"Prodi to the rescue?"

Pro-Euro? When one of the most vocal voices in the line of defense for the eurozone, Germany's DER SPIEGEL, has to ressort to print an interview with disgraced imbecile Romano Prodi, you know how futile the attempts to rescue the euro have become!

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,800351,00.html

Musical Goose-steps

LMAO! History bites!

Midas Touch

There is justice after all:

Three wealth managers who live in one of the richest cities in the US have won a lottery jackpot of $254m (£163m). Greg Skidmore, Brandon Lacoff and Tim Davidson, from Greenwich, Connecticut, won the 2 November Powerball draw after buying a $1 ticket.

World's Greatest Cities

In response to Mercer's 2011 list of most liveable cities of the world I came up with my own Top-15, based on cities I have either lived in or have repeatedly visited over the years:

1. Vienna; 2. San Francisco; 3. New York City; 4. London; 5. Seattle; 6. Geneva; 7. Paris; 8. Lisbon; 9. Sydney; 10. Nice (France); 11. Zuerich; 12. Singapore; 13. Duesseldorf; 14. Montreal; 15. Prague

http://www.mercer.com/knowledgecenter/reportsummary.htm?idContent=1128060

Euro death row

Office News:
in a presentation today I called the break-up of the eurozone "unpreventable at this point and unavoidable in the very near future." Reminiscing over the first business cycle since the euro introduction I described it as "an entirely half-baked, economically reckless and contradicting basic yet fundamental economic rules, politically ignorant and illegitimate enterprise, gone terribly yet predictably awry."

Little Britain

Shrinking Britain: our office predicts Britain to experience flat (zero) growth for the 1st half of 2012 and critical budget deficit; today's Autumn Statement of George Osborne in the Commons will be closely watched; fears that after 13 years of Labour assaults on Britons, the economy is in a state of disrepair.

SOS! M&S in Paris!

I thought to have left all bad memories of Brit cuisine, culture and style behind me. But no, one of the top brands of low Britishness, the food & produce dispenser Marks & Spencer had to make a return to Paris! Blasted, goddammit!

Top-notch in Britain means sub-par in Paris

Even though the French rightly scoff at British cooking and fashion, the retailer still reckons defiantly that Parisians are yearning for its disgusting ready-made chicken tikka masala, repulsive "gourmet" chutney and sensible knickers in the style (and often of the size) of tableclothes. And so the veteran British retailer opened a flagship store on Paris’s Champs-Elysees on Thursday after a decade’s absence from French soil, bringing the taste and feel of Britain to a city that sees itself as a world capital of food and good living. As if!

Emily was there (not to buy anything, of course) and thought that 90% of the lost souls there spoke English, American, Nigerian or English English accent...

I always considered the "M&S" logo as some sort of cry for help, sort of an SOS for famished souls....

SWIFT JUSTICE: The Pope and Traffic

SWIFT JUSTICE: From time to time I pass judgment on prolific legal cases. The latest is the case of a German who filed a complaint against Pope Benedict. The reason? During last year's visit to Germany the pope did not use safety belts when he crossed towns in the "Popemobil."

After careful deliberations I have come to the conclusion that the Pope is exempt from traffic laws and enjoys diplomatic immunity. The complaint is therefore frivolous and will result in sanctions against the German complainant. I therefore sentence the civilian for abuse of the legal system and waste of state resources to

a) 20 lashes;

b) a fine of $3,000.00;
c) a psychiatric evaluation;
c) a suspended sentence of 30 days in jail;
d) 50 hours of communal work, to be served at the discretion of the Roman Catholic Church; and
e) 30 Our Father and Holy Mary prayers, audible to 5 court appointed witnesses.

APPEAL AGAINST THIS JUDGMENT IS NOT POSSIBLE

Brit women Europe's fattest and ugliest

UK women are 'fattest in Europe'
The UK has the highest ratio of obese women in any country in Europe, according to European Union figures.
The BBC report proves me right: I have always claimed that Brit women are fat hags and wenches, with shit for brains and raised on fat and lard. And they are the ugliest wenches in the world.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15901351

The ANC Hoodlums Strike Again

The ruling ANC pushed through parliament a "secrecy law" that effectively muzzles the media in South Africa to a worse extent than Communist China, Belarus or Burma. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Nobel peace laureate, said: “It is insulting to all South Africans to be asked to stomach legislation that can be used to outlaw whistleblowing and investigative journalism ... and that makes the state answerable only to the state.”

Sports Affiliations

With the frequent relocations in my life came (and went) a string of sports franchises that I have/had interest in. In soccer, past fanship included Austria Vienna, 1860 Munich, AS Monaco and Cosmos New York (all history for me), lasting sympathy for Fortuna Duesseldorf, Werder Bremen and Chelsea, and the newly emerged fanship for Paris St-Germain (PSG). Guess what, David Beckham is bound for PSG in January, that's the rumor buzzing along the Seine these days.

 

And finally, there are the teams I will always dig: US Football, the best team sport there is, and my fingers are crossed hard for the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants each season. What a joy it is to be a 49ers fan nowadays: yesterday they annihilated the Cardinals for the 8th straight win. San Francisco (9-1) could wrap up the NFC West with a win at Baltimore on Thursday and a loss by Seattle against Washington next weekend. So I wish for both, to my daughter's muted delight...

Gaddhafi - Hang 'im 'igh!

The most vicious of the Gaddhafi offspring has been captured today; hoping for a speedy trial (in Tripolis) and a date with the hangman for Saïf.

Posted via BlackBerry

Rennes, Dear!

Emily suggested to take a w/e trip to Rennes, kinda a spur of the moment idea. So, off we go, returning tomorrow evening. Bon weekend to all!

Euro oder Krieg?

Die praepotent penetrante Behauptung - vor allem in Berlin, Paris und Wien propagiert - dass ein Auslaufen der Eurozone zu einem erhoehten Risiko fuer den Frieden in Europa fuehren muss, zeigt allenfalls eine kaum noch verschleierte traditionelle Lust auf Krieg, und Ignoranz wirtschaftlicher Realitaet.

Die Welt von Tokio, Peking, Moskau bis Washington nimmt heute zur Kenntnis dass manche Regierungen in Europa sich selbst so einschaetzen, dass oekonomischer Zwang zur Selbstaufloesung der Eurozone unweigerlich erhoehte Kriegsgefahr aus diesem Europa mit sich bringt.

Dies werden London, Washington, Peking und Moskau bedenken muessen wenn sich die EU aufschwingen sollte und einen Staendigen Sitz im UNO Weltsicherheitsrat verlangt.

Haute culture

http://www.france24.com/en/20111116-lulu-gainsbourg-from-gainsbourg-to-lulu-serge-charlotte-l'eau-a-la-bouche-camille-ilo-veyou-eve-jackson-en-culture

Benetton's Kiss

Sealed with a (French) kiss -

Pope and Imam

Mocking the eurozone

The involuntary joke of the EFSF:
When the vehicle [EFSF] that is supposed to borrow on behalf of countries that can’t borrow, can’t borrow, then that pushes the crisis into an even more dangerous phase. The first attempt to find investors of just $4bn for the EFSF failed miserably last week as global investors shunned the market, accompanied with ridicule and mockery for the ECB, the EU commission and the French-German axis.

The dramatic deterioration of the ability to raise funds of some eurozone countries continues as yields of government bonds climb to new record highs today. Italy's 10-yr bond yields rise to 7.21%, Spain's to 6.43%, Belgium's to 5.03% and France's to 3.77% currently.

Northern Rock becomes Virgin Money

I applaud to the successful sale by Chancellor George Osborne of Northern Rock to Richard Branson's Virgin Money for £747mn ($1.17bn; SFR 1.08bn). Under the leadership of the Conservative Government part of the taxpayers' contributions have been recouped, and the condition placed to keep the headquarter of the new bank (and 3,000+ jobs) in Newcastle.

Neo-Nazi Blatter

Seppl Blatter, the infantile Swiss-German megalomaniac FIFA chieftain with the pomp of Congo's late emperor Bokassa, should not be afforded with the nicety to resign from his post, but chased out of office with sickles and instruments used during the Spanish Inquisition's dungeons. The buffoon, who claims there is no racism on a soccer pitch, during a week when six such incidents make headlines in Britain, beggars belief. And not a handshake, as Blatter advises us, but criminal investigation and prosecution should deal with such racism. But how would Blatter, a sponsor in the past of neo-nazi groups in Germany, be a source of reason and logic? I hope he gets run over by a truck today.

Eurozone doldrums / -2

It is most peculiar and absurd that some eurozone governments applaud and rejoice over the fact that two of its members are now governed by unelected officials who both oversaw and sanctioned the demise of their economies as EU commissioners to begin with.

The current cost for 7 eurozone countries' sovereign debt, based on 10-year government bonds (Bond yields over 6% are perceived as unsustainable):

Greece 32.25%; Italy: 7.13%; Portugal: 8.61%; Spain: 6.35%; France: 3.70%; Belgium: 4.93%; Germany: 1.83%

Eurozone doldrums

The eurozone is quickly descending into a crippled and dysfunctional entity, shunned by investors and ridiculed by outsiders. When rating agencies started to downgrade member states because of the reckless scale of indebtness, the EU began to lambast the messenger instead of reminding its members to abide by the rules set up to protect the eurozone before its creation in the first place.

The bond market, as the ultimate judge on the insane and chaotic measures taken by EU officials, pummels sovereign debt of eurozone members, going beyond Greece and Italy now. Within days the whole eurozone will be dragged down, with bond prices (and therefore the cost of new debt) soaring and making the survival of the eurozone impossible. Just as I predicted back in 1991...

Alpha-Giants 49ers

Wow! Wow, wow, wow!

 These "Niners" of 2011 are blasting their way to the play-offs in a style not seen since 1997. Thanks to Jim Harbaugh, who did wonders already in Stanford, the 49ERS have their lead in the NFC with a record of 8-1 set in stone. Yesterday's game against the Giants was stuff reminiscent to the times of legendary Joe Montana. After a 10+ year draught, this fan can jubilate again, week after week.

"Two-speed" eurozone?

While the latest realization of European "leaders" to consider at least a break-up of the eurozone is commendable in principle, the delusions and megalomania of cohorts in Berlin and Paris continues: to label the eurozone as a Tier-1 Europe, and nations outside of it as Tier-2 Europe reminds of past Teuton plans to carve Europe into pro-Reich and a hinterland to provide cheap labour and raw materials. To box countries like Switzerland and Norway as Tier-2 countries, who could buy up the eurozone 10 times over, shows the full scope of pathological madness that still has a firm hold on Germans.

In 1991 I wrote a dissertation on the then yet to be created eurozone. In it I argued that a core of 4 or 5 compatible economies should be ganged together, allowing new members to subsequently join as their economic progress merits it.

It took 'leaders' from France and Germany until November 2011 to arrive at similar conclusions, but only after sinking the continent into a slow growth, multi-Trillion blackhole. The damage in financial terms on the continent has been greater than World War 2 since then.

Let's follow other pipers than Murkyel and Narkozy!

événements à venir

Nov 15

Oh Land
Venue: La Maroquinerie, Rue Boyer, Paris


Nov 22

The "Horses and High Heels" Tour /
Marianne Faithfull + Doug Pettibone
Venue: L'Imprèvu, Saint-Ouen l'Aumone

Cozy under a China/EU flag

AT the failed G20 meeting in Cannes, communist China told its EU comrades of the precondition for economic aid and funds for the rescue fund EFSF (European Financial Stability Facility). Freed of any moral scruples and doubts, the EU leaders will find it easy to accept Chines hegemony in the Far East, issue an arrest warrant for the Dalai Lama, support China in the Tibet issue, support Chinese efforts to annex Taiwan, accept China's foreign exchange regime, support China's political aspirations on the African continent to secure raw material resources, allow China to enslave 25 million Africans, accept Chinese claims of Japanese islands and hoist a new EU flag.

Burning the Soviet-EU flag

The financial nonviability of the eurozone is topped by the immorality of its leaders. They are not ashamed to ask for help of "unlimited resources" from the IMF, an organisation designed to help ailing and emerging economies in the Third World, and to beg for hundreds of billions of dollars from IMF member states such as Brazil, South Africa and China, at the expense of countries such as Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and the Congos.

We will participate at noon in the Jardin du Luxembourg in the event to burn the EU flag, and all it represents.

G20 held captive by French and Germans

Member states of the SovietEUnion must be bewildered as Germany and France have usurped all decision-making and unilaterally determine the fate of its members.

When Greece decided to hold a referendum over its future within the eurozone, horror and fury broke loose in Paris and Berlin. Today, without consulting any other member state of the eurozone or the SovietEUnion, the leaders forced Greece into surrender: "if Athens decides to leave the eurozone, the Greek nation will also be expelled from the SovietEUnion. Faced with the abyss, the Greek PM caved in and cancelled plans for any referendum.

On the sidelines looms Italy, to sink into bankruptcy within six months...

Cameron warning to G-20 on "Tobin" tax

PM heeds advice to oppose "Tobin" tax

Presentation to Chancellor on October 18 bears fruit
ERS

David Cameron has poured cold water on proposals – backed by the buffoonish Archbishop of Canterbury who dubbed a transaction tax as a “Robin Hood tax”  - to be levied on financial transactions, claiming that some European countries were merely backing the levy as a way to wriggle out of their commitments to increase overseas aid.

Mr Cameron will make it clear at the Group of 20 summit in Cannes on Thursday that Britain will not support a tax unless it is implemented at a global level – something which is highly unlikely to happen because of opposition from the US, Canada and some Asian countries.

The levy – sometimes also wrongly called a Tobin tax – was endorsed on Wednesday by economically unaware and uneducated Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, in a Financial Times article. He cited dubious guesses that it might raise more than $400bn globally each year for aid projects and boost the “real” economy. As if!

Greek Plebiscite on Euro Membership

Shock, dismay, revulsion - these are the sentiments amongst the leaders of the euro zone after the Greek PM decided to - quelle horror! - ask the Greek nation to vote on the rescue package forced down on Greece last week.

Once the reflex of condemnation of the PM's decision eases, the leaders should rather feel shame and embarassment over their own actions in the past  of either ignoring the electorate when it made the "wrong decision" (such as France) or denying the population the right to decide (as in all other of the 17 member states). Greece effectively became the fig leave of the euro zone's stripped down derivative of democracy.

EU Travesty #2,326

I think it is a travesty that euro zone leaders are desperately looking at communist China with a per capita annual income of $4,000 for an emergency bail-out, while the per-capita income in Europe is $38,000.

 

Let alone the peculiar proposition to "invest" in the euro zone, when just barely a week ago many investors saw their investments cut by $62.00 for each 100 "invested."