Puerto Rico, it may, at least, endear him more to those who live here. Millions sensed themselves a part of history in the symbolic power of President Obama ’s candidacy. I first remember feeling that during his speech in Selma, Ala. , in March 2007, when he poignantly recalled his grandfather living under British colonial rule in Kenya.

I can’t help but wonder what Mr. Obama’s grandfather would have thought about the still-colonial status of the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.

We should end our disastrous war on drugs

We should end our disastrous war on drugs
By Martin Wolf
Published: June 3 2011 22:39 | Last updated: June 3 2011 22:39
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/aae86202-8e10-11e0-bee5-00144feab49a.html#axzz1OFpXt4DM


The global war on drugs has failed. Readers should not take my word for this. It is the opening sentence of a report on the failures of prohibition from an independent Global Commission on Drug Policy. What makes this report astonishing is not its content, now widely accepted among disinterested people, but who is associated with it.

Among signatories are George Shultz, former US secretary of state, Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, Kofi Annan, former secretary general of the United Nations, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president of Brazil, Ernesto Zedillo, former president of Mexico and Javier Solana, former European Union high representative for foreign and security policy. Salute them all. They are honourable people prepared to state that the policy on which the world has engaged for decades, at the behest of the US, is a disaster.

While failing to reduce the ills of drug use at which it is addressed, it has created massive “collateral damage”: the spread of avoidable diseases; use of drugs in dangerous forms; mass criminalisation and incarceration; a gigantic waste of public resources; corruption; creation of a cross-border network of organised crime; and the subversion of states. Mexico is perhaps the most important contemporary victim. It is a war with myriad innocent victims.

The argument for prohibition is that it would lead to an ever-diminishing market in controlled drugs. In practice, the opposite has happened: in the 10 years to 2008, according to the UN, global use of opiates has risen by 34.5 per cent, of cocaine by 27 per cent and of cannabis by 8.5 per cent. If this is a successful policy, what would a failed one look like?

The thrust of the report is that the challenges associated with the use and abuse of drugs – a pervasive feature of human societies – should be approached pragmatically, as a problem in public health, not moralistically, as a problem of crime.

The report offers powerful specific recommendations: have an open debate on the failure of current policy; replace the criminalisation and punishment of users with evidence-based treatment; encourage experimentation with a regulated legal supply of less harmful drugs, such as cannabis, and decriminalisation of use, along with supply via prescription, of more harmful drugs such as heroin; stop measuring the number of people in prison or drugs seized and focus on outcomes, such as the levels of drug dependence, violence, disease and death by overdose; challenge the misconceptions fed by panic-mongers; shift the focus of the criminal justice system toward violent organised crime; develop alternatives to incarceration for small-scale and first-time drug dealers; and, above all, focus on what actually works.

None of this is new. But from such a group it is surely revolutionary.

Some of the points are particularly compelling. Consider the huge costs of criminalisation, for example. In the US, the number of people in prisons has risen from 300,000 in 1972 to 2.3m today, the highest rate of incarceration in the world, overwhelmingly because of the war on drugs. One in 31 US adults is now in jail, on probation or on parole. Though African Americans are just 14 per cent of regular drug users, they account for 37 per cent of drug arrests and 56 per cent of those in prison. It is amazing that more Americans do not find this scandalous. However other countries have followed a similar route, including the UK, with devastating consequences. In some countries, minor drug suppliers are even executed, which is truly horrifying.

Again, some of the experiments with harm-reduction approaches have been remarkably successful. The report notes, for example, that the Swiss heroin substitution approach, which targeted hard-core users, has substantially reduced consumption and the number of new addicts. It has also secured a 90 per cent reduction in property crimes by those participating in the programme. Countries such as the UK, Switzerland, Germany and Australia, with active needle-exchange programmes, have about a fifth of the US levels of HIV-prevalence among those who inject drugs.

In July 2001, Portugal became the first European country to decriminalise use and possession (as opposed to supply) of all illegal drugs. Since then, use has risen slightly, but fully in line with the increase in other similar countries. “Within this general trend,” says the report, “there has also been a specific decline in the use of heroin, which was in 2001 the main concern of the Portuguese government.”

Yet another important point is the irrationality of the categorisation of drugs. Expert ranking of the harmfulness of drugs puts alcohol, for example, well above many illegal substances, such as cannabis.

The report brings out some of the dire unintended consequences of the drugs war. One is the scale of the black market that now exists. Another is the creation of a vested interest in the maintenance of what we must call “the drugs suppression industry”. Yet another is the “geographical displacement”, as suppression of supply in one place leads to its almost inevitable shift to somewhere else. And another again is “substance displacement”, as consumers shift from one drug to another in response to changes in supply. All this is the inevitable consequence of efforts to suppress powerful market forces. In addition, there are dire social results from taking a punitive approach to the behaviour of users who have too often been the victims of abuse, suffer from mental illness, or come from marginalised social groups.

The biggest conclusion I draw from this report is that policies made in the grip of moral panic and punitive fervour are bound to be a catastrophe. So it has proved in this case: here we have a policy that has failed to achieve its main aims, but has imposed huge collateral costs.

The report calls for an urgent shift in approach, led, if possible, by the UN system. That is, alas, unlikely. But individual countries and groups of countries should shrug off the efforts of the US to export its punitive approach to the rest of the world and think for themselves, instead. Humanity does not have to be the victim of these savage efforts to prevent drug abuse. The time has come to think again. If we are brave, the publication of this report could mark a turn towards rationality.

The writer is the chief economics commentator of the Financial Times

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011.

36 Hours in Stockholm

36 Hours in Stockholm
By STEPHEN WHITLOCK
Copyright by The New York Times
Published: June 2, 2011
http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/travel/36-hours-in-stockholm.html?hpw


STOCKHOLMERS revel in the long days of summer when the sun rises as early as 3:30 a.m. and doesn’t set until after 10 p.m. Many locals escape to their country houses, but those who remain in the city spend as much time as possible outdoors — an easy feat since water and parkland make up almost two-thirds of Stockholm. Situated on the Baltic at the mouth of Lake Malaren, Stockholm is built on 14 islands connected by bridges. On sunny days, waterside bars and cafes are packed with people wolfing down summer favorites like herring (served in a variety of ways) and toast Skagen (shrimp in mayonnaise with lemon and dill served with rye bread). Everywhere, visitors will find establishments — new and venerable — celebrating Nordic design, cuisine and culture.

36 Hours in Stockholm

Stockholm, Sweden
Friday

4 p.m.
1) WALK IN A CIRCLE

Get your bearings and work up an appetite with a bracing five-mile walk that loops around Riddarfjarden, Stockholm’s main body of water. Start at Stadshuset (the City Hall, where Nobel Prizes are handed out) and cross to Riddarholmen, visiting the church where generations of Swedish monarchs are interred. Carry on to Sodermalm, the large southern island, taking beautiful cobbled Bastugatan. Fortify yourself at Melqvist Kaffebar (Hornsgatan 78; 46-76-875-2992), one of the city’s best coffee bars (and the old haunt of Stieg Larsson, author of the Lisbeth Salander novels) before continuing over the high bridge that offers amazing views and then descending to the island of Kungsholmen. Reward yourself with waterside drinks at Malarpaviljongen (Norr Malarstrand 64; 46-8-650-8701; malarpaviljongen.se), an open-air cafe-lounge with three floating decks, one of Stockholm’s most popular summer hangouts.

7:30 p.m.
2) LOCAL HEROES

Stockholmers often seem to take a magpie approach to food, importing their favorite trends from abroad. Right now the most popular spots include the French bistro Zink Grill (Biblioteksgatan 5; 46-8-611-4222; zinkgrill.se) and the sensational sushi bar Rakultur (Kungstensgatan 2; 46-8-696-2325; rakultur.se). Thankfully, there are several places that are committed to serving locally sourced food that takes Swedish cuisine to the next level. One of the most enjoyable is the city’s newest culinary star, Restaurang Volt (Kommendorsgatan 16; 46-8-662-3400; restaurangvolt.se). Opened by four young men who have worked at many of Sweden’s top restaurants, the small space includes just one sparsely furnished room — all the excitement is on the plate. You can order à la carte, but it’s far better to opt for the three-, five- or seven-course menu, featuring dishes like rabbit with carrots and dandelion, and, for dessert, fennel with white chocolate and licorice (485, 685 and 785 Swedish kronor, or $78, $110 and $126, at 6.22 Swedish kronor to the dollar).

10 p.m.
3) STRAIGHT UP

There are a couple of places where you can get a drink with a panoramic view of the city. Gondolen (Stadsgarden 6; 46-8-641-7090; eriks.se) is part of a viewing platform on the edge of Sodermalm neighborhood that overlooks the Old Town (Gamla Stan) and harbor. For even more dramatic views, visit Och Himlen Dartill (Gotgatan 78; 46-8-660-6068; www.restauranghimlen.se), a bar and restaurant atop a Sodermalm skyscraper.

Saturday

11 a.m.
4) STORY TIME

When it comes to iconic Swedish writers, not even Stieg Larsson can match Astrid Lindgren, the creator of Pippi Longstocking. Junibacken (Galarvarvsvägen; 46-8-587-23000; junibacken.se) is a sort of indoor amusement park where you can visit Pippi’s house and take the Storybook Train, which will carry you through a series of tableaux drawn from her books. Even for an adult with no knowledge of Lindgren’s work, it’s great fun; for children, it’s thrilling. Afterward go for a rhubarb tart or a slice of mango-cardamom cheesecake (around 45 kronor) at nearby Helin & Voltaire (Rosendalsvagen 14; 46-8-664-51-08; helinvoltaire.com), a cafe that looks as if it came straight out of a fairy tale.

1:30 p.m.
5) ISLAND LUNCH

Any visit to Stockholm should include an exploration of one or more of the thousands of islands that make up the Stockholm Archipelago. It takes several hours’ sailing to reach the heart of the archipelago but you can get a quick fix by taking a ferry to Fjaderholmarna, a group of islands just 20 minutes from downtown. Book ahead for lunch on the deck beside the water at Fjaderholmarnas Krog (46-8-718-33-55; fjaderholmarnaskrog.se). The midsummer menu includes plenty of herring, dill-smoked salmon and oysters. Expect to spend 250 kronor for lunch.

3 p.m.
6) MAIN STREET

On Hamngatan, one of the city’s main shopping streets, two retail titans are squaring off, and national pride is at stake: on one side stands NK (Hamngatan 18-20; 46-8-762-8000; nk.se), the venerable Swedish department store that opened in 1902. Almost directly opposite is the challenger, the Danish design store Illums Bolighus (Hamngatan 27; 46-8-718-5500; illumsbolighus.dk), established in Copenhagen in 1925, which opened its first Swedish store last fall. NK has the edge as far as food and fashion go, but when it comes to cool Scandinavian design, Illums is unbeatable. Here you will find pieces by all the big names of Danish design — Finn Juhl, Hans Wegner, Verner Panton — as well as international brands at all prices.

4 p.m.
7) NORDIC BY NATURE

Book a treatment at the Raison d’Etre spa inside the Grand Hôtel (Sodra Blasieholmshamnen 8; 46-8-679-3500; grandhotel.se). The spa feels thoroughly Nordic, with blocks of granite underfoot in the shower and murals with pixilated views of the archipelago. Of course, treatments (from 930 kronor for a neck, back and shoulder massage) include classic Swedish massage.

5:30 p.m.
8) ANIMAL INSTINCT

The Old Town, in the heart of the city, has no end of restaurants targeting tourists; it also has some of the best places to eat. Djuret (Lilla Nygatan 5; 46-8-506-40084; djuret.se), whose name means “the animal,” offers a meat-heavy menu that focuses on one meat-and-wine pairing at a time: lamb with Bordeaux, for instance, or veal with Barolo and Barbaresco. However, on June 27 Djuret closes for two months and instead offers a top-notch pork barbecue in the courtyard behind the building, weather permitting. Its name? Svinet, which means “the pig.” No reservations, so arrive soon after it opens at 5 p.m. A three-course meal with wine costs around 550 kronor.

10 p.m.
9) VINTAGE DRINKS

The restaurant-bar Riche (Birger Jarlsgatan 4; 46-8-545-03560; riche.se) has been going strong since 1893. It starts to fill up as soon as nearby offices close and is soon crammed with a glamorous, affluent crowd. You’ll most likely hear more Champagne bottles being popped open here than anywhere else in town. If the crush is too much, cross the road to KB (Smalandsgatan 7; 46-8-679-60-32; konstnarsbaren.se), a classic Stockholm restaurant that has a charming bar with murals dating from the 1930s of ale-swilling Vikings and tipsy monks sipping Chartreuse.

Sunday

11:30 a.m.
10) THE ART OF BRUNCH

Stockholm can be a sleepy town on a Sunday, and few restaurants serve brunch. The restaurant at the Moderna Museet (Skeppsholmen; 46-8-5195-6291-5282; modernamuseet.se) has a lavish weekend buffet brunch serving Asian, African, American and European dishes (265 kronor). Reservations are essential as there are only two sittings, at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. If you don’t have a reservation, visit the cafe and enjoy a simpler meal alfresco on the large terrace.

1 p.m.
11) PICTURE PERFECT

Fotografiska (Stadsgardshamnen 22; 46-8-5090-0500; fotografiska.eu, admission 110 kronor) opened last year in a former tollhouse on the quayside of Sodermalm. It has photographic exhibitions of varying quality (Annie Leibovitz was the opening show, but some subsequent exhibitions have been somewhat ho-hum), but it’s worth visiting the top-floor cafe where you’ll find enormous windows looking out over the Old Town. The view is so spectacular that even if you don’t like the photos on the gallery walls you’re bound to end up snapping a few yourself.

IF YOU GO

Right now the 201-room Nobis (Norrmalmstorg 2-4; 46-8-614-10-00; nobishotel.se ), which opened in December 2010, is the hottest place to lodge. It’s got great service, a perfect location, and bedrooms (from 2,240 kronor) that manage to be stylish without sacrificing comfort.

Benny Andersson of the Swedish pop group Abba opened the Rival (Mariatorget 3; 46-8-545-789-24 00; rival.se) in 2003. The 96 rooms (from 1,595 kronor) have stills from Swedish movies over the beds, from Garbo in “Queen Christina” to, of course, “Abba: The Movie.”

When Nobel laureates come to pick up their checks for 10 million Swedish kronor (around $1.5 million), they stay at the 340-room Grand Hôtel (Sodra Blasieholmshamnen 8; 46-8-679-3500; grandhotel.se), a Stockholm landmark since 1874. Doubles start at 1,990 kronor but check in only if you can afford one overlooking the water (from 3,000 kronor).