Saturday, April 28, 2012
INTERNET'S True Inventor's Identity Suppressed for 20 Years !
D.M. Hartman who is Black and
Female claims to be the true inventor of the Internet and that her
identity and intellectual property rights have been suppressed for 20
years by the U.S. government using illegal acts .
During 1990-1993 , Ms. Hartman submitted to the federal government through the Small Business Innovation Research programs and other funding programs new ideas of transforming a budding telecommunications industry and improving an economy in recession brought on by the Savings and Loans crisis in 1989 . Ms. Hartman claims that her ideas were adopted and used by the federal government to create the INTERNET but that she and her start up business were dismissed . Various reasons were cited in the denial letters ( listed as Exhibits in Patent Application #11003123 in Patent Office ) .
Ms. Hartman claims that she was dismissed because of institutionalized racism , oppression , and greed by others .The government has never recognized or credited her for her contributions - prompting her to file a patent application for the Business Method which she authored , the Accessing Accessibility Process . This business method introduced the concepts of using the computer as an integral marketing tool and cyberspace as a marketplace and when married to the preexisting technology produced the dramatic transformation which resulted in the INTERNET which is continuing to evolve . This ability of the INTERNET to expand even as more users come online is the result of Hartman's invention and contribution(
The adoption of this business method by the Federal Government and its reduction of it to practice by the National Science Foundation is what produced the INTERNET , thus commercializing telecommunications . These concepts created a commercial environment which saved a flailing telecommunications industry , strengthened the American economy in the 1990’s , and transformed the telecom industry into the success that it is today .
This ushered in a fundamental change in how the world views and does business . This was the rise of the INTERNET as we know and use it today and its invention has brought trillions of dollars into the American economy . The Nasdaq stock exchange has grown up around the ideas regarding commercialization as contributed by this inventor . Billionaire companies have resulted because they have been able to propagate and sell their wares to billions because of the innovative ideas of Hartman - while she who is disabled continues to struggle financially. She , the true inventor of these method(s) which gave new life to a field otherwise dominated by technology has received no recognition nor compensation . To the contrary she has been demonized , persecuted , and her identity and contributions suppressed .
Go to the USPTO website http://www.uspto.gov , search PUBLIC PAIR , enter Application #11003123 , download APPEAL BRIEF (02-06-2012)
Revision 1, February 2003
Revision 2, May 2004
Revision 3, August 2005
Revision 4, October 2005
Revision 5, August 2006
Revision 6, September 2007
Revision 7, July 2008
Revision 8, July 2010
Even though the United States Patent and Trademark Office is in violation of the constitutional rights of the Applicant - it nonetheless is continuing it’s’ hurry up and delay’ procedures of suppressing this application so as to grant time to the new changes in Patent Law designed to favor large corporations and signed by this president to take effect so as to completely legislate away the rights of the Inventor . Shame ! Shame ! Shame ! Follow the unhappy tweets of the author/ inventor at @D18887233 on Twitter for more updates .
About the Inventor
Science Educator, Entrepreneur, Inventor
Snug'N'Secure Infant Basket
Stove Safety Shield
Accessing Accessibility Process ( Internet )
Methods to Scrub Greenhouse Gases
B.S. - Biological Sciences , Physical Sciences
M.S.- Biology and Chemistry Education
Websites :
http://www.abfyjewelers.net
http://www.abfyjewelers.com
http://www.smartphoneselectronicsaccessories.com
'I taught Rihanna how to shoot': Meet the rock-hard female US Navy officer who trained star for debut movie role Battleship
- Singer 'loved handling guns' says Jackie Carrizosa
The former US Navy officer who trained Rihanna ahead of her Battleship appearance has spoken about what it was like to work with the star.
Jackie Carrizosa, who spent a month teaching RiRi how to hold guns and talk like a Navy officer in order to convincingly play her character, has said that the singer was even tougher than her stunt double.
The 22-year-old was drafted in to help out on set after director Peter Berg spotted her playing football with the US Navy.
Big guns: Former US Naval petty officer,
Jacqueline Carrizosa who is the inspiration behind singer Rihanna's
character on her big screen debut
Made of tough stuff: Rihanna was deeply impressed by Jackie, and did all she could to recreate her gun-ho attitude when filming
She added that Rihanna hugely enjoyed handling guns.
Jackie said: 'When it was time to shoot I told her not to be nervous and to have fun with it. When she finished she was grinning from ear to ear and said, ‘I see why you love this stuff’.'
Caught the director's eye: The 22-year-old was
drafted in to help out on set after Peter Berg spotted her playing
football with the US Navy
Inspiration: Rihanna has said that she based her character for Battleship on her mentor
Jackie admitted that since she doesn't watch television she was only vaguely aware of Rihanna as a pop star before she met her, but that Berg persuaded her to join the film when he sent her a message after watching her play football.
Rihanna came to base her entire character on Jackie.
Tomboy: Jackie encouraged RiRi to throw herself into the physical aspects of the role without holding back
Star student: Jackie says Rihanna was really tough, and even better than her stunt double
The Umbrella singer clearly became attached to her tutor, and has since said: 'My character’s name is Raikes. She’s a weapons officer, she’s not afraid of anything.'
'She loves weapons, she knows them — not only her weapons, but every other weapon on the ship.'
Trained her up: Former US Naval petty officer
Jacqueline Carrizosa who inspired Rihanna's Battleship character has
described what it was like to work with the star
'I watched her and really tried to get in her character. She’s fearless and she’s one of the boys and it’s really fun to explore that.'
The singer certainly took Jackie's sentiments to heart, and was even seen sporting a temporary gun tattoo during filming.
Rihanna has been criticised in the past for her attitude to guns, after wearing weapon-inspired accessories.
Battleship opens in the UK on April 11.
Getting into the role: It's clear that Jackie's involvement was pivotal for Rihanna
Friday, April 27, 2012
KFC in chicken soup
Monika Samaan’s family sued KFC, claiming the then-7-year-old girl contracted salmonella poisoning from a KFC chicken wrap in 2005. Samaan was in a coma for months and left with brain damage.
New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Stephen Rothman ruled last week that KFC was responsible for the food poisoning. On Friday, he ordered KFC to pay AU$8 million damages plus legal costs.
KFC denied responsibility and said it would appeal.
Samaan’s lawyer, George Vlahakis, said the family was relieved the court battle was over, but is upset about KFC’s plans to appeal.
Former Upland Mayor Pleads Guilty in Federal Corruption Case
for Accepting Bribe from Businessman Seeking Permit from City
| U.S. Attorney’s Office April 26, 2012 |
RIVERSIDE, CA—The former mayor of Upland pleaded guilty
today to a federal bribery charge, admitting that he accepted a $5,000
payment in exchange for helping a business obtain a conditional use
permit from the city.
John Victor Pomierski, 58, who resigned as mayor last year after he was named in a grand jury indictment, pleaded guilty this morning before United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips. Pomierski becomes the third defendant to be convicted in relation to a corruption investigation in the city of Upland.
As a result of today’s guilty plea to the bribery charge, Pomierski faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Judge Phillips is scheduled to sentence Pomierski on August 6.
“The public is entitled to honesty and integrity from the elected officials whom they entrust with power,” said United States Attorney André Birotte, Jr. “Mr. Pomierski broke that trust when he decided to accept a bribe in return for a promise to circumvent the city’s well-established permitting system. This kind of conduct is an affront to the voters who follow the law and play by the rules, and who have a right to expect their elected officials to do the same.”
John Edward Hennes, 55, a former member of the Upland Building Appeals Board, pleaded guilty in November to conspiracy and making false statements to special agents with the FBI. The indictment in the case alleged that Hennes communicated Pomierski’s extortionate demands to the business owner and collected money on behalf of Pomierski. Hennes entered into consulting agreements with the business owner to disguise the nature of the payments and to protect Pomierski. Hennes is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Phillips June 25, at which time he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The third defendant to be convicted in this case—Jason Roy Crebs, 39—pleaded guilty in April 2011 to aiding and abetting bribery. Crebs, who was co-owner of a business in Rancho Cucamonga called Venture West Capital, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, at which time he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The fourth defendant charged Anthony Orlando Sanchez, 36, is currently scheduled to go on trial before Judge Phillips on July 24. Sanchez, a co-owner Venture Capital West, is charged with acting as a conduit between the Upland business and Pomierski.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which received assistance from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office. In 2010, the FBI, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office formed the San Bernardino Joint Corruption Task Force to investigate allegations of corruption in San Bernardino County.
John Victor Pomierski, 58, who resigned as mayor last year after he was named in a grand jury indictment, pleaded guilty this morning before United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips. Pomierski becomes the third defendant to be convicted in relation to a corruption investigation in the city of Upland.
As a result of today’s guilty plea to the bribery charge, Pomierski faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Judge Phillips is scheduled to sentence Pomierski on August 6.
“The public is entitled to honesty and integrity from the elected officials whom they entrust with power,” said United States Attorney André Birotte, Jr. “Mr. Pomierski broke that trust when he decided to accept a bribe in return for a promise to circumvent the city’s well-established permitting system. This kind of conduct is an affront to the voters who follow the law and play by the rules, and who have a right to expect their elected officials to do the same.”
John Edward Hennes, 55, a former member of the Upland Building Appeals Board, pleaded guilty in November to conspiracy and making false statements to special agents with the FBI. The indictment in the case alleged that Hennes communicated Pomierski’s extortionate demands to the business owner and collected money on behalf of Pomierski. Hennes entered into consulting agreements with the business owner to disguise the nature of the payments and to protect Pomierski. Hennes is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Phillips June 25, at which time he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The third defendant to be convicted in this case—Jason Roy Crebs, 39—pleaded guilty in April 2011 to aiding and abetting bribery. Crebs, who was co-owner of a business in Rancho Cucamonga called Venture West Capital, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, at which time he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The fourth defendant charged Anthony Orlando Sanchez, 36, is currently scheduled to go on trial before Judge Phillips on July 24. Sanchez, a co-owner Venture Capital West, is charged with acting as a conduit between the Upland business and Pomierski.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which received assistance from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office. In 2010, the FBI, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office formed the San Bernardino Joint Corruption Task Force to investigate allegations of corruption in San Bernardino County.
Walmart is the Brand Finance Best Retail Brand 2012 but Amazon.com gains ground as online sales soar
- Walmart retains its status as the world’s most valuable retail brand with a value of $38.3 billion.
- Online giant Amazon.com has a hugely successful year in 2011 thanks to strong revenue figures as their brand value increases by 61%
- eBay jumps up the league table from 14th to 11th place as online brands continue to dominate the retail industry
- Tesco named Britain’s most valuable retail brand despite losing a combined $3 billion of brand value alongside Sainsbury’s and Asda
Will online success spell the end of the High Street?
The Best Retail Brands 2012 shows that although Walmart managed to increase their brand value by 6% and be named the Number 1 Retail Brand 2012, the study by Brand Finance plc shows that rivals Amazon.com achieved an impressive 61% increase in brand value. In the past Walmart has been keen to build its online presence to match its control of physical sales but the Best Retail Brands 2012 shows that Amazon.com could soon be dominating the online market.
Two of the highest climbing brands Amazon.com and eBay are businesses based 100% online which demonstrates the size of the online market as well as the enormous success of Amazon.com’s investment in Kindle, a new market for the corporation but a hugely profitable one.
Amazon.com and eBay’s success is thanks to the £50.34 billion, or 12.0% of UK Retail Trade, spent online in 2011. The equivalent figure in 2008 was a mere 8.6% of retail sales (Source: Kelkoo).
David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, stated ‘the significance of online retail cannot be underestimated and all major players in the retail industry should turn their attention to the promotion of their online sales in 2012 as the global economic crisis affects spending habits around the world.’ The United Kingdom is the leader in Europe for online retailers and the e-retail market is currently growing at 16% per annum.
Tesco was named the most valuable retail brand in the United Kingdom but, like many other British supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, suffered a loss in brand value proving that 2011 has been a difficult year for the high street.
For the full list of the Best Retail Brands 2012 visit www.brandirectory.com
Fraudulent mortgage applications on the rise
Experian Identity & Fraud has revealed that fraudulent applications for mortgages increased by eight per cent in 2011, marking the fifth consecutive year in which the rate of mortgage fraud has increased.
Around 34 in every 10,000 applications for mortgages were found to be fraudulent in
2011, compared to just 15 in every 10,000 in 2006.
The overall rate of fraud at the point of application across the UK's financial
services sector increased by four per cent in 2011 to just over 17 in every 10,000
applications. In addition to record mortgage fraud figures, this overall increase was also driven by growth in insurance and current
account fraud.
More than 90 per cent of attempted mortgage fraud in 2011 was down to individuals
misrepresenting their personal information on applications. Typically, these first
party frauds involved falsifying employment status or financial information, and,
most commonly, attempting to hide an adverse credit history.
Experian's demographic insight revealed that Mosaic groups, the Terraced Melting
Pot - young, poorly educated individuals living in small towns - and the Suburban
Mindsets - predominantly middle aged, middle and skilled working class individuals -
were both responsible for around 15 per cent of first party mortgage fraud cases in
2011. The young, well educated professionals of the Liberal Opinions were also prone
to attempting first party mortgage fraud, being responsible for 13 per cent of
cases.
Nick Mothershaw, UK&I director of Identity & Fraud at Experian said: "About 70 per
cent of financial services application fraud in the UK fraud is down to first
parties misrepresenting their circumstances, and the products such as mortgages and
insurance that have seen fraud soar over the last year have a significant first
party fraud element to them. This kind of fraud tends to originate from financially
stressed segments of society."
Looking at other financial products, Experian found that insurance fraud UK rates reached
11 in every 10,000 applications and claims in 2011, an increase of 23 per cent over
the last year. 89 per cent of insurance fraud was first-party led with the Terraced
Melting Pot, Suburban Mindsets and Liberal Opinions demographics responsible for the
most instances. Combined they accounted for 43 per cent of cases.
Current account fraud increased to 36 frauds in every 10,000 applications in 2011,
up from 23 in every 10,000 in 2010. 60 per cent of current account fraud in 2011 was
committed by first-parties, almost a quarter (23 per cent) of which was down to the
Terraced Melting Pot demographic. The remaining 40 per cent of current account fraud
attempts were down to third-party identity fraudsters seeking to open accounts as a
springboard to obtain other credit products or for money laundering purposes.
Not all financial products saw fraud rates increase in 2011. Credit card fraud
continued to fall, from 19 in every 10,000 applications in 2010 to 12 in every
10,000 in 2011. Automotive finance providers have also seen fraud rates fall. 23 in
every 10,000 applications were found to be fraudulent in 2011, down from 38 in every
10,000 during 2010. 85 per cent of these frauds were first party.
Experian's Fraud Index utilises data from the National Hunter and Insurance Hunter
fraud prevention systems, which Experian manages on behalf of its clients. These
systems enable financial companies to analyse applications alongside previous ones
and highlight inconsistencies which may be indicative of fraud.
A Cluster Within a Cluster
25 April 2012
The star cluster NGC 6604 is shown in
this new image taken by the Wide Field Imager attached to the MPG/ESO
2.2-metre telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile. It is often
overlooked in favour of its more prominent neighbour, the Eagle Nebula
(also known as Messier 16), that lies a mere wingspan away. But the
framing of this picture, which places the star cluster in a landscape of
surrounding gas and dust clouds, shows what a beautiful object NGC 6604
is in its own right.
NGC 6604 is the bright grouping towards to the upper left of the
image. It is a young star cluster that is the densest part of a more
widely scattered association containing about one hundred brilliant
blue-white stars [1]. The picture also shows the cluster’s associated nebula — a cloud of glowing hydrogen gas that is called Sh2-54 [2] — as well as dust clouds.NGC 6604 lies about 5500 light-years away in the constellation of Serpens (The Serpent) and is located about two degrees north of the Eagle Nebula in the night sky (eso0926). The bright stars are easily seen in a small telescope and were first catalogued by William Herschel in 1784. However, the faint gas cloud escaped attention until the 1950s when it was catalogued by Stewart Sharpless on photographs from the National Geographic–Palomar Sky Atlas.
The cluster’s hot young stars are helping a new generation of stars to form in NGC 6604, by collecting star-making material into a compact region with their strong stellar winds and radiation. This second generation of stars will quickly replace the older generation, as although the brightest young stars are massive, they consume their fuel copiously and live short lives.
Aside from aesthetics, NGC 6604 has other reasons to draw the gaze of astronomers, as it has a strange column of hot ionised gas emanating from it. Similar columns of hot gas, which channel outflowing material from young star clusters, have been found elsewhere in the Milky Way and other spiral galaxies, but the example in NGC 6604 is relatively nearby, allowing astronomers to study it in detail.
This particular column (often referred to by astronomers as a “chimney”) is perpendicular to the galactic plane and stretches an incredible 650 light-years in length. Astronomers think that the hot stars within NGC 6604 are responsible for producing the chimney, but more research is needed to fully understand these unusual structures.
Notes
[1] This stellar association is called Serpens OB. The first part of the name refers to the constellation in which it lies and the letters OB refer to the spectral type of the stars. O and B are the two hottest stellar classifications and most stars of these types are very brilliant blue-white stars, and relatively young.[2] The name Sh2-54 means that the object is the 54th in the second Sharpless catalogue of HII regions, published in 1959.
More information
The year 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the European Southern Observatory (ESO). ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world’s most productive astronomical observatory. It is supported by 15 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world’s most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the world’s largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is the European partner of a revolutionary astronomical telescope ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. ESO is currently planning a 40-metre-class European Extremely Large optical/near-infrared Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become “the world’s biggest eye on the sky”.Recession Fails to Dent Consumer Lust for Luxury Brands
- Consumer appetite for luxury and lifestyle brands fuels growth in The BrandFinance® Global 500 Report by 3.3% to US $3,415 billion from 2011 to 2012
- High end fashion continues to flourish apparently immune from the world’s economic woes as Louis Vuitton (valued at $US 4.9 billion with a 24% increase), Hermès ($US3.4 billion with a 9% increase) and Polo Ralph Lauren ($US 3.4 billion with a 6% increase) significantly increase their brand value
- Apple has been ranked as the World’s Most Valuable Brand at US$ 70.6 billion with 49 technology companies appearing in the BrandFinance® Global 500 making it 2012’s most valuable sector
Brand Finance’s latest Global 500 study of the world’s top brands suggests that, far from cutting their cloth, consumers are turning their backs on traditional household favourites and lower end products and embracing luxury lifestyle and indulgent brands despite the grim economic outlook.
The Brand Finance® Global 500 report shows how the global downturn has spawned a new breed of recession proof and aspirational “Alphabrands” which we turn to for quality regardless of the economic conditions. Bucking the trend for consumers to look to lower end products during times of economic uncertainty, our results show that consumers are increasingly eager to indulge in high quality cutting edge design and couture. Some of the world’s top fashion chains have experienced soaring profits with big brands such as Louis Vuitton ($US 4.9 billion), Hermès ($US 3.4 billion) and Polo Ralph Lauren ($US 3.3 billion) increasing their brand value.
2012 has also seen the re-entry of high end fashion houses such as Prada and Coach whilst Christian Dior and Burberry appear as new entrants in the Global 500 tables. Luxury jeweller’s brand Tiffany & Co have also made the Global 500 for the first time ($US2.9 billion) whilst bespoke Swiss watch makers, Cartier, entered the ranking of the top brands with a value of ($US 3.1 billion).
As consumers continue to indulge themselves during the downturn, brands such as Rolls Royce have seen an increase of 17% in brand value to US$3.1 billion whilst both Daimler and BMW have benefitted from this renewed interest in luxury automobiles with brand increases of 20% and 5%.
Further evidence of consumers’ lust for luxury has been seen by the drop in value of high street supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s (now valued at $US 5.8 billion), ASDA ($US9.4 billion) and even Marks and Spencer’s ($US4.5 billion) who have all suffered a difficult year.
The latest tech gadgetry appears also to be a must for today’s consumers. Technology lifestyle brands also dominate the table, increasing their standings on last year’s table by 79%. 49 technology companies appear in this year’s Global 500 making it the most valuable sector by some margin. Lifestyle technology brand, Apple has leapfrogged Google to be named as the world’s most valuable brand, having the highest ever valuation calculated by Brand Finance at an impressive $US70.6 billion.
David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, commenting on the tables stated: “The rise to prominence of luxury and lifestyle brands in this year’s report is quite impressive. Whilst the world remains shrouded in economic misery, people are investing their hard earned cash in brands they feel they can rely on to produce quality, long lasting products. It is also an encouraging sign for the economy to see that the overall value of the Global 500 increase by 3.3% to $US3,415 billion from last year.”
Notes for Editors:
Brand Finance first issued its Global Report into the relative equity of the 250 top global brands in 2007. In 2008, the study was extended to analyse the top 500 brands worldwide. The Global 500 report is published annually and incorporates data from all listed companies globally. Each brand is accorded a brand rating: a benchmarking study of the strength, risk and future potential of a brand relative to its competitor set as well as a brand value: a summary measure of the financial strength of the brand.
World military spending levels out after 13 years of increases, says SIPRI
(Stockholm, 17 April 2012) World military
expenditure in 2011 totalled $1.74 trillion, almost unchanged since 2010
in real terms*, according to figures released today by Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The comprehensive annual
update of the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database is accessible from
today at www.sipri.org.
The small rise of just 0.3 per cent in 2011 marks the end of a run of
continuous increases in military spending between 1998 and 2010,
including an annual average increase of 4.5 per cent between 2001 and
2009.
Six of the world’s top military spenders—Brazil, France,
Germany, India, the United Kingdom and the United States—made cuts in
their military budgets in 2011, in most cases as part of attempts to
reduce budget deficits. Meanwhile other states, notably China and
Russia, increased their military spending markedly.
‘The after-effects of the global economic crisis, especially
deficit-reduction measures in the USA and Europe, have finally brought
the decade-long rise in military spending to a halt—at least for now’,
stated Dr Sam Perlo-Freeman, head of the SIPRI Military Expenditure
Project.Budgetary pressures in the United States and Europe lead to austerity cuts
Military expenditure by the USA, the world’s top military
spender, fell by 1.2 per cent in real terms (or $8.7 billion in 2010
prices). This is partly the result of the long delay by the US Congress
in agreeing a budget for fiscal year 2011, as the Obama Administration
clashed with Republicans over how to reduce the US budget deficit.
This trend is likely to continue as deficit-reduction measures
approved by the Congress in 2011 will restrict the future growth of the
‘base’ military budget. In addition, it is expected that the withdrawal
from Iraq and the drawdown in Afghanistan will lead to falls in
additional war spending.
The three top spenders in Western Europe—France, Germany
and the UK—have begun to reduce spending as part of austerity measures
imposed to reduce budget deficits. France’s military budget has fallen 4
per cent since 2008, and while reductions over the same period in
Germany (1.4 per cent) and the UK (0.6 per cent) have been more modest,
both states plan further cuts in the coming years.
Far larger cuts have been made in Greece, Spain, Italy and
Ireland as a result of their sovereign debt crises, and most central
European countries have also made severe cuts.
Russian military spending increases by over 9 per cent
Russia, in contrast, increased its military spending by 9.3 per cent
in 2011, reaching a total of $71.9 billion, which now makes the country
the third largest military spender worldwide, overtaking the UK and
France.Russian military spending increases by over 9 per cent
Further increases in military spending are planned,
notably in equipment, research and development (R&D) and support for
the arms and military services industry over the period 2011–20, with
plans to replace the majority of Russia’s mostly Soviet-era military
equipment with modern weaponry by 2020.
Notable regional developments
Notable regional developments
- Military expenditure in Asia and Oceania rose by 2.4 per cent,
due mostly to a 6.7 per cent ($8.2 billion) increase by China. India’s
military budget fell by 3.9 per cent, or $1.9 billion, in real terms,
with high inflation cancelling out a nominal increase.
- In
Africa, most of the regional increase of 8.6 per cent is accounted for
by a 44 per cent ($2.5 billion) increase by Algeria - partly due to
concerns over the conflict in Libya.
- The Middle East is
the only region where a clear increasing pattern was discernible for
most countries, although the lack of data for key players such as Iran
and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) makes the regional total highly
uncertain.
- In Latin America military spending fell by 3.3 per cent in 2011. The region’s leading spender, Brazil, cut its 2011 military budget by 8.2 per cent, or $2.8 billion, as part of efforts to cool its economy and reduce inflation. The resulting fall accounted for almost all of the regional fall in Latin America.
‘It is too early to say whether the flattening of military spending in 2011 represents a long-term change of trend,’ said Dr Perlo-Freeman. ‘While we are likely to see some further falls in the USA and Europe in the next few years, trends in Asia, Africa and the Middle East continue to be upward for now, and any major new war could change the picture dramatically.’
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