World Politics

[The Hitch]

Also, things very bad in Italy.

http://www.skynews.com.au/businessnews/article.aspx?id=706693&vId=2985610&cId=Business

 

[Amsterhammer]

i suspect, this video is a fraction of the crimes never recorded on a video.

'freedom fighters'

I'm sure you're spot on with this supposition. War generates barbarism, always has, always will. Of course, that's no excuse!

Washington (CNN) -- Military officials have interviewed two of four Marines in a video which shows them urinating on dead bodies sprawled out on the ground, a Marine Corps official told CNN Friday.

The Marines were not detained after the interview, the official said.

The names are not being made public, said the official, who did not want to be identified because the investigation is ongoing.

The identities were determined as officials in the United States and Afghanistan expressed shock and outrage regarding the video, which was posted Wednesday on a number of websites.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/13/us/video-marines-urinating/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

[Amsterhammer]

According to an 'unnamed source' on BBC World, S&P is expected to downgrade the rating of "one or more major European countries" today. Which, as we know, would lead to further paranoia.

 

[python]

According to an 'unnamed source' on BBC World, S&P is expected to downgrade the rating of "one or more major European countries" today. Which, as we know, would lead to further paranoia.

it sure is a very serious news but hardly a surprising one...we even can relatively easily predict which countries will get slashed - the s&p it self broadcast hints in early december.... i follow these things regularly.

currently there are 6 highest rated countries in eurozone - germany, austria, belgium, finland, the netherlands and lux. france already got a warning, i recon we're talking about germany or belgium or the dutch with the last 2 likelier b/c germany's export is booming despite anything. but germany is not safe either.
----
addition: it's official - france downgraded. this is a followup to the s&P warning in december. the other downgrade is speculated to be austria.



the effect ? none in reality. the politicos will still meet on the 30th, claim solidarity and plunge ahead with more debt generation for the south against the nordics ability to claim the strength of their economies.

 

[Cobblestones]

the effect ? none in reality. the politicos will still meet on the 30th, claim solidarity and plunge ahead with more debt generation for the south against the nordics ability to claim the strength of their economies.

With hardly any country still enjoying a top rating any more, why would there be any effect. There's no AAA government bonds left where capital could seek shelter. AA is the new AAA.

 

[craig1985]

This report is all about the thousands fleeing eurozone crisis countries to australia. The video particularly focuses on ireland. The arrival of the IMF here and the austerity it brought with it has drained the country of all its talent. Sky News done the report today

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16148245

Yeah I was an article about that recently with a lot of Greek people contacting local Australian Greek clubs because they want to move here but they are informed that isn't the job prospects they might expect.

 

[ChrisE]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/b...oldman-sachs-unveils-bankers-pay-6289685.html

The corporate tax is much too high for job creators.

You see boys and girls, this "philosophy" about cutting taxes on corporations etal is all BS. More times than not, this "job creating low tax" either goes into the pockets of the top management or stays cash on hand. This is above and beyond the tax shelters in the Caymans, etc.

Supply...demand. If the peasants can't demand, and the % of peasants is increasing daily, then the suppliers have nothing to supply to.

Lesson over for today.

 

[ChrisE]

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/18/chris_dodds_paid_sopa_crusading/singleton/

Ouch. Greenwald leaves a mark, again.

At least he is not republican?

 

[Cobber]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/b...oldman-sachs-unveils-bankers-pay-6289685.html

The corporate tax is much too high for job creators.

You see boys and girls, this "philosophy" about cutting taxes on corporations etal is all BS. More times than not, this "job creating low tax" either goes into the pockets of the top management or stays cash on hand. This is above and beyond the tax shelters in the Caymans, etc.

Supply...demand. If the peasants can't demand, and the % of peasants is increasing daily, then the suppliers have nothing to supply to.

Lesson over for today.

This caught me eye...

Mr Barber called on the Government to "move beyond the rhetoric over top pay" and make bonuses above £260,000 liable for corporation tax. He also called for the re-introduction of a tax on bankers' bonuses. The previous government introduced a one-off banking "pay roll tax" aimed at bumper bonus payments.

Do banking execs not pay any tax on the bonuses they receive?!

 

[VeloCity]

Situation in Nigeria looking very bleak at the moment:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16658493

Multiple explosions have rocked Kano, the biggest city in northern Nigeria. The BBC's Yusuf Yakasai in the city says there is pandemonium with people running all over the place and plumes of smoke rising into the sky.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16544410

A country of 160 million people on the brink of civil war between the mainly Muslim north and the mostly Christian south. That is not going to end well.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Julia Gillard continues to lie but the consequences are not that bad in comparison to the Carbon tax.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/mo...-pokies-backflip/story-fn7x8me2-1226250335004

 

[Cobber]

Julia Gillard continues to lie but the consequences are not that bad in comparison to the Carbon tax.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/mo...-pokies-backflip/story-fn7x8me2-1226250335004

She's an embarrassment....... I still can't believe that our only real choice is between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott at the moment. Surely these are the weakest 2 leaders in recent history. Please, bring back Kevin!

 

[auscyclefan94]

She's an embarrassment....... I still can't believe that our only real choice is between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott at the moment. Surely these are the weakest 2 leaders in recent history. Please, bring back Kevin!

Yes, surely there is more talent within these parties though the Coalition will stick with Abbott for the time being considering how far ahead he is in the polls and what will likely be a landslide victory for him and his party.

 

[ChrisE]

I defference to Alpe, let's carry on the Iran discussion here.

What should be done to keep Iran from going nuclear?

 

[Ferminal]

Julia Gillard continues to lie but the consequences are not that bad in comparison to the Carbon tax.

What consequences? The damage to her political stakes (pun not intended!)?

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

This caught me eye...



Do banking execs not pay any tax on the bonuses they receive?!

Don't be a tool. Of course they do.

That is suggesting that the cost of paying a bonus to the bank should not be treated as an expense for the purposes of calculating taxable profit.

 

[Bala Verde]

The Money Traps in U.S. Health Care

 

[auscyclefan94]

What consequences? The damage to her political stakes (pun not intended!)?

Considering that she has again broken yet another promise but this means she won't have to deal with Wilkie again. The fact he is a former Green member says that he generally will support Labor and I don't think the Pokie reform was such a bright or logical idea and I don't really like how the Government is trying to restrict peoples use of their money on something like Pokies.

 

[Bala Verde]

Majorly important case to reduce the us governments reach.

Warrants Needed for GPS Monitoring, Supreme Court Rules

 

[ramjambunath]

Good article on Pakistan's possible future prime minister.

http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/23/is-imran-khan-the-leader-****stan-needs.html

People from the commonwealth nations will know him as the great cricketer and now his party is leading the opinion polls from completely out of the blue. No corruption charges against him, maybe the person the Pakistanis need. Intriguing transitional times for our neighbours.

Shows that there's a reason for optimism at the worst of times known as the memo scandal.

Swear filter stupidity, it is P A K I in the link not four stars.

 

[python]

India to pay for Iranian oil with gold to avoid U.S. sanctions

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/318404

china is said to follow with gold payments too.

other sources report that india is reviewing its strategic options that would permanently decouple western businesses and banks from any involvement in the planned projects in iran, such as resumptions of the pipeline construction through pak-i--stan.


for those of us who ALWAYS were skeptical about the sanctions, there was no surprise, except to avoid the sanctions there were other legit options that would frustrate the us.

the choice of paying with gold may have other connotations, such as sending the message about the shaking dollar status and the pressure it may come under due to rising gold prices.

 

[Cobblestones]

India to pay for Iranian oil with gold to avoid U.S. sanctions

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/318404

china is said to follow with gold payments too.

other sources report that india is reviewing its strategic options that would permanently decouple western businesses and banks from any involvement in the planned projects in iran, such as resumptions of the pipeline construction through pak-i--stan.


for those of us who ALWAYS were skeptical about the sanctions, there was no surprise, except to avoid the sanctions there were other legit options that would frustrate the us.

the choice of paying with gold may have other connotations, such as sending the message about the shaking dollar status and the pressure it may come under due to rising gold prices.

The myth of an isolated Iran

 

[rhubroma]

The myth of an isolated Iran

Thanks for that excellent analysis of what really is underlying the crisis, apart from Israel's "survival" fears: the perseverance of the petroldollar as the US's economic life-line and safety-net.

 

[Cobblestones]

Thanks for that excellent analysis of what really is underlying the crisis, apart from Israel's "survival" fears: the perseverance of the petroldollar as the US's economic life-line and safety-net.

Yes, Pepe Escobar is a very astute commentator. I find it always worthwhile reading his articles.

 

[ChrisE]

Thanks for that excellent analysis of what really is underlying the crisis, apart from Israel's "survival" fears: the perseverance of the petroldollar as the US's economic life-line and safety-net.

Chavez became US public enemy number one only after he threatened to sell VE oil with something other than $. What a coincidence.