It’s not often that one can look into the future and say with some degree of certainty what is going to happen and where. Thanks to a just released World Bank/IMF report, I think we can say the social and political upheaval that has swept from Tunisia and Egypt to Iran, Sudan and Syria, and …
In December of last year I wrote an article called “The cost of the bail out – Just your Democracy.” In it I referenced an IMF document called “Lifting Euro Area Growth: Priorities for Structural Reforms and Governance.” What prompted me to look at that IMF publication was the injudicious way the IMF publicly told Portugal that …
A little over a year ago in an article called “China’s New Revolutionaries”, I wrote, I think the mistake everyone is making is to assume that because China is a ‘communist dictatorship’ this means the party must be in control. I think this is a dangerous assumption. My point back then was that while the …
Making the New Sub Prime – Part 1 – Backdoor to China Read More »
This is just a quick note. The developments in the ongoing unrest throughout the Middle East and North Africa are, in my opinion, building up pressure for another eruption and this one will meet greater opposition. In Egypt massive protests have again occupied Tahrir Square. Only this time there is no Mubarak to sacrifice. Not only …
Middle East and North Africa – round two approaches. Read More »
For anyone around the Lancaster area, I’ll be speaking and doing another Question and Answer session directly after this showing of Charles Ferguson’s Oscar Nominated Documentary, “Inside Job“. If you would like to see the Trailer for the film its HERE. Sunday 10th April. 19.30 The Dukes, Moor Lane, Lancaster LA1 1QE …
The language we use to talk about things doesn’t restrict our thoughts but it does influence them. Which means whoever manages to set the terms and language in which an argument or issue is discussed, has already managed to greatly influence the range of possible understandings and outcomes, even before the debate begins. For instance, …
Portugal and Ireland – the betrayal of Democracy Read More »
In the four years between 2004 and 2007, one of America’s largest banks, Wachovia, now owned by Wells Fargo, accepted $378.4 billion without paying attention to whether it was drug or otherwise ‘dirty’ money. According to Fincen (The US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) $20 billion of that has been identified as definitely laundered drug money and …
The Free Market ideology of Friedman and his like became enshrined in international agreement in 1995 when government’s signed the Uruguay round of GATT (the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs). In most countries the agreement was signed without any public debate or even awareness of what was being signed and decided. In the UK …
The Irish banks need €24 billion. So now we know. WHAT?! Until we know WHY the losses keep on appearing like poisonous toadstools in the dark, then we know nothing. Does anyone imagine that the reason why we now find that the banks need more money is because the previous 4 times the government inspectors …
Ireland, Greece and Portugal should all default on their debt. The problem with saying that is that as soon as you do, a great clucking flock of Chicken Littles come speeding out of their corners, kicking up dust and confusion and drowning out any attempt to discuss the issue beneath a frenzy of shrill cries …
