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A reader emails to ask me what lessons one of my favorite books, William Easterly’s The Elusive Quest for Growth, might offer for Haiti.  Since Easterly is often seen as a critic of lavish aid, I think my answer might surprise you:  we should give Haiti a bunch of money and other help.

Easterly makes a convincing case that aid doesn’t improve the level of economic growth, or pull nations out of poverty.  But aid can alleviate human misery, and that’s what Haiti has a lot of right now.  Haiti may not be any richer when we pull out.  But it will have fewer dead people, fewer children missing parents, or parents missing limbs.  It will not have descended as far into the brutal chaos of starvation and desperate thirst–a chaos which can irreparably rend the social fabric.

The important thing, I think, is that we start with our exit strategy in mind.  It needn’t be a rapid exit–maybe we plan to be out in ten years.  But we should be focused on the beginning at building institutions that can survive our withdrawal, which means giving Haitians as much power as possible even when it slows us down.  We may not be able to leave Haiti richer than it was when we went in, or any more likely to grow.  But we can probably avoid leaving it worse than we found it.

It’s been weeks since I’ve seen clear ground here in Boulder; we’ve had snow and ice for a long time. You’d think I’d be sick of it and wouldn’t want to see any more, but then you either don’t know me well, or you haven’t seen this beautiful image from NASA’s Aqua satellite:

[Click to embiggen.]

This image, taken on January 17, 2010, shows thin ice forming in the St. Lawrence river in Quebec. I love the swirls of ice, forming along the eddies and flow of the water.

Aqua is an Earth-observing satellite designed to monitor our planet’s water cycle as it orbits at an altitude of 700 kilometers. The camera used in this image is the MODIS, or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. It can observe in a whopping 36 different wavelengths, from visible to infrared. It has a maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel — I find that a bit funny, given that we have probes orbiting the Moon and Mars with resolutions a thousand times higher. But each was designed to do a specific job, and for Aqua, 250 meters is good enough. Clearly, it’s enough to produce stunning images like this one.

Meet the new and fourth model from Mini with four doors, four seats and available four-wheel-drive – the Mini Countryman (Mini tells us that the name may vary in some markets). After a little leak yesterday, Mini today dropped all the details and images on the new Mini Countryman, which will make its public debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show.

Will the Countryman stay true to the Mini go-kart feeling? According to Mini, yes. Mini says that the Countryman “offers all the characteristic features of the brand in terms of design, premium quality, handling, efficiency and customization in new, fascinating style.”

In the European market, the Mini Countryman Crossover will be available with a choice of three gasoline and two diesel engines with output ranging from 90-hp in the Mini One D Countryman to 184-hp in the Mini Cooper S Countryman. The new Mini crossover comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission, while the gasoline models are available with a 6-speed automatic with Steptronic. The Mini Countryman also comes standard with a wide range of fuel-saving features including Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start Stop, a gearshift point indicator, and on-demand management of the engine’s ancillary units.

Buyers of the Mini Cooper S Countryman and Mini Cooper D Countryman can opt for the Mini ALL4 all-wheel-drive system. It also comes standard with DSC Dynamic Stability Control and DTC Dynamic Traction Control coming either as an option or as a standard feature on the MINI Cooper S Countryman and the MINI Cooper D Countryman with ALL4.

Keep in mind that most of what you hear here is for the European market. Details of the Mini Countryman’s U.S. debut (where it may be called something else) are scheduled to be released later this year.

Hit the jump for the press release and the high-res image gallery.

2011 Mini Countryman:

Press Release:

Fun has no Limits: The MINI Countryman*. (* The name of the car may vary in some markets.)

MINI is adding a fourth model to the family, opening up a new dimension of that unmistakable MINI feeling. As a genuine Crossover, the MINI Countryman bridges the gap between the classic concept of the MINI and a modern Sports Activity Vehicle. Boasting enhanced opportunities in urban mobility and beyond, the MINI Countryman offers that unique driving pleasure so typical of MINI to new target groups requiring extra space and flexibility. As the first model in the MINI range with four doors and a wide-opening rear lid, the MINI Countryman provides even greater freedom of space for truly versatile use, a slightly elevated seating position, and optimized driving comfort. Full integration of the passengers within the vehicle creates that driving experience so typical of MINI. And at the same time the MINI Countryman maintains that go-kart feeling likewise so characteristic of MINI, optional MINI ALL4 all-wheel drive offering an additional highlight for the genuine connoisseur. In a nutshell, therefore, the MINI Countryman offers all the characteristic features of the brand in terms of design, premium quality, handling, efficiency and customisation in new, fascinating style.

The MINI Countryman carries on the design of the brand in superior style and quality, combining larger body dimensions, greater ground clearance and four doors at the side with those unmistakable design features so characteristic of MINI. Short overhangs, a high window line, powerful stance on the wheels, and window graphics extending round the entire car create those unique proportions so typical of MINI. At the same time the MINI Countryman re-interprets the characteristic icons of a MINI such as the roofline, the hexagon radiator grille, the large headlights integrated in the engine lid, the surrounds on the side direction indicators, the voluminous wheel arches and the upright rear light clusters in new style and class.

Proceeding from that design language so typical of MINI, the MINI Countryman authentically visualises the particular features of this very special car. Positioned almost upright, the front end bears out strong presence and serves to optimise pedestrian safety. The extra space within the car, in turn, is emphasised by extra-large windows, the introduction of four doors, and the individual shape of the roof. The particularly wide frame around the lower part of the body and the powerfully flared wheel arches highlight the robust character of the car and its all-wheel drive. With that typical MINI style now being conveyed to a new segment in absolute clarity and precision, the MINI Countryman stands out from the start as a brand-new, highly innovative model but is nevertheless clearly identifiable from the very beginning as a genuine MINI.

Within the interior again typical of the brand, the MINI Countryman boasts innovative design and function elements throughout. The slightly elevated seating position guarantees comfortable and pleasant access to the car, optimises the driver’s all-round view, and underlines the powerful character of this new model. The Central Display and air vents are surrounded by coloured rings. The MINI Center Rail quite unique the world over, extending from front to rear instead of a conventional centre console, opens up new, individual options for integrating all kinds of storage boxes, cupholders, external audio devices, mobile telephones and other comfort features. Flexibly positioned clip-in elements enable the driver and passengers to subdivide the storage boxes individually as required, keeping travel utensils within easy reach, wherever they are required. At the same time the Center Rail forms an unconventional, visual and functional connection between the front seats and the rear passenger compartment.

The MINI Countryman comes as standard with four seats, while a three-seat bench is available as a no-cost option. The interior offers superior comfort also on long distances, with generous legroom, headroom and shoulder freedom. The rear seats move fore-and-aft either individually or in a 60 : 40 (three-seat bench) split, the backrests may be tilted for angle either individually or in a 40 : 20 : 40 (three-seat bench) arrangement, increasing capacity in the luggage compartment from 350 to 1,170 litres (12.2–41.0 cu ft).

The MINI Countryman is entering the market with a choice of three petrol and two diesel engines, all coming in the new generation of power units developed with the full know-how of the BMW Group and naturally complying with the EU5 and, respectively, ULEV II emission standards. The power range extends from 66 kW/90 hp in the MINI One D Countryman all the way to 135 kW/184 hp in the MINI Cooper S Countryman. The 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the top model comes for the first time not only with a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct fuel injection, but also with fully variable valve management offering by far the best balance of engine power and fuel consumption in its class. As a particular highlight of the MINIMALISM fuel efficiency concept, the MINI Countryman comes as standard and in appropriate combinations on each model with a wide range of features serving to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, among them Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start Stop, a gearshift point indicator, and on-demand management of the engine’s ancillary units. And as an alternative to the six-speed manual gearbox featured as standard, the petrol engine models are also available with six-speed automatic complete with Steptronic.

As an option the MINI Cooper S Countryman and MINI Cooper D Countryman are available with permanent MINI ALL4 all-wheel drive, an electrohydraulic differential positioned directly on the final drive varying the distribution from front to rear in an infinite process. Under normal driving conditions up to 50 per cent of the engine’s power goes to the rear wheels, under extreme conditions up to 100 per cent, offering a new, high-traction rendition of that agile handling so typical of MINI. This superior traction and drivetrain technology is based on the top-end suspension of the MINI including features such as the front axle with McPherson spring struts and forged track control arms, the multi-arm rear axle and EPS Electric Power Steering complete with Servotronic. The MINI Countryman furthermore comes as standard with DSC Dynamic Stability Control, DTC Dynamic Traction Control coming either as an option or as a standard feature on the MINI Cooper S Countryman and the MINI Cooper D Countryman with ALL4, as well as an electronic limited-slip function for the front axle differential.

Designed for optimum safety in the event of a collision, the body structure with its precisely defined load paths and deformation zones ensures passive safety of the highest calibre. Frontal and side airbags as well as curtain airbags at the side both front and rear, three-point inertia-reel seat belts on all seats, belt latch tensioners and belt force limiters at the front, as well as ISOFIX child seat fastenings at the rear all come as standard. Yet another standard feature is the Tyre Defect Indicator, with runflat tyres coming as an option and standard on the MINI Cooper S Countryman with ALL4.

The wide range of customisation options on both the exterior and interior again so typical of MINI are supplemented by new, model-specific features exclusive to the MINI Countryman. New combinations in the range of interior colours, trim strips and upholstery enable even the most discerning customer to create his – or her – very special car with truly unique character. The wide range of standard features boasted by the MINI Countryman includes highlights such as air conditioning, the MINI Center Rail, and an audio system complete with a CD player. The equally wide range of options and special equipment tailored to each model comes with features such as high-end audio and navigation systems as well as mobile telephone interfaces including the option to completely integrate an Apple iPhone and other Smartphones in the car. Further options are the extra-large Panorama roof, Adaptive Headlights in combination with xenon headlight units, a heated windscreen, a towbar, light-alloy wheels ranging in size from 16 to 19 inches, sports suspension lowering the entire car by 10 millimetres or almost 0.4″, as well as the wide range of John Cooper Works Performance Components.

– By: Omar Rana

If you’re going to make a one-third scale replica of a 15th-century tapestry out of 55,000 Lite Brite pegs and 36 pegboards, you’d better dadgum well pick the 15th-century tapestry with a unicorn and a pink lion.

Thankfully, artist Joey Syta agrees, and his piece—entitled My Only Desire—turned out pretty amazing.

To get the full color spectrum he required to bring The Lady and the Unicorn to full peggable life, Syta had to call in Lite Brite components from all over the world.The whole thing took two years to pull together, but I’d say it was worth it, especially if he can find enough extension cords to actually light that sucker up.

Oh, and if you were wondering, it’s nowhere near the record for the world’s biggest Lite Brite—but it’s undoubtedly the spunkiest. [Joey Syta via Boing Boing]

YouTube’s signed a deal with the Indian Premier League to broadcast all Twenty20 cricket matches around the world, for free. It’s not the most thrilling of news, but it’s a healthy step away from being associated with live-streaming U2 concerts.

Not only will viewers be able to watch all 60 matches live, but they’ll also be able to change camera positions, freeze and fast forward the slow bits (presumably if they’re not watching it live). All of the best HOWZAT! moments will be saved in archives for replaying later, and of course it will be ad-funded, with revenues shared between Google and the IPL.

I’m not a cricket fan, so am not sure if the Indian Premier League makes for particularly gripping television, but presumably with this new feather in their cap, YouTube will be able to use it as leverage for attracting even bigger sporting events—maybe next year’s Super Bowl? It’s certainly a trend which looks set to be grow even bigger, with the recent news that Xbox Live will live-stream ESPN sports on the game console. But hey, I hope these companies don’t forget about us non-sports people who don’t know a tennis racket from a soccer ball. [Telegraph]

Image Credit: SJ Jagadeesh

Who knows what’s going on over in London right now but there are a few blolgers chilling out waiting for Nokia to launch something huge in 19 hours. The best thing? You can embed their little countdown thinger into your own blog, thereby completing the circle of blog wonkery. Writes symbian-guru:

Nokia has begun sending invites out to select media outlets (such as Engadget), inviting them to an event on this Thursday in London at the Paramount Club. The invite mentions that there is big Ovi news, but the press event is only 15 minutes, followed quickly by a Q&A session, so it’s not likely to be a major announcement, really.

via Surya

Crunch Network: TechCrunch obsessively profiling and reviewing new Internet products and companies

THE quote of the day comes from Tyler Cowen, on the question of disaster aid:

I still believe that foreign aid does not raise economic growth rates, on average.  But aid can alleviate human misery, such as when a visiting doctor gives vaccines or hands out medicine.  (In fact per capita income may fall, as a result, if some “weaklings” are kept alive.) 

I also believe that the U.S. military can make a huge difference in the immediate aftermath of catastrophes.

Imagine U.S. troops liberating Buchenwald.  Would any commentators say the following?  “Don’t give him that blanket, sell it to him!”  “Hey buddy, get a job!”  “Moral hazard: they’ll just go get captured again.”  etc.  I don’t think so.

I didn’t realise there was any kind of anti-planning backlash to government aid efforts in Haiti; I suppose I felt that was simply too cruel an outlook. Sometimes, incentives effects are simply not important. You help the people who need help.

There’s still a gender gap when it comes to income between men and women, but it continues to shrink year over year, and the recent “mancession” (the hard fall in areas typically associated with male skills) has only shrunk the difference.

Thus it’s not a surprise that a new report from Pew on the New Economics of Marriage (via Economix) shows that more and more, women are the top breadwinners at home.

In addition, the institution of marriage has changed significantly in the last few decades, beyond just changes in breadwinners. For example: fewer and fewer adults are getting married.

Now, see how marriage has changed — >

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Are Women Less Interested In Entrepreneurship Than Men Are?
• Women CEOs See Compensation Whacked By More Than Their Male Counterparts
• The Complete Story Of How Lenny Dykstra Went From The Top Of The World To Living Alone In An Office

Name: Katie
Location: Illinois
Rent or own? Own

Katie and her young family recently moved into this house and she’s looking for ways to personalize her kitchen and to brighten it up. She’s on a limited budget, but perhaps more importantly, with two toddlers and a busy schedule she has limited time! What would you suggest for Katie’s kitchen?

Read Full Post

OVER at Vox, Francesco Caselli and Guy Michaels describe a novel approach to the study of the resource curse and its effect on economic conditions. Rather than compare data across countries, they produced an analysis across municipalities within Brazil over the period after the country discovered large petroleum reserves. Their findings are interesting; for one thing, the multiplier from oil wealth is negligible—an additional real of oil income raises aggregate income by one real. There are some small compositional effects to economic activity; manufacturing decreases slightly while the service sector grows. But the interesting questions centre on what happens to growth and the distribution of oil money.

The authors note that oil-rich Brazilian municipalities tended to report large increases in spending on public goods like infrastructure and education. This would seem to be the route to a Norway-like experience, in which oil wealth translates into broader prosperity. And yet, services didn’t seem to improve. Why?

Our finding that oil windfalls translate into little improvement in the provision of public goods or the population’s living standards raises a key question – where are the oil revenues going? As a way of addressing this question, we put together a few pieces of tentative evidence:

• First, oil revenues increase the size of municipal workers’ houses (but not the size of other residents’ houses).
• Second, Brazil’s news agency is more likely to carry news items mentioning corruption and the mayor in municipalities with very high levels of oil output (on an absolute, though not per capita, basis).
• Third, federal police operations are more likely to occur in municipalities with very high levels of oil output (again in absolute terms).
• And finally, we document anecdotal evidence of scandals involving mayors in several of the largest oil-producing municipalities, some of which involve large sums of money.

As a partial explanation of why senior municipal workers may have thought that they could “get away” with large-scale alleged theft in a country where local elections are held regularly, we note that a survey in the largest oil-producing municipality found considerable ignorance among residents about the scale of the municipal oil windfall.

In general, these results confirm the general belief that resource discovery is likely to pose difficulties to poorer nations and those without well-developed oversight structures and a culture of transparency. But now we have a helpful metric. If you find yourself in a suddenly resource-rich emerging market and you’re interested in knowing whether revenues are being put to the proper uses, just go find the houses of the local government leaders.

Content: DEATH BY CUBE
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox LIVE regions
Dash Text: DEATH BY CUBE is an exhilarating action game in which you must take out endless hordes of enemies, while avoiding the rapid barrage of their fire that envelopes the screen. Take advantage of your shooting, as well as "dash" and "shield" abilities in order to clear each level and gain the medals which are awarded according to the score you achieve. By using the chips gained from completing levels, you can upgrade your character and focus on shooting, or on other abilities. Upgraded characters can also be used in the multiplayer modes, where up to 8 players can battle it out at the same time. DEATH BY CUBE has 3 types of multiplayer mode – "Death Match", "Base Battle" and "High Score Scramble" – so you can compete with your friends using whichever rules you like.

Add DEATH BY CUBE to your Xbox 360 download queue

Content: Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment
Price: 1200 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox LIVE regions
Dash Text: [ESRB: T (Teen) BLOOD,FANTASY VIOLENCE,MILD LANGUAGE] Konami’s legendary tactical RPG series returns with Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment for Xbox LIVE Arcade! Unlock the full game to experience speedy RPG gameplay, beautiful environments and multiple endings for endless replayability!

Add Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment to your Xbox 360 download queue

University researchers have built nanoparticles designed to cling to artery walls and slowly release medicine – a breakthrough that could help fight heart disease.

Scientists at MIT and Harvard Medical School yesterday announced that they teamed up to create what they’re calling “nanoburrs,” nanotechology that sticks to arteries the way that pesky burrs in the woods stick to your clothes. Researchers are hoping the nanoburrs can offer an alternative to surgically implanting arterial stents that, over time, release drugs to treat or prevent plaque build up on artery walls…

Read more here (Computerworld)

By Sasha Kramer, New America Media

This afternoon, feeling helpless, we decided to take a van down to
Champs Mars (the area around the palace) to look for people needing
medical care to bring to Matthew 25, the guesthouse where we are
staying which has been transformed into a field hospital.

Since we arrived in Port au Prince, everyone has told us that you
cannot go into the area around the palace because of violence and
insecurity. I was in awe as we walked into downtown, among the
flattened buildings, in the shadow of the fallen palace, among the
swarms of displaced people there was calm and solidarity.

We wound our way through the camp asking for injured people who needed
to get to the hospital. Despite everyone telling us that as soon as we
did this we would be mobbed by people, I was amazed as we approached
each tent people gently pointed us towards their neighbors, guiding us
to those who were suffering the most.

We picked up five badly injured
people and drove towards an area where Ellie and Berto had passed a
woman earlier. When they saw her she was lying on the side of the road
with a broken leg screaming for help. They were on foot and could not
help her at the time, so we went back to try to find her. Incredibly,
we found her relatively quickly at the top of a hill of shattered
houses. The sun was setting and the community helped to carry her down
the hill on a refrigerator door, tough looking guys smiled in our
direction calling out, “Bonswa, Cherie,” (Good evening, Dear) and
“Kouraj” (Courage).

When we got back to Matthew 25, it was dark and we carried the patients
back into the soccer field/tent village/hospital where the team of
doctors had been working tirelessly all day. Although they had
officially closed down for the evening, they agreed to see the patients
we had brought. Once our patients were settled in we came back into the
house to find the doctors amputating a foot on the dining room table.
The patient lay calmly, awake but far away under the fog of ketamine.

Half way through the surgery we heard a clamor outside and ran out to
see what it was. A large yellow truck was parked in front of the gate
and unloading hundreds of bags of food over our fence. The hungry crowd
had already begun to gather and in the dark it was hard to decide how
to best distribute the food.

Knowing that we could not sleep in the
house with all of this food and so many starving people in the
neighborhood, our friend Amber (who is experienced in food
distribution) snapped into action and began to get everyone in the
crowd into a line that stretched down the road.

We braced ourselves for the fighting that we had heard would come, but
in a miraculous display of restraint and compassion people lined up to
get the food and one by one the bags were handed out without a single
serious incident. During the food distribution, the doctors called to
see if anyone could help to bury the amputated leg in the backyard. As
I have no experience with food distribution I offered to help with the
leg. I went into the back with Ellie and Berto and we dug a hole and
placed the leg in it, covering it with soil and cement rubble.

By the
time we got back into the house the food had all been distributed and
the patient Anderson was waking up. The doctors asked for a translator
so I went and sat by his stretcher explaining to him that the surgery
had gone well and he was going to live. His family had gone home so he
was alone so Ellie and I took turns sitting with him as he came out
from under the drugs.

One of the Haitian men working at the hospital came in and leaned over
Anderson and said to him in kreyol “listen man even if your family
could not be here tonight we want you to know that everyone here loves
you, we are all your brothers and sisters.” Sometimes it is the
kindness and not the horror that can break the numbness that we are all
lost in right now.

So, don’t believe CNN’s Anderson Cooper when he says that Haiti is a hotbed of violence and riots. It is just not the case.

In the darkest of times, Haiti has proven to be a country of brave,
resilient and kind people. It is that behavior that is far more
prevalent than the isolated incidents of violence. Please pass this on
to as many people as you can so that they can see the light of Haiti,
cutting through the darkness, the light that will heal this nation.

Sasha Kramer directs the grassroots Haitian organization SOIL, which
works with rural and urban communties to develop indigenious solutions
to environmental problems. She wrote this dispatch from Port au Prince
on Monday, Jan. 19.

PHOTO: Earthquake victims receive medical treatment at an encampment in front
of Port-au-Prince’s Presidential Palace. UN Photo/Logan Abassi.

O site Car and Drive divulgou hoje um flagra da picape pequena da Peugeot que por enquanto não tem nome definido. Com placas verdes, o modelo flagrado era da versão Escapade e tinha todos os apetrechos utilizados por seus futuros rivais neste tipo de versão (leia-se Fiat Strada Adventure Locker, Chevrolet Montana Arena além da futura Volkswagen Saveiro Cross), como suspensão elevada, plástico nos pára-choque dianteiro e traseiro, nas caixas das rodas e nas laterais, uma saliência no pára-choque dianteiro pintado na cor prata para passar a impressão de um quebra-mato e um rack de teto, também na cor prata, que além de bonito é funcional.

Apesar de ter suspensão elevada, o modelo passa a sensação de ser baixa, sensação essa que podemos notar também no Peugeot 207 SW Escapade, pois a frente do carro passa essa sensação. A caçamba aparentemente deverá ser espaçosa, maior que seus rivais e tem gancho de fixação para capota marítima e como já divulgado em sites e revistas especializadas o modelo tomou emprestado as lanternas traseiras do monovolume 1007 que já foi descontinuado na Europa.

A nova picape da Peugeot deve chegar ao mercado em maio desse ano, em primeiro momento apenas com motor 1.6 16V de 113cv e em versão normal e aventureira, depois chegam outras versões com motor 1.4.

Fonte: Car and Drive

–Nylon is up all night with The Vampire Diaries….

-Tiger Whore Jaimee Grubbs bikini-clad for Ralph Magazine…..

– The mother of tennis star Anna Kournikova has been arrested in Florida and charged with child neglect after she left her 5-year-old son home alone while she ran errands and the child jumped out of a second-story window……

-A shirtless John Mayer covers Rolling Stone…..

-What is Tom Green doing on For The Love Of Ray J?

-Jared Leto has fond memories of living in Haiti as a child…..

-Yahoo has a 22-minute behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of Avatar…..

– The fourth installment of Pirates Of The Caribbean film series will be shot in Hawaii…..

-Erich Segal has died. Segal was the author of the acclaimed novel Love Story, which later began an Oscar-winning film starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali McGraw…..

After back in July 2009 South Korean manufacturer Kia announced plans to invest 2.3 billion euros to make its European business, including the Zilina, Slovakia facility, a bit greener, the carmaker now steps forth and announces why it will focus more on the European business in the future: potential.

The carmaker announced it has produced its 500,000th car in Zilina, since volume production began in December 2006. The car in question is a white cee’d SW, which has been donated to the Transpla… (read more)