Washington, U.S.A. – The Group of 20, the powerful international organization whose heads of state will meet next week in Mexico to discuss the global economy, needs to change its membership criteria in order to establish a legitimacy that is fast depleting at a critical time. That is the conclusion of a new study published by the 362,000-member National Taxpayers Union (NTU). The study suggests replacing four current members of the G20 based on proposed membership criteria.

“With the anemic economic recovery weakening, global leaders should quickly consider how to fulfill the G20′s potential for building economic stability,” write the study’s authors, Alex M. Brill and James K. Glassman. “The place to start is by establishing criteria for membership and adjusting the group’s composition accordingly.”

The authors develop a system that uses key numerical indicators measuring nations’ size, governance, and financial interconnectedness to establish country-by-country rankings for current and potential G20 members. Their goal is to create a practical methodology for membership standards that would give the G20 the legitimacy and trust it needs to fulfill its stated objectives: restoring global growth, strengthening the international financial system, and reforming international financial institutions.

Findings of the study include results that show two current G20 countries—Argentina and Indonesia— are falling far short of the proposed membership criteria and should be removed from the body. Two other current G20 countries—Russia and Mexico—fail to qualify by a very small margin. Four current nonmembers—Malaysia, Norway, Singapore, and Switzerland—should replace these countries.

The study also found membership should be reevaluated periodically—a minimum of every five years and a maximum of every ten years. Such a system would lend further legitimacy to the G20 as well as provide “an incentive for countries on the cusp of gaining membership to implement reforms or strengthen their economies’ growth prospects.”

The authors stress that for the G20 to avoid the “political and operational baggage” of other organizations like the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund, solid membership criteria “can lend credibility to the G20 without affecting the manner in which it conducts its policymaking.”

NTU Executive Vice President Pete Sepp notes that by following Brill’s and Glassman’s recommendations, “[T]he G20 could take a first step to becoming a new model of economic policymaking that depends not on costly bailouts but more on proactive self-discipline in the common interest; such a model rewards free-market solutions from innovators instead of statist behavior from bad actors.”

Alex M. Brill is a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former chief economist and policy director to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Ambassador James K. Glassman is the Executive Director of the George W. Bush Institute and a member of the newly established Investor Advisory Committee of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He is a former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

NTU is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1969 to work for limited government and economic prosperity in the U.S. and around the world. The group has long advocated for more accountable multilateral policymaking bodies that focus on practical, nimble responses to economic growth challenges instead of costly, bureaucratic interventions.

Image Courtesy of  G20

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Washington, U.S.A. – Argentina’s sagging international reputation has drawn scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers. The American Task Force Argentina reported that on the eve of the G20 Summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, members of Congress have taken the first steps to call for the removal of Argentina from the G20 if it continues to ignore U.S. court judgments and its international economic obligations. A new resolution introduced by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), expresses the sense of the Congress that the Republic of Argentina’s membership in the G20 should be conditioned on its “adherence to international norms of economic relations and commitment to the rule of law.”

H.Res.686 stipulates that the Republic of Argentina must “fulfill the responsibilities inherent with membership in the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (G20), in accordance with the principles articulated by this premier forum for international economic cooperation.” In the event that Argentina fails to comply, the Resolution establishes that President Obama and the Treasury Secretary would work with G20 members to “terminate the participation of Argentina in the G20.”

This resolution is the counterpart to Senate Resolution, S.Res.457, introduced by U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) on May 14, which also supports Argentina’s suspension from the G20, unless it meets its obligations to the U.S. and other countries.

Calls to sanction Argentina have been echoed globally, from Spain and Germany to the United Kingdom. Last week, a UK petition urging British taxpayers to stop supporting multilateral development bank loans to Argentina went viral. In the United States, a House Financial Services subcommittee held a hearing that showcased Argentina as a nation that does not respect U.S. or international law.

“Rep. Smith is to be commended for his resolution. His initiative is part of a growing international outcry against Argentina’s bad acts,” explained Robert Raben, co-chair of American Task Force Argentina.  “Argentina has repeatedly refused to adhere to the spirit and the letter of G20 declarations, and at a time of financial instability, this lawlessness should no longer be tolerated.”

ATFA an alliance of diverse organizations advocating a fair and final resolution to Argentina’s financial and legal obligations to U.S. citizens is led by Executive Director Robert Raben, a former Assistant Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice, and co-chaired by The Honorable Robert J. Shapiro, former Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs in the Clinton Administration, and Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, Ambassador at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York from 1997 to 2001.

Image Courtesy of  Casa Rosada

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New York, U.S.A. – Roger Waters’ extraordinary production of The Wall has smashed attendance records in South America playing to over 750,000 fans across a record-breaking 15 open-air stadiums shows in Chile, Brazil and Argentina.

This is the largest number of stadium shows ever played in South America by an international artist on one tour. The South American leg of The Wall included a record breaking 9 sold out shows in Buenos Aires, River Plate Stadium, exceeding the previous record of 5 nights held by the Rolling Stones (see link below to photos of The Wall in River Plate Stadium).

The Wall, an aural and visual masterpiece, has so far played 150 shows for a gross of US $218M in 27 countries. Due to overwhelming popular demand, The Wall returns to North America in 2012 kicking off this weekend, April 27 and 28th, at the Foro Sol stadium in Mexico for a historic run of 41 performances at stadiums and arenas.

The U.S. and Canadian leg begins on May 1st at the Toyota Center in Houston, TXwith dates through July 14th at the Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA, including 2 nights at New York’s prestigious Yankee Stadium and 1 once-in-a-lifetime night at the world-famous Los Angeles Coliseum, for a total of 9 stadium shows. Tickets are available now at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.

The Pollstar Music Industry Awards, as voted by the music industry, has honored Roger Waters and The Wall Live with two of the highest accolades – the coveted “Major Tour of the Year” and “Most Creative Stage Production” of 2010. The Wall also won the “Most Creative Stage Production” for a second consecutive year in 2011.

“The best arena show ever. Period.” New York Post

“The Wall Live is flawless. Everyone should see it once before they die.” Philadelphia Inquirer

For press shots of The Wall stadium show at River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires, please visit:

URL:  http://rogerwatersmedia.com
Login:  TheWallLiveSA
Password:  SouthAmerica2012

Roger Waters The Wall – North American Tour Itinerary

Image Courtesy of   Roger Waters The Wall

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Fuerza Bruta, the new variety show from the Argentine creators of the long-running De La Guarda, is succeeding in Madrid, Spain at the Price Circus after its release on 11 October. This success was expected, since its premiere in 2005 at Buenos Aires, Argentina, the show has travelled across New York, London, Lisbon, Bogota, Miami and showed at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, achieving, according to the producers, “amazing reviews and excellent audience opinions.”

Hundreds of people have watched and experienced the sounds and sights and the attendance numbers have only gone up since it premiered. “Fantastic show. Hard to describe it. You just have to go.”

Created by Diqui James, Fuerza Bruta – or translated from Spanish Brute Force — is not part of the usual theater genre. In fact, some Spanish media have categorized it as the kind of theater that people who don´t really like theater would like.

From the very beginning, you will not know what to expect. The performance area is huge, dark, and mysterious, playing with your imagination and curiosity. One of the scene’s most impressive installments is a massive shallow plastic pool where four female performers are splashing around like mermaids. This big pool descends from above to the audience who are standing throughout the entire spectacle. A very helpful suggestion for female patrons would be to wear shoes that they won’t get too uncomfortable in!

During the Fuerza Bruta, the audience is expected to participate in the performance. Be prepared for both voluntary and involuntary involvement as the performers will grab and bring people on stage or engage their spectators in other ways. You can get wet, or you could have a pizza box stuffed with powder and confetti thrown over your head. For this reason, we recommend that you dress casual and think twice before spending hours in front of the mirror; this evening is not likely to come before a night on the town.

The stunning visuals, great music, energetic dancers and the audience participation creates a show which is bound to challenge your mind. You’re also encouraged to touch the set, which is a pretty rare opportunity compared to similar shows.

Fuerza Bruta ends its stay in Madrid this Sunday and unfortunately, so far the production has not announced their next destination. Either way, at Toonari Post, we believe this would be a ‘must-see’ for all. It’s an interesting and fun experience that will introduce you to an hour of incredible alternate reality.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jairomag/3746988566/

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Tango Buenos Aires started on August 16 and continued until August 30. The event showcases the distinct style of tango dancing.

The signature dance style of South America’s Argentina is undeniably the passionate tango. Professional dancers and lovers of tango head to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the annual Tango Festival and Dance World Cup.

With strong cultural importance and a rich history, tango has been a staple in the Argentine heritage and is close to the hearts of locals. Guided by passionate music and close body movements, tango is often synonymous with the country’s culture. The August festival brings tango enthusiasts through a journey of showcases, classes, documentary films, concerts, conferences and parties, all in celebration of the beloved dance.

Spectators and participants can enjoy a full schedule of activities during Tango Buenos Aires. A popular event spanning the duration of the festival is the interactive dance tango classes. Classes are available in different levels, including beginner, intermediate, and advance. Beginner classes are given for free, while all the courses available are taught by highly respected tango masters.

Coming from a host of different dance schools, these instructors bring with them expert knowledge and a genuine desire to spread the love of dance.

With venues throughout the city of Buenos Aires, performances happen nightly. Many performances are free and open to the public, giving people easy access to the cultural festivities. Famous dancers and choreographers, including special guests Ana Maria Stekelman and Maria Nieves, perform in pieces that illustrate the intense emotions and dance steps associated with tango.

Performances range from showcasing individuals to larger company performances, providing audiences with a wide variety of tango dances to enjoy. International dancers perform in the annual Dance Festival and World Cup, participating in activities that are present during the Tango Buenos Aires Festival. Competitions are held in the categories of Salon Tango and Stage Tango.

Participants are judged by professionals to determine the champions. Competitions are also held in the milonga scene as well. Milongas are essentially dance clubs in the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires where tango is danced on a regular basis. Locals often gather in milongas to express themselves through the language of dance.

Located in the Centro Municipal de Exposiciones, milongas and parties are held throughout the Tango Buenos Aires festival. Live music from orchestras and DJs are played while anyone from the beginning to advanced levels of dance are welcome to step onto the dance floor. Over 400 couples dancing in the World Cup of Dance lit up the dance floor during a welcome ball, kicking off the Tango Buenos Aires festivities.

Documentary films are also a part of Tango Buenos Aires. This years films aim to analyze the way in which tango has changed over recent years. Because tango is often considered to be an important component of Argentine culture, these documentary films showcase how the style of dance has continued to reinvent itself throughout the years, while still remaining true to its roots.

Like many of the performances and concerts, the films shown at Tango Buenos Aires are free of charge. The abundance of tango activities occurring through Tango Buenos Aires is a great chance for visitors and locals to immerse themselves in the passionate dance style.

The celebration of tango as a natural treasure makes the two week festival an exciting way to dance into Argentine culture.

Anibal Trejo / Shutterstock.com

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The legalization to consume some drugs in Argentina has generated a great polemic in the country. The Government had to firmly state that: “ There will never be free drugs in Buenos Aires”. The executive of Cristina Fernandez announced to propose a legal change, where the consumer would not be consider a delinquent.

This type of regulations  are really interesting taking in consideration that South America is a continent where the production of drugs is very wide, and it is controlled and handle illegally.

The Argentinean authorities considered that this policy has failed due to the fact that it will equate “the addict with the trafficker”, these were the words that yesterday the Minister of Justice, Aníbal Fernández said. He claimed that it is more important to bring medical attendance to the consumers and chase drug trafficking, rather than expend the State resources into penal processes against the drug addicts.

This is remarkable change of posture for Argentina, since the 1989 ONU convention, it was always possitionated towards the persecusion of drug consume.

The Government’s announcement has generated divisions of opinions among the partidarians that focus on attacking the problem with a  similar angle as some Euroepan countries, such as Spain. Against the others that advert that the measure will provoke the opposite effect, than the one expected.

This is the first time that this kind of drug regulations are being discuss in South America. If we take in consideration the posibility to legalize drugs in South America, rather than having them situated in the black market, and controlled by delincuents, and guerrilleros such as the As Farc in Colombia. It is good to look at the other side of the coin, where offering control and regulation many of this groups would dissolve and the drug consumption would be controlled  in a legal way.

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